Sikorsky S-70
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The Sikorsky S-70 is a medium-lift military helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky.
The S-70 is used by over 20 nations. It is in service with the armed forces of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, the People's Republic of China, Colombia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Republic of China (Taiwan), Thailand, and Turkey, but is best known as the primary utility and assault helicopter of the United States Army. The S-70 family was developed to meet a US Army requirement for a replacement of the venerable UH-1 Iroquois family of utility medium-lift helicopters in 1972. Its US military designation is H-60.
The S-70 can perform a wide array of missions, including air cavalry, electronic warfare, and aeromedical evacuation: several versions are even used to transport the President of the United States, which while carrying the President is known as Marine One. In air assault operations it can move a squad of 11 combat troops and equipment or carry the 105 mm M102 howitzer, thirty rounds of ammunition, and a six-man crew. Alternatively, it can carry 2,600 lb (1,170 kg) of cargo or sling load 9,000 lb (4,050 kg) of cargo. The S-70 is equipped with advanced avionics and electronics, such as the Global Positioning System.
Three prototypes were constructed, the first (YUH-60A) flying in October 1974, and evaluated against a rival (YUH-61A) Boeing-Vertol design. The S-70 was selected for production and entered service as UH-60A Black Hawk with the US Army in 1979. In the late 1980s the model was upgraded to the UH-60L (first production aircraft 89-29179) which featured more power and lift with the upgrade to the -701C model of the GE engines.
A newer model being engineered, 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.
The United States Navy received the first navalised SH-60B Sea Hawk in 1983 and the SH-60F in 1988.
The HH-60G Pave Hawk is a highly modified version of the S-70 primarily designed to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war and equipped with a rescue hoist with a 250 ft (75 m) cable that has a 600 lb (270 kg) lift capability, and a retractable in-flight refueling probe. The United States Air Force received the MH-60G Pave Hawk in 1982.
The United States Coast Guard received the HH-60J Jayhawk in 1992. It is similar to the HH-60G Pave Hawk, but navalised.
The S-70A Firehawk is a version of the S-70 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 Army also flies medical evacuation models which are configured as rotary winged medical suites. They also used the S-70 for special operations by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ("Night Stalkers") known as the MH-60K at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The Maple Hawk was a variant offered by Sikorsky to the Canadian Forces during the tender to replace the military's search and rescue helicopters.
The unit cost varies with the version. 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.
H-60
- Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk - The basic military utility helicopter.
- * Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk - US Army utility transport helicopter.
- * Sikorsky UH-60B Black Hawk - Improved utility model. Perhaps planned, but never produced.
- * Sikorsky UH-60B SOTAS - Proposed version, to be equipped with ground surveillance radar.
- * Sikorsky UH-60J Black Hawk - Export variant for the Japanese Air Self Defense Force and Maritime Self Defense Force. Also known as the Sikorsky S-70-12.
- * Sikorsky UH-60JA Black Hawk - Export variant for the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force.
- * Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk
- * Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk - Next generation Black Hawk. Expected to be in service by 2007.
- * Sikorsky UH-60P Black Hawk - Export variant for the South Korean Army.
- * Sikorsky UH-60Q Black Hawk - Aeromedical evacuation variant. Based on the -60A airframe. Very few produced. Aircraft stationed with the Tennessee National Guard.
- * Sikorsky HH-60L Black Hawk - Aeromedical evacuation variant. Similar to UH-60Q, but based on the -60L airframe.
- Sikorsky MH-60K Black Hawk - Special operations variant for the US Army.
- * Sikorsky MH-60A Velcro Hawk - Early special operations model for the US Army.
- * Sikorsky MH-60L Black Hawk - Special Operations variant for the US Army.
- * Sikorsky YEH-60A Black Hawk - Prototype electronic warfare, radio jamming model for the US Army.
- * Sikorsky YEH-60B - Prototype stand-off acquisition model for the US Army.
- * Sikorsky YUH-60A Black Hawk - Three prototypes of the UH-60A for the US Army.
- * Sikorsky EH-60A Quick Fix - Electronic warfare version for the US Army.
- * Sikorsky EH-60C Quick Fix - Electronic warfare, radio jamming helicopter for the US Army. Planned but never produced.
- * Sikorsky GUH-60A Black Hawk - Static instructional aircraft. Used for technician training at Fort Eustis, VA.
- * Sikorsky JHU-60A Black Hawk - Designated for test purposes.
- Sikorsky SH-60 Sea Hawk - US Navy variant for search and rescue, maritime patrol, ASW, all-weather and day/night.
- * Sikorsky SH-60B Sea Hawk - Anti- submarine helicopter for the US Navy.
- * Sikorsky SH-60F Ocean Hawk - Anti-submarine helicopter for the US Navy.
- * Sikorsky HH-60H Rescue Hawk - Combat search and rescue variant for the US Navy.
- * Sikorsky SH-60J Jay Hawk - Export variant for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force. Also known as the Sikorsky S-70B-3.
- * Sikorsky SH-60R Sea Hawk
- * Sikorsky YSH-60B Sea Hawk - Five prototypes of the SH-60B for the US Navy.
- Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk - USAF heli-rescue variant for search and rescue, MEDEVAC, on day and night operations.
- * Sikorsky HH-60A - Prototype for the HH-60D rescue helicopter.
- * Sikorsky HH-60D - Prototype of early search and rescue variant for the US Air Force.
- * Sikorsky HH-60E - Proposed search and rescue variant for the US Air Force
- * Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk - Search and rescue helicopter for the US Air Force.
- * Sikorsky MH-60G Pave Hawk - Special Operations, search and rescue model for the U.S. Air Force.
- * Maplehawk - Proposed search and rescue version for Canada.
- Sikorsky CH-60 Knight Hawk - US Navy medium-heavy lift helicopter.
- * Sikorsky CH-60E - Proposed troop transport variant for the US Marine Corps.
- * Sikorsky CH-60S Knight Hawk
- Sikorsky HH-60 Jay Hawk - US Coast Guard variant for maritime patrol, interdiction, and search and rescue
- * Sikorsky HH-60J Jay Hawk - Search and rescue version for the US Coast Guard.
- Sikorsky VH-60 - VIP transport
- * Sikorsky VH-60A - Presidential transport helicopter, later designated VH-60N.
- * Sikorsky VH-60N Presidential Hawk - The US Presidential transport chopper, Marine One.
S-70
The corporate name for the H-60/S-70 family is the S-70 Black Hawk
- Sikorsky S-70A Black Hawk - Military model for the export market.
- Sikorsky S-70A Fire Hawk - Firefighting variant of the UH-60L.
- Sikorsky S-70A-1 Desert Hawk - Export version for the Royal Saudi Land Forces.
- Sikorsky S-70A-L1 Desert Hawk - Aeromedical evacuation version for the Royal Saudi Land Forces.
- Sikorsky S-70-5 Black Hawk - Export version for the Philippine Air Force.
- Sikorsky S-70A-9 Black Hawk - Export version for the Australian army.
- Sikorsky S-70-11 Black Hawk - Export version for the Royal Jordanian Air Force.
- Sikorsky S-70-12 Black Hawk - Search and rescue model for the Japanese Air Self Defense Force and Maritime Self Defense Force. Also known as the UH-60J.
- Sikorsky S-70-14 Black Hawk - Export version for Brunei.
- Sikorsky S-70-16 Black Hawk - Engine test bed for the Rolls-Royce/Turbomeca RTM 332.
- Sikorsky S-70-17 Black Hawk - Export version for Turkey.
- Sikorsky/Westland S-70-19 Black Hawk - This version is built under license in the United Kingdom by Westland. Also known as the WS-70.
- Sikorsky S-70-21 Black Hawk - Export version for Egypt.
- Sikorsky S-70-24 Black Hawk - Export version for Mexico.
- Sikorsky S-70-26 Black Hawk - Export version for Morocco.
- Sikorsky S-70-27 Black Hawk - Export version for Hong Kong.
- Sikorsky S-70C Black Hawk - Export version for China.
- Sikorsky S-70C-2 Black Hawk - Search and rescue version for Brunei and Taiwan.
- Sikorsky S-70A (N) Naval Hawk - Maritime variant that blends the S-70A Black Hawk and S-70B Sea Hawk designs.
- Sikorsky S-70B Sea Hawk - Maritime military model for the export market.
- Sikorsky S-70C Sea Hawk - Export version of the SH-60F Sea Hawk.
- Sikorsky S-70C(M)-1 Super Blue Hawk - Export model for the Taiwanese military.
- Sikorsky S-70C(M)-2 Super Blue Hawk - Export model for the Taiwanese Military.
- Sikorsky S-70B-3 Sea Hawk - Anti-submarine version for the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force. Also known as the SH-60J.
- Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk - the Greek military variant which is a blend of the SH-60B and F models.
- Sikorsky S-70B-7 Sea Hawk - Export version for the Royal Thai Navy.
Derivatives
- Sikorsky H-92 Super Hawk - Heavy lift derivative of the Black Hawk.
- Sikorsky S-92 - Civilian version of the H-92.
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