Function: A twin-engine, medium lift, utility or assault helicopter.







History: The UH-60 Black Hawk was fielded by the Army in 1979. The Navy received the SH- 60B Seahawk in 1983 and the SH-60F in 1988. The Air Force received the MH-60G Pave Hawk in 1982 while the Coast Guard received the HH-60J Jayhawk in 1992. 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.







Description: The Seahawk is a twin-engine helicopter. It is used for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, drug interdiction, anti-ship warfare, cargo lift, and special operations. The Navy's SH-60B Seahawk is an airborne platform based aboard cruisers, destroyers, and frigates and deploys sonobouys (sonic detectors) and torpedoes in an anti-submarine role. They also extend the range of the ship's radar capabilities. The Navy's SH-60F is carrier-based. Some versions, such as the Air Force's MH-60 G Pave Hawk and the Coast Guard's HH-60J Jayhawk, are equipped with a rescue hoist with a 250 foot (75 meter) cable that has a 600 pound (270 kg) lift capability, and a retractable in-flight refueling probe. The Army's UH-60L Black Hawk can carry 11 soldiers or 2,600 pounds (1,170 kg) of cargo or sling load 9,000 pounds (4,050 kg) of cargo. Other versions are the UH-60 Black Hawk (Army); HH-60H (Navy); MH-60G Pave Hawk (Air Force); HH-60J Jayhawk (Coast Guard).







General Characteristics, SH-60 Seahawk





Contractors:

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (airframe); General Electric Company (engines); IBM Corporation (avionics components)







Power Plant:

Two General Electric T700-GE-700 or T700-GE-701C engines







Thrust:

Up to 1,940 shaft horsepower







Length:

64 feet 10 inches (19.6 meters)







Height:

Varies with the version; from 13 to 17 feet (3.9 to 5.1 meters)







Rotor Diameter:

53 feet 8 inches (16.4 meters)







Weight:

Varies; 21,000 to 23,000 pounds (9,450 to 10,350 kilograms)













Maximum Speed:

180 knots







Ceiling:

35,000 feet (10,668 meters)







Range:

Generally about 380 nautical miles (600 kilometers); range becomes unlimited with air refueling capability







Crew:

Usually three or four







Armament:

Usually two 7.62mm machine guns mounted in the windows



Can also be equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire or AGM-119 Penguin missiles, three Mk46 or Mk 50 torpedoes or additional .50-caliber machine guns mounted in the doors