Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 01:02, 17 September 2006

The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a "twin-turbine engine, single rotor, semi-monocoque fuselage, rotary wing helicopter." (TM 1-1520-237-10, HQ Department of The Army OCT 96) The medium-lift utility or assault helicopter was the winner of a United States Army competition in the late 1970s to replace the Huey (UH-1) family. Though the two final competing designs were both developed to Army specifications, the UH-60 was selected over an entry from Boeing-Vertol. It would go on to serve as the basis for variants in service with other branches of the US military.

It can perform a wide array of missions, including the tactical transport of troops, electronic warfare, and aeromedical evacuation: several Black Hawks are even used to transport the President of the United States as Marine One. In air assault operations it can move a squad of 11 combat troops with equipment or reposition the 105 mm M102 howitzer with thirty rounds of 105 mm ammunition, and a six-man crew in a single lift. Alternatively, it can carry 2,600 lb (1,170 kg) of cargo or sling load 9,000 lb (4,050 kg) of cargo. The Black Hawk is equipped with advanced avionics and electronics for increased survivability and capabiility, such as the Global Positioning System.

History

UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters eqipped with M60 machine guns near An Najaf, Iraq in May 2005

The Black Hawk was developed to meet a US Army requirement for a UH-1 Iroquois replacement in 1972. Three prototypes were constructed, the first (YUH-60) flying in October 1974, and evaluated against a rival (YUH-61) Boeing-Vertol design. The Black Hawk was selected for production and the UH-60A entered service with the US Army in 1979. In the late 1980s the model was upgraded to the UH-60L (First production aircraft 89-26179) which featured more power and lift with the upgrade to the -701C model of the GE engines. A newer model is being engineered (UH-60M), which will extend the service life of both UH-60A's and UH-60L's well into the 2020s, features still more power and lift and state of the art electronic instrumentation, flight controls and aircraft navigation control.

Variants

The standard UH-60 comes in many variants, and many different modifications. The standard US Army version can be fitted with wings that allow it to carry up to four external fuel tanks for extended range operations, while variants may have different capabilities and their respective equipment in order to fulfill different roles.

In 1982, the United States Air Force received the HH-60G Pave Hawk, a highly modified version of the Black Hawk primarily designed to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war. It is equipped with a rescue hoist with a 200 ft (60.96 m) cable that has a 600 lb (270 kg) lift capability, and a retractable in-flight refueling probe.
In 1983, the United States Navy received the first navalized SH-60B Seahawks. The SH-60F was received in 1988.
In 1992, the United States Coast Guard received the HH-60J Jayhawk. It is equipped with a rescue hoist with a 200 ft (60.96 m) cable that has a 600 lb (270 kg) lift capability.* The S-70A Firehawk is a version of the Black Hawk designed for firefighting, rescue, medical evacuation, and external lift of bulky cargo and equipment. The Oregon National Guard was the first military organization in the world to add the Firehawk to its inventory; the Los Angeles County Fire Department was the first municipal organization.
The United States Army also flies medical evacuation models which are configured as rotary winged medical suites.
MH-60K Blackhawk variants are also used for special operations by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ("Night Stalkers") at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
AH-60L Arpía III is a Colombian version, used by the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana AH-60L / S-70 Battle Hawk in use by the Australian Army
In 1991 the US ARMY and NASA completed first flight testing of the UH-60 RASCAL^[1] (Rotorcraft-Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory) spending $US25M on a highly modified Black Hawk Helicopter in order to study maneuverability^[2]

The unit cost varies with the version due to the varying specifications and equipment. For example, the unit cost of the Army's UH-60L Black Hawk is $5.9 million while the unit cost of the Air Force MH-60G Pave Hawk is $10.2 million.

Problems

When firing the M134 minigun, all voice communications in the cabin and outgoing radio communications are greatly impaired due to the noise generated by the weapon and crew have to resort to hand signals, which diverts their attention away from the environment outside. (This is not a design flaw in the aircraft.)

