Time Period: Post-WW2
Country of Origin: United States
Type: Helicopters
Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft
Sikorsky UH-60 Aircraft Overview
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a versatile and highly capable utility helicopter developed by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin. It has earned a reputation as one of the most iconic and widely used helicopters in military aviation history, renowned for its ruggedness, reliability, and multi-mission capabilities.
Designed to meet the demanding requirements of the United States Army, the UH-60 Black Hawk first entered service in 1979 and has since become the backbone of the Army’s helicopter fleet. It has also been adopted by numerous other military forces around the world, as well as civilian operators in various roles.
The Black Hawk features a twin-engine configuration, providing increased power and redundancy for enhanced safety and performance. Its spacious cabin can accommodate up to 11 fully equipped troops or a variety of cargo configurations, making it ideal for troop transport, medical evacuation, cargo transport, and search and rescue missions.
Equipped with advanced avionics and mission systems, the Black Hawk is capable of operating day or night, in all weather conditions. It is fitted with modern navigation, communication, and sensor systems, including GPS navigation, terrain-following radar, and infrared sensors, ensuring optimal situational awareness for the crew.
One of the Black Hawk’s most notable features is its ability to be rapidly reconfigured for various missions through the use of interchangeable mission kits. These kits include equipment for medical evacuation, VIP transport, electronic warfare, and special operations, allowing the Black Hawk to adapt to the dynamic requirements of modern warfare.
Sikororsky UH-60M Specifications
- Crew: 2 pilots + 2 crew chiefs/gunners
- Capacity: 3,190 lb (1,450 kg) of cargo internally, including 11 seated troops or 6 stretchers, or 9,000 lb (4,100 kg) of cargo externally
- Length: 64 ft 10 in (19.76 m) including rotors
- Fuselage length: 50 ft 1 in (15.27 m)
- Width: 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
- Height: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
- Empty weight: 12,511 lb (5,675 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 22,000 lb (9,979 kg)
- Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T700-GE-701C/D turboshaft engines, 1,994 shp (1,487 kW) each
- Main rotor diameter: 53 ft 8 in (16.36 m)
- Main rotor area: 2,260 sq ft (210 m2) * Blade section: root: Sikorsky SC2110; tip: Sikorsky SSC-A09
Sikororsky UH-60M Performance
- Maximum speed: 159 kn (183 mph, 294 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 152 kn (175 mph, 282 km/h) maximum range at 18,000 lb
- Never exceed speed: 193 kn (222 mph, 357 km/h)
- Combat range: 320 nmi (370 mi, 590 km)
- Ferry range: 1,199 nmi (1,380 mi, 2,221 km) with ESSS stub wings and external tanks
- Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,646 ft/min (8.36 m/s)
- Disk loading: 7.19 lb/sq ft (35.1 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.192 shp/lb (0.316 kW/kg)
Sikororsky UH-60M Armament
- Guns:
- 2 × 7.62 mm (0.30 in) M240 machine guns or
- 2 × 7.62 mm (0.30 in) M134 minigun or
- 2 × 12.7 mm (0.50 in) GAU-19 gatling guns
- Hardpoints: 4, 2 per ESSS stub wings , with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Rockets: 70 mm (2.75 in) Hydra 70 unguided rockets in either a 7 tube (M260) or 19 tube (M261) pod.
- Missiles: Up to 4x AGM-114 Hellfire laser guided air-to-ground missiles or 2x AIM-92 Stinger heat seeking air-to-air missiles per hardpoint. The Hellfire launcher rails can also be equipped with M260 (7 tube) Hydra pods
- Other: 7.62 mm (0.30 in), 12.7 mm (0.50 in), 20 mm (0.787 in), or 30 mm (1.18 in) M230 gun pods
- Bombs: Can be equipped with VOLCANO minefield dispersal system. See UH-60 Armament Subsystems for more information.