The UH-60Blackhawk is the Army’s utility tactical transport helicopter. The versatile Blackhawk has enhanced the overall mobility of the Army due to dramatic improvements in troop capacity and cargo lift capability. It will serve as the Army’s utility helicopter in the Future Force.
There are three basic versions of the UH-60: the original UH-60A, the current UH-60L, which has greater gross weight capability, higher cruise speed, rate of climb and external load, and the UH-60M, which, among other improvements, includes the improved GE-701D engine, which provides higher cruise speed, rate of climb, and internal load than the UH-60A and L versions.
On the asymmetric battlefield, the Blackhawk provides the commander the agility to get to the fight quicker and to mass effects throughout the battlespace across the full spectrum of conflict. A single Blackhawk can transport an entire 11-person, fully equipped infantry squad faster than predecessor systems and in most weather conditions. The UH60 Blackhawk can reposition a 105mm howitzer, its crew of six, and up to 30 rounds of 105mm ammunition in a single lift. The aircraft’s critical components and systems are armored or redundant, and its airframe is designed to protect crew and passengers by crushing progressively on impact.
The Army has put into place programs to