Top 5 Capabilities Of The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk

Summary

  • The Firehawk variant of the Black Hawk can hold up to 1,000 gallons of water for firefighting missions.
  • The Armed Black Hawk can provide suppressive fire with rockets and missiles, and is cost-effective for combat assault capabilities.
  • The Black Hawk’s utility version can lift up to 9,000 lbs of cargo internally or externally, with improvements in lift capacity over the years.

The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is one of the most successful military medium-lift helicopters ever built. It first entered service in 1979 and remains in production. Over its life, the Black Hawk has been continuously modernized and updated and remains one of the leading military helicopters in the world. The Black Hawk boasts many capabilities (although only the Russian Ka-52 attack helicopter allows pilots to eject).

1

Firefighting

The Firehawk can carry up to 1,000 gallons of water

Water carried:

Up to 8,000 lbs or 1,000 gallons

Firefighters carried:

11 with equipment

Method of carrying water:

internal Fire Attack system or buckets

Enemies come in many shapes and sizes; sometimes, the Black Hawk is tasked with fighting fires. Some Black Hawks come with an 850-gallon internal Fire Attack system designed for aerial firefighting (this means they no longer need belly-mounted tanks). Attaching or removing the Fire Attack system only takes around 15 minutes; in this role, the Black Hawk is suitable for civilian use.

UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the California Army National Guard's B Company

Since 2000, the Los Angeles Fire Department has used the Black Hawk’s Firehawk variant as an effective air and ground wildland fire attack team. Black Hawks can insert up to 11 wildland fighters and their gear and release up to 8,000 pounds (or 1,000 gallons) of water. Lockheed’s new S-70i Firehawk variant builds on the Black Hawk’s firefighting capabilities.

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2

Combat assault

The Black Hawk has machine guns and up to 16 Hellfire missiles

Rockets:

70mm (2.75-inch) rockets

Machine guns:

.50 caliber and 7.62mm machine guns

Missiles:

Up to 16 Hellfire missiles

While the Army’s Apache is the primary attack helicopter, the armed Black Hawk does offer combat assault capabilities. The Armed Black Hawk can provide suppressive fire with its high rate of sustained firing from 70mm rockets and .50 caliber forward-firing guns. It can also perform anti-armor roles, taking out tanks and other armored vehicles with its Hellfire missiles from stand-off distances.

Armed BLACK HAWK

Photo: Lockheed Martin

The Armed Black Hawk brings a cost-effective attack capability to the third-generation Black Hawk. Sikorsky first qualified the weapon system to US military airworthiness standards in 2017, and it is now in operation in the United Arab Emirates.

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3

External lift

The utility version of the Black Hawk can carry up to 9,000 lbs

Load capacity:

9,000 lbs

Max gross weight:

22,000 lbs

Troops carried:

Up to 11

As the Black Hawk is primarily a utility helicopter, transporting cargo is one of its top capabilities. Its max gross weight is 22,000 lbs, and it can carry 9,000 lbs of supplies as an internal or external load. Lockheed states, “Sling load firefighting Bambi bucket or light vehicles from the cargo hook, then release to the ground from a hover.

Blackhawk (photo resized to 3-2 ratio)

Photo: VanderWolf Images | Shutterstock

Improved engines and an improved gearbox have seen the Black Hawk’s lift capacity increase over the years. The Black Hawk can transport 12 fully equipped seated troops “into the heat of battle.” Eventually, the Black Hawk is expected to be replaced in the role by the Bell V280 Valor, which is currently in development.

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4

Medevac

HH-60M variant is dedicated to evacuating wounded troops

Variant:

UH-60M with medical mission equipment

Developed for:

Mainly US Army

Replaces:

HH-60 Pave Hawk

The Black Hawk has a specialized Medevac variant. Lockheed Martin states, “Quickly replace troop seats with litters/stretchers to bring the wounded home. Sikorsky’s dedicated HH-60M MEDEVAC variant for the US Army does this best.” In 2022, the West Virginia Guard’s Aeromedical Evacuation Company received the first of six new HH-60M “Mike” model Black Hawk helicopters.

Blackhawk (photo resized to 3-2 ratio)

Photo: VanderWolf Images | Shutterstock

These are specifically designed to support aerial medical and ambulatory services evacuating wounded troops from the battlefield under difficult weather conditions. The State Aviation Officer stated, “The Mike model is a 30-year leap in technology with several improvements to existing Black Hawk designs…. the Mike model is the most advanced military air ambulance helicopter platform in service.”

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5

Search and rescue

HH-60W ‘Whiskey’ is the search and rescue Black Hawk

Fuel:

Double internal fuel capacity

Fighting:

Both offensive weapons and defensive systems

Replaces:

HH-60G Pave Hawks

The Black Hawk’s legacy of service began with the world’s first helicopter rescue. Today, Black Hawks can carry out search and rescue missions by bolting on a rescue hoist while an electro-optical sensor and weather radar help assist the search and rescue missions.

UH-60M BLACK HAWK

Photo: Lockheed Martin

The Black Hawk’s combat rescue variant is the HH-60W “Whiskey,” built on the UH-60M and designed to add capability advancements to better support combat rescue and other special missions. It doubles the internal fuel capacity without using auxiliary fuel tanks, provides a weapons suite and defensive systems, and offers range and survivability in a high-threat environment.

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