HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter passes design review

The review will allow the construction, testing and evaluation of the HH-60W helicopter for the U.S. Air Force.

By Stephen Carlson   |         May 31, 2017 at 3:10 PM

May 31 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has announced that is successfully completed an Air Vehicle Critical Design Review for the U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue Helicopter program. The review will allow the construction, testing and evaluation of the HH-60W helicopter to move forward.

"This milestone is an important achievement and demonstrates Sikorsky and the Air Force are well aligned on the technical requirements of the HH-60W," Tim Healy, CRH program director for Sikorsky, said in a press release. "We got here by conducting several milestones on or ahead of schedule, and we are committed to staying on that track as we build the first HH-60W aircraft."

Sikorsky was awarded the Combat Rescue Helicopter in June 2014 with a $1.28 billion development contract. The Air Force is expected to order 112 of the rotorcraft to replace the venerable existing fleet of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters.

The original contract includes test aircraft, maintenance, training and simulation suites, and a $203 million modification in January 2017 brought the total number of test helicopters to nine.

The HH-60W is a modified version of the UH-60M Black Hawk, the standard medium-lift helicopter for the U.S. Army and other allied nations. It has greater range, larger internal cabin space and more powerful engines.

Original post: upi.com

HH-60G Pave Hawk (existing fleet)

Mission

The primary mission of the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is to conduct day or night personnel recovery operations into hostile environments to recover isolated personnel during war. The HH-60G is also tasked to perform military operations other than war, including civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, security cooperation/aviation advisory, NASA space flight support, and rescue command and control.

Features

The Pave Hawk is a highly modified version of the Army Black Hawk helicopter which features an upgraded communications and navigation suite that includes integrated inertial navigation/global positioning/Doppler navigation systems, satellite communications, secure voice, and Have Quick communications.

All HH-60Gs have an automatic flight control system, night vision goggles with lighting and forward looking infrared system that greatly enhances night low-level operations. Additionally, Pave Hawks have color weather radar and an engine/rotor blade anti-ice system that gives the HH-60G an adverse weather capability.

Pave Hawk mission equipment includes a retractable in-flight refueling probe, internal auxiliary fuel tanks, two crew-served 7.62mm or .50 caliber machineguns, and an 8,000-pound (3,600 kilograms) capacity cargo hook. To improve air transportability and shipboard operations, all HH-60Gs have folding rotor blades.

Pave Hawk combat enhancements include a radar warning receiver, infrared jammer and a flare/chaff countermeasure dispensing system.

HH-60G rescue equipment includes a hoist capable of lifting a 600-pound load (270 kilograms) from a hover height of 200 feet (60.7 meters), and a personnel locating system that is compatible with the PRC-112 survival radio and provides range and bearing information to a survivor's location.

Pave Hawks are equipped with an over-the-horizon tactical data receiver that is capable of receiving near real-time mission update information.

General Characteristics
Primary Function: Personnel recovery in hostile conditions and military operations other than war in day, night or marginal weather
Contractor: United Technologies/Sikorsky Aircraft Company
Power Plant: Two General Electric T700-GE-700 or T700-GE-701C engines
Thrust: 1,560-1,940 shaft horsepower, each engine
Rotor Diameter: 53 feet, 7 inches (14.1 meters)
Length: 64 feet, 8 inches (17.1 meters)
Height: 16 feet, 8 inches (4.4 meters)
Weight: 22,000 pounds (9,900 kilograms)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 22,000 pounds (9,900 kilograms)
Fuel Capacity: 4,500 pounds (2,041 kilograms)
Payload: depends upon mission
Speed: 184 mph (159 knots)
Range: 504 nautical miles
Ceiling: 14,000 feet (4,267 meters)
Armament: Two 7.62mm or .50 caliber machineguns
Crew: Two pilots, one flight engineer and one gunner
Unit Cost: $40.1 million (FY11 Dollars)
Initial operating capability: 1982
Inventory: Active force, 67; ANG, 17; Reserve, 15

Source af.mil

HH-60W: Details