Popular culture

UH-60s have been featured in many movies and games, though certain examples stand out from the rest:

Tank
Godzilla
The Karate Kid Part II
Fire Birds
Contact
Armegaddon
Deep Impact
The Core
Clear and Present Danger
Black Hawk Down
Yomigaeru Sora
Desert Combat
Operation Flashpoint
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
The Delta Force series
Battlefield 2
Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter
The Official Blackhawk Webpage-Real Ultimate Power
Tekken 3- In the opening scene of the video game.
Tekken Tag Tournament- In the background of Jack's and King's stage.
Tekken 4- In the background of the Tekken Force sub game.
In Team America, the character Gary, portraying an Arabic man, speaks of the 'Infidels' (Americans) coming in their Black Hawks to kill his goats. One of Team America's vehicles is also a UH-60.
The Day After Tomorrow- Blackhawks can be seen operating at a US refugee camp and the US embassy in Mexico as well as conducting search and rescue operations in New York City at the end of the film.
XXX: State of the Union- A trio of Blackhawks rescue the President of the United States and then destroy the bullet train with his captor and would-be assassin still aboard.
Toy Soldiers- Used to deliver counter-terrorist teams to the besieged school at the climax of the film.

Specifications (UH-60 Black Hawk)

General characteristics

Crew: Minimum 2 pilots
Capacity: 2,645 lb of cargo internally, including 14 troops or 6 stretchers, or 8,000 lb (UH-60A) or 9,000 lb (UH-60L) of cargo externally

Performance Armament

Guns: 2× 7.62 mm (0.30 in) M60 machine guns or M134 miniguns

(The Army is now replacing the M60 machine gun with the M240.)

Can be equipped with VOLCANO minefield dispersal system.

Operators

Sikorsky offered the design in the defense market, leading to its purchase by over 20 other countries. It is in service with the armies of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, the People's Republic of China, Colombia, Chile, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spanish Navy, Republic of China (Taiwan), Thailand, and Turkey. The largest and most well known user remains the United States.

External links

Photos & Info about H-60 Series aircraft
Ft. Rucker (Army Aviation Training Center) Black Hawk page
H-60 and AH-60L on globalsecurity.org
Combataircraft.com Blackhawk link
The S-70A-42 Black Hawk of the Austrian Army

References

[1] ttp://ails.arc.nasa.gov/Images/Aeronautics/AC91-0712-15.html

[2] ttp://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/archives/D/archnas1570.html

[1]

[2]

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 * In 1982, the [[United States Air Force]] received the [[HH-60 Pave Hawk|HH-60G Pave Hawk]], a highly modified version of the Black Hawk primarily designed to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war. It is equipped with a rescue hoist with a 200 ft (60.96 m) cable that has a 600 lb (270 kg) lift capability, and a retractable [[in-flight refueling]] probe.
 * In 1983, the [[United States Navy]] received the first navalized [[Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk|SH-60B Seahawks]]. The SH-60F was received in 1988.
-* In 1992, the [[United States Coast Guard]] received the [[HH-60 Jayhawk|HH-60J Jayhawk]]. It is equipped with a rescue hoist with a 200 ft (60.96 m) cable that has a 600 lb (270 kg) lift capability, and a retractable [[in-flight refueling]] probe.
+* In 1992, the [[United States Coast Guard]] received the [[HH-60 Jayhawk|HH-60J Jayhawk]]. It is equipped with a rescue hoist with a 200 ft (60.96 m) cable that has a 600 lb (270 kg) lift capability.* The S-70A Firehawk is a version of the Black Hawk designed for [[firefighting]], [[rescue]], [[medical evacuation]], and external lift of bulky cargo and equipment. The [[Oregon]] [[United States National Guard|National Guard]] was the first military organization in the world to add the Firehawk to its inventory; the [[Los Angeles County Fire Department]] was the first municipal organization.
-* The S-70A Firehawk is a version of the Black Hawk designed for [[firefighting]], [[rescue]], [[medical evacuation]], and external lift of bulky cargo and equipment. The [[Oregon]] [[United States National Guard|National Guard]] was the first military organization in the world to add the Firehawk to its inventory; the [[Los Angeles County Fire Department]] was the first municipal organization.
 * The [[United States Army]] also flies medical evacuation models which are configured as rotary winged medical suites.
 * MH-60K Blackhawk variants are also used for special operations by the [[160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment]] ("Night Stalkers") at [[Fort Campbell, Kentucky]].