Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk

Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk
Name	HH-60 Pave Hawk
Caption	An HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 106th Rescue Wing over Long Island
Type	Combat search and rescue/Special operations helicopter
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Sikorsky Aircraft
First flight	17 August 1983
Introduction	1987
Status	In service
Primary user	United States Air Force
More users	Republic of Korea Air Force
Produced	1986–1996
Number built	112 (HH-60G)
Developed from	Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
Variants with their own articles	MH-60G Pave Hawk

Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk is a twin-engine, United States Air Force Combat search and rescue and Special operations helicopter. It is a highly modified derivative of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, designed to conduct day or night operations into hostile environments to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel. The primary operator is the Air Combat Command and Air Force Special Operations Command, with the aircraft playing a critical role in numerous conflicts and humanitarian missions since the late 1980s.

Development and design

The development of the Pave Hawk was initiated to replace the aging Sikorsky HH-3 Jolly Green Giant and Sikorsky HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant helicopters in the Combat search and rescue role. Based on the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk airframe, the program incorporated extensive modifications under the "Pave" series of avionics upgrades. Key design features include an upgraded General Electric T700 engine, an integrated in-flight refueling probe for extended range, and a Texas Instruments AN/APQ-174 multi-mode radar for terrain-following and avoidance. The aircraft is equipped with an extensive suite of electronic countermeasures, including the AN/ALQ-144 infrared jammer and AN/APR-39 radar warning receiver, to enhance survivability. The cabin is configured for pararescue and medical teams, featuring a Boeing-designed rescue hoist and provisions for litter patients.

Operational history

The HH-60G entered service with the United States Air Force in 1987, initially assigned to the Air Rescue Service. Its first major combat deployment was during Operation Just Cause in Panama in 1989. The helicopter saw extensive use throughout the Persian Gulf War, conducting numerous rescues behind enemy lines, including the recovery of F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot Captain Scott O'Grady in Bosnia and Herzegovina during Operation Deny Flight. Pave Hawks were pivotal in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, performing Combat search and rescue, Special operations, and Medical evacuation missions. Beyond combat, the aircraft has been deployed for Humanitarian aid missions, such as disaster relief after Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and in support of NASA for Space Shuttle launch and landing operations.

Variants

* MH-60G Pave Hawk: Initial designation for special operations-configured aircraft, later redesignated as HH-60G when the mission was standardized under Air Combat Command. * HH-60G Pave Hawk: The definitive production model for the Combat search and rescue mission, with the full suite of avionics and defensive systems. * HH-60W Jolly Green II: The next-generation replacement, developed under the Combat Rescue Helicopter program to succeed the aging HH-60G fleet.

Operators

* United States: The primary operator is the United States Air Force. Key units include the 563rd Rescue Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard, and the 129th Rescue Wing of the California Air National Guard. * South Korea: The Republic of Korea Air Force operates a small fleet of HH-60P aircraft, a variant based on the Pave Hawk, for its own Combat search and rescue requirements.

Specifications (HH-60G)

General characteristics * Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, gunner) * Capacity: Up to 6 litter patients or 12 troops * Length: 64 ft 10 in (19.76 m) * Height: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m) * Empty weight: 16,000 lb (7,257 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 22,000 lb (9,979 kg) * Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700-GE-701C turboshaft engines * Rotor systems: 4-bladed main rotor, 4-bladed tail rotor Performance * Maximum speed: 184 mph (296 km/h, 160 kn) * Range: 504 mi (811 km, 438 nmi) without refueling * Ferry range: 1,380 mi (2,220 km, 1,200 nmi) with in-flight refueling * Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,270 m) Armament * Typically includes two M134 Minigun or GAU-18 .50 caliber machine guns mounted in the cabin windows.

Notable accidents and incidents

* On 2 March 2002, an HH-60G from the 106th Rescue Wing crashed into the Arabian Sea during a Combat search and rescue training mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, resulting in the deaths of all six crewmembers. * An HH-60G from the 66th Rescue Squadron crashed near Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on 15 September 2010 during a training exercise, killing four airmen. * On 7 January 2014, an HH-60G from the 33rd Rescue Squadron crashed during a low-level training mission in the English countryside near Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, with no fatalities but resulting in the destruction of the aircraft. * A Pave Hawk assigned to the 41st Rescue Squadron crashed on the campus of Florida State University during a training flight on 28 March 2018, killing both crew members and causing significant property damage.

Category:United States military rescue aircraft Category:Sikorsky aircraft Category:Twin-turbine helicopters Category:Military helicopters of the United States