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Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk special operations variants
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| 26 September 2001 |
MH-60A:
About 30 modified for Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR);
fitted with Raytheon Systems AN/AAQ-16 FLIR, BAE Systems AN/ARN-148 Omega/VLF
navigation, M-130 chaff/flare dispensers, AN/ALQ-144 IR jammer, night vision
equipment, multifunction displays, auxiliary fuel tanks and door-mounted
Minigun; fitted with -701C engines; interim equipment, pending MH-60K, but
replaced by MH-60L in late 1990 and passed to 1-245 Aviation Regiment, Oklahoma
ArNG.HH/MH-60G Pave Hawk: Replaced US Air Force HH-60D Night Hawk rescue helicopters, which were not funded (see 1987-88 Jane's); converted from UH-60A/L, including 10 originally delivered to 55th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (later Special Operations Squadron) at Eglin AFB, Florida, in 1982-83, initially remaining as UH-60As; all progressively fitted by Sikorsky Support Services at Troy, Alabama, with aerial refuelling probe, 443 litre (117 US gallon; 97.5 Imp gallon) internal auxiliary fuel tank and fuel management panel; then to Pensacola NAD for mission avionics and modified instrument panel; some retrofitted with replacement internal tank of 700 litres (185 US gallons; 154 Imp gallons) capacity; -701C engines fitted to 10 special operations examples and later production aircraft (FY89 onwards); recent retrofit programme, begun in November 1999, entailed installation of -701C engine on 11 HH-60Gs of California and New York ANG by April 2001, with remaining 22 aircraft likely to follow suit, if funding permits.
Further procurement began with batch of nine in FY87, followed by purchases of 16, 18, 22, 15 and 13 in FY88-92; eight more funded in FY97 and delivered in 1998. All designated MH-60G until 1 January 1992, when 82 in combat rescue role redesignated HH-60G, with balance of 16 remaining as MH-60G for special operations units; by fourth quarter of 1998, only nine still in MH-60G configuration and at start of 2000, all 102 in inventory were using HH-60G designation. All have rescue hoist, Doppler/INS, electronic map display, Tacan, Honeywell AN/APN-239 lightweight weather/ground-mapping radar, secure HF, and satcom; MH-60G had ESSS (see Armament paragraph) for weapons and additional fuel carrying capability, plus door-mounted 0.50 in machine guns and Raytheon AN/AAQ-16 Pave Low III FLIR.
Upgraded version of HH-60G, known as Block 152, made debut at Stratford, Connecticut, on 29 April 1999, when first of 49 planned aircraft rolled out in Upgraded Communication, Navigation/Integrated Electronic Warfare (UCN/IEW) configuration; new features include enhanced com/nav system and EW suite integrated into MIL-STD-1553 databus to reduce crew workload. Contractor trials in May and June 1999, after which modified HH-60G (possibly 92-26460) delivered to Nellis AFB, Nevada, for operational test and evaluation with 422nd TES. This six-month programme expected to pave way for contract covering retrofit of 48 more by 2007. Retrofit also includes installation of revised, externally mounted, armament system with 0.50 in machine guns, expendable chaff/flare defensive countermeasures and repositioned nose radar.
Further extensive upgrade under consideration by USAF for HH-60G fleet from about 2003, with various options being examined; these include remanufacture to new Block 162 standard with `glass cockpit', new defensive aids and other changes; and less ambitious structural life extension programme.
MH-60K: US Army special operations aircraft (SOA); prototype (89-26194) ordered in January 1988; first flight 10 August 1990. US Army funded two batches of 11 with options for another 38, which not taken up; first production aircraft (91-26368) completed, February 1992; trials at Patuxent River and Edwards AFB before intended first deliveries in June 1992 to 160th Special Operations Aviation Group (part of 160 SOA Regiment). Deliveries delayed by software problems with special operations equipment; first 10 accepted in 1992 in non-operational state; remaining 12 initially stored, then delivered with new software installed, October to December 1993, to permit start of training by 160 SOA Group, February 1994.
Features include provision for additional 3,141 litres (829 US gallons; 691 Imp gallons) of internal and external fuel (see Power Plant), plus flight refuelling capability, integrated avionics system with electronic displays, Raytheon AN/AAQ-16 FLIR and AN/APQ-174B terrain-following, ground-mapping and air-to-ground ranging radar, T700-GE-701C engines and uprated transmission, external hoist, wire-strike protection, rotor brake, tiedown points, folding tailplane, AFCS similar to that of SH-60B, strengthened pintle mounts for 0.50 in machine guns, provision for Stinger missiles, missile warning receiver, pulse radio frequency jammer, CW radio jammer, laser detector, chaff/flare dispensers, and IR jammer.
MH-60L: Similar to MH-60A; for 160th SOAR, US Army; further modified as below.
AH-60L: 'Direct Action Penetrator'. Upgrade of MH-60L in 1990 with FLIR, radar and standard UH-60 external stores support system; two Black Hawk companies of 160th SOAR each have MH-60K platoon and AH-60L platoon. Armament includes multiple 30 mm Chain Gun, racks of four Hellfires and 2.75 in rocket pods, 40 mm grenade launcher or trainable 7.62 mm Gatling guns.