South Korea's Navy said Wednesday it has received an initial delivery of four Wildcat helicopters it purchased as part of its ongoing efforts to beef up its fighting capability.

In 2013, the Navy signed a contract to buy eight AgustaWestland Wildcat marine helicopters for about 400 billion won ($350 million), he said.

The helicopters, which carry a low-frequency dipping sonar system that helps it detect and track submarines, will be mounted on frigates or naval destroyers to be used in search and rescue operations, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

AgustaWestland is a Britain-Italy joint venture company specialized in helicopter design and manufacturing.

"Another four Wildcat helicopters are scheduled to arrive by the end of this year after undergoing a series of tests at home and overseas," a Navy spokesman said.

In addition to the eight Wildcats, the Navy plans to spend another 900 billion won to buy 12 more helicopters. But it has not yet decided on the time frame for the purchase and the manufacturer, the spokesman said.  (Yonhap)