The HH-60W is an armed, all-weather day/night CSAR helicopter fielded to replace the HH-60G. The type is derived from the UH-60M Blackhawk and dubbed “Jolly Green II” in honor of the Vietnam-era HH-3 and HH-53.
Additional missions include casualty/medical evacuation, disaster and humanitarian response, firefighting, and combat/utility support. The HH-60W features a fully digital glass cockpit, improved hot weather/high-altitude performance, on-board self-defenses capable of defeating higher-end threats, an enlarged cabin, and double the internal fuel capacity of the HH-60G.
Features include digital RWR, laser/missile/ hostile fire warning, integrated chaff/ flares, cabin and cockpit armor, externally mounted 7.62 mm and .50 cal weapons, LINK 16, SADL, integrated cockpit/cabin displays, advanced comms, ADSB, tactical moving map displays, upturned IR-masking exhausts, and efficient wide-chord rotor blades.
USAF awarded Sikorsky Aircraft the $1.28 billion Combat Rescue Helicopter contract to replace the HH-60G on June 26, 2014. USAF accelerated procurement plans and now aims to procure a total of 113 HH-60Ws over six lots. A total of 61 LRIP helicopters will be procured in four lots from FY19-FY22, with the final two lots procured through 2024—two years earlier than originally planned. FY21 funds procure 19 aircraft, with a full-rate production decision now expected in 2023.
Nine HH-60Ws support developmental testing at Eglin/Duke, and a tenth airframe was added for upgrade testing. Planned improvements include adding Distributed Aperture Infrared Counter Measure (DAIRCM), jamresistant GPS, Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) system, Video Data Link (VDL), improved Blue Force Tracker, integrated system diagnostics, and wideband-UHF comms.
Operational testing is slated to begin in July 2021, and the first production aircraft are planned for delivery in FY21. Moody received its first two aircraft Nov. 5, 2020, followed by Kirtland Dec. 17, 2020. Both bases will receive four initial aircraft for maintenance training and initial operational employment.
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Sikorsky.
First Flight: May 17, 2019.
Delivered: 2019-present.
IOC: 2022 (planned).
Production: 113 (planned).
Inventory: 16.
Operator: AFMC. Planned: ACC, AETC, PACAF, USAFE, ANG, AFRC.
Aircraft Location: Duke Field, Fla.; Kirtland AFB, N.M.; Moody AFB, Ga.
Planned: Aviano AB, Italy; Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; Francis S. Gabreski Arpt., N.Y.; JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Kadena AB, Japan; Moffett Field, Calif.; Nellis AFB, Nev.; Patrick AFB, Fla.
Active Variant: •HH-60W. Developmental next-generation Combat Rescue Helicopter based on the UH-60M.
Dimensions: Rotor diameter 53.6 ft, overall length 64.7 ft, height 16.7 ft.
Weight: Max T-O 22,500 lb.
Power Plant: Two GE Aviation T700-GE-701D turboshafts, each 1,857 shp.
Performance: Speed 176 mph; range 690 miles (air refuelable).
Ceiling: 20,000 ft.
Armament: Two 7.62 mm miniguns or two .50-caliber machine guns.
Accommodation: Crew: two pilots, flight engineer, gunner.
Load: Mission dependent.