The Black Hawk is the Army�s front-line utility helicopter used for air assault, air cavalry, and aeromedical evacuation units. It is designed to carry 11 combat-loaded, air assault troops,
and it is capable of moving a 105-millimeter howitzer and 30 rounds of ammunition. First deployed in 1978, the Black
Hawk�s advanced technology makes it easy to maintain in the field. The Black Hawk has performed admirably in a variety of missions, including
air assault, air cavalry and aeromedical evacuations. In addition, modified Black Hawks
operate as command and control, electronic warfare, and special operations platforms.
The UH-60A, first flown in October 1974, was developed as result of the Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) program.
The UTTAS was
designed for troop transport, command and control, MedEvac, and reconnaissance, to replace the
UH-1 Series "Huey" in the combat assault role. In August 1972, the U.S. Army selected the Sikorsky
(model S-70) YUH-60A and the Boeing Vertol (model 237) YUH-61A (1974) as competitors in the
Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) program. The Boeing Vertol YUH-61A had a
four-bladed composite rotor, was powered by the same General Electric T700 engine as the Sikorsky
YUH-60A, and could carry 11 troops. In December 1976 Sikorsky won the competition to produce
the UH-60A, subsequently named the Black Hawk.
The Black Hawk is the primary division-level transport helicopter, providing dramatic improvements in troop capacity and cargo lift capability compared to the UH-1 Series "Huey" it replaces. The UH-60A, with a
crew of three, can lift an entire 11-man fully-equipped infantry squad in most weather conditions. It can be configured to carry four litters, by removing eight troop seats, in the MedEval role. Both the pilot and
co-pilot are provided with armor-protective seats. Protective armor on the Black Hawk can withstand hits from 23mm shells. The Black Hawk has a cargo hook for external lift missions. The Black Hawk has provisions for door mounting of two M60D 7.62mm machine guns on the M144 armament
subsystem, and can disperse chaff and infrared jamming flares using the M130 general purpose dispenser. The Black Hawk has a composite titanium and fiberglass four-bladed main rotor, is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-700 1622 shp turboshaft engines, and has a speed of 163 mph (142
knots).
Elements of the US Army Aviation UH-60A/l Blackhawk helicopter fleet will begin reaching their sevice life goal of 25 years in 2002. In order for the fleet to remain operationally effective through the time period 2025-2030 the aircraft will need to go through an inspection, refurbishment, and modernization process that will validate the structural integrity of the airframe, incorporate improvements in sub-systems so as to reduce maintenance requirements, and modernize the mission equipment and avionics to the levels compatible with Force XXI and Army After Next (AAN) demands.
A Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) is planned for the UH-60 beginning in FY99. The UH-60 modernization program will identify material requirements to effectively address known operational
deficiencies to ensure the Black Hawk is equipped and capable of meeting battlefield requirements through the 2025-2030 timeframe. Primary modernization areas for consideration are: increased lift, advanced avionics (digital communications and navigation suites), enhanced aircraft survivability equipment (ASE), increased reliability and maintainability (R & M), airframe service life extension (SLEP), and reduced operations and support (O & S) costs. Suspense date for the approved Operational Requirements Document (ORD) is December 1998.
Variants
The Army began fielding the UH-60 in 1978. From 1978 until 1989 the Army procured UH-60A model
aircraft. In October 1989, a power train upgrade resulted in a model designation change from UH-60A
to UH-60L. The UH-60L version that provides 24 percent more power than the original 1970 UH-60A model. As of the end of FY97, the Army had procured 483 UH-60L models for a total UH-60 acquisition of 1,463 aircraft. The Army is in the fifth and final year of a multi-year procurement contract calling for the delivery of 60 aircraft per year.
UH-60L. In October 1989, the engines were upgraded to two General Electric T700-GE-701C
1890 shp turboshaft engines, and an improved durability gear box was added, resulting in a
model designation change from UH-60A to UH-60L. The T700-GE-701C has better high
altitude and hot weather performance, greater lifting capacity, and improved corrosion
protection.
UH-60 Firehawk is a Reseach and Development program to provide the UH-60 series
helicopter with both a wartime and peacetime fire fighting capability by use of a detachable 1,000 gal. belly tank. Qualification issues include design and testing required to maintain the combat capabilities of the UH-60 Black Hawk and the safe flight envelope of the aircraft with the tank.
EH-60A Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) variant has a unique external antenna designed to intercept and jam enemy communications. The EH-60E is powered by two General Electric
T700-GE-700 1622 shp turboshaft engines.
EH-60A Black Hawk: This SEMA (Special Electronics Mission Aircraft) variant is intended for the interception, monitoring, localization, and jamming of battlefield communication nets with the 1,800 lb (816 kg) ESL ALQ-151 'Quick Fix II' ECM system (a development of the system originally fitted on the Bell EH-1H Iroquois and comprising an intercept receiver and a Northrop ALQ-162 radar jammer) using four fuselage-mounted dipole antennae, a deployable whip antenna, and a cabin-located data bank.
EH-60B version was a Stand-Off Target Acquisition System designed to detect the movement
of enemy forces on the battlefield and relay the information to a ground station.
