Skycore Aviation continues its series on mission equipment for UH-60 Black Hawks and utility helicopters with combat mission equipment. We’ve already examined how adding mission equipment turns a Black Hawk into a lifesaving search-and-rescue (SAR) aircraft, a firefighting aircraft, as well as a highly effective cargo hauler.
This article examines mission equipment that enhances a Black Hawk’s ability to perform combat missions such as direct action, air assault or armed escort. The performance of the Black Hawk and the variety of combat mission equipment that it carries are several reasons why UH-60s are successfully operated by militaries around the world.
Combat Mission Equipment – Weapon Systems
Weapon systems are used for both defensive and offensive purposes and encompass an array of weapon types. The UH-60 Black Hawk can accommodate internally or externally mounted weapons systems.
Internally, the UH-60A is equipped with two window sill pintle mounts in the crewchief / gunner windows – located on both sides of the airframe, aft of the flight deck. The pintles come in various sizes and are capable of accepting a number of weapons such as the M-240 7.62mm machine gun, .50 caliber GAU-19/A machine gun, and the GE M134 7.62mm 6-barreled mini-gun. These weapons can be either crew served (meaning the crew chief / gunner aim and fire the weapons) or fixed-forward (pointed forward and fired by the pilot). The cabin floor can also accommodate a crew served .50-caliber (12.7mm) machine gun that is mounted on a pallet and attached to the cabin floor.
Window sill pintle mounts are capable of accepting machine guns and mini-guns.
Externally, the UH-60A can mount a variety of weapons systems onto an external wing, one of which is called the External Stores Support System (ESSS). Other similar weapons support systems are available, some lighter, some smaller with similar names. The weapons support system usually consists of two external wing-like assemblies attached to the airframe above the cargo compartment doors. Each weapons support wing is usually equipped with 2 removable wing stores or racks. The weapons support systems can accept a plethora of weapons. Most configurations are a combination of Hellfire missiles, 2.75″ FFAR (folding fin aerial rocket) rocket pods, AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles, .50-caliber machine gun pods, 30mm chain guns to name a few. For naval missions, MH-60 Seahawks can be armed with Mk54 torpedoes, Penguin anti-ship missiles, and Hellfire anti-armor missiles.
Combat Mission Equipment – Aviation Survivability Equipment
The standard UH-60A Black Hawk is equipped with armored pilot seating, crashworthy fuel tanks and redundant systems that increase the survivability of helicopter crews and passengers. The U.S. Military added additional equipment that was specific to the threats the aircrews would encounter. Some of the additional survivabilty combat mission equipment is:
- Ballistic Blankets: Armor for the cockpit and cabin floors and sidewalls for small arms and shrapnel protection
- Chaff and Flares: Cartridges manually or automatically launched from the Black Hawk to suppress enemy radar or infrared seeking systems
- Electronic Detection and Jamming / Countermeasures: systems used to detect or defeat enemy electronic (radar, laser, etc.) systems
An MH-60R Sea Hawk fires chaff flares during a training exercise.
Combat Mission Equipment – Auxiliary Fuel Tanks
Because combat missions often require extended endurance, additional fuel tanks are often used. As with weapons systems, the auxiliary fuel tanks can be installed internally or externally.
Internal tanks come in two sizes, either the 185 or 200 gallon tank. The advantage of the internal tank(s) is flexibility since they free up weapons systems space. However, the disadvantage is that they take up cabin space.
External tanks can be installed on the ESSS (see also Weapon Systems above). The system supports two 230 or one 450 gallon external tanks. These fuel tanks feed into the main fuel tank rather than the engines. The additional fuel allows the UH-60A to extend its range into hostile territory and return without the burden of refueling.
External fuel tanks installed on a Black Hawk using system supports.
Skycore Aviation is an international helicopter personnel services and UH-60 Black Hawk provider (www.blackhawk360.com). Our knowledge and experience enable Skycore to provide personnel and turnkey solutions for helicopter programs tailored to meet our customer’s operations, maintenance and training needs. To stay atop of the rotary wing industry, follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.