The Black Hawk provides light utility and
assault helicopter capability.
CHARACTERISTICS:<
The Black Hawk is a light transport
helicopter that performs many missions in the Army. The
Black Hawk is the primary helicopter for air assault, air
cavalry, and aeromedical evacuation units. Modified Black
Hawks also fulfill command and control, electronic warfare,
and special operations roles. The Black Hawk has enhanced
the overall mobility of the Army because of its dramatic
improvements in troop capacity and cargo lift capability
compared to the UH-1 "Huey" it replaces. Now, an entire
11-man, fully equipped infantry squad can be lifted in one
Black Hawk, and the troops can be transported faster and in
most weather conditions. The Black Hawk also is the first
utility and assault helicopter that adds to the Army's
Division-level mobility; for example, it can reposition a
105mm howitzer, its crew of six, and up to 30 rounds of
ammunition in a single lift. The aircraft's critical
components and systems are armored or redundant to enable
it to withstand multiple small arms hits, and its airframe
is designed to progressively crush on impact to protect the
crew and passengers in a crash. Ease of maintenance in the
field was designed into the Black Hawk from the beginning.
As for the assault role, the Blackhawk is
capable of mounting its external stores support
system(ESSS). Combatsim spoke with a 'Hawk pilot recently
who commented:
At Fort Bragg, the 82nd Airborne division and the 159th
Aviation Regiment and Fort Campbell, with the 101st
Airborne and 160th Special Operations unit, they combine to
total over 300 UH-60's and all, I repeat ALL of them use
their ESSS wings on their missions. I do realize that we
don't carry weapons, but please acknowledge the fact that
we are just as capable a platform as the AH-64. I have test
data on film showing the UH-60 carrying a full load of
hellfires and test firing. The advantage we have over the
64's is the fact that we don't have to go home to reload.
The Army began fielding the UH-60 in 1978. Between 1978 and
1989 the Army procured UH-60A model aircraft. In October
1989, the propulsion system was upgraded, resulting in a
model designation change from UH-60A to UH-60L. As of the
end of Fiscal Year 1994, the Army has procured 350 UH-60L
models for a total UH-60 buy of 1330 aircraft. The Army
currently is in the fourth year of a five-year, multi-year
procurement contract calling for the delivery of 60
Aircraft per year.
PROJECTED ACTIVITIES:
Delivery of 5 aircraft per month in accordance with the
multi-year procurement contract. Continued refurbishment
and standardization of pre-1989 UH-60A models to bring
those airframes to the most up to date A model
configuration.
PRIME CONTRACTOR:
United Technologies Corporation, (formerly Sikorsky
Aircraft) (Stratford, CT)
The Black Hawk provides light utility and
assault helicopter capability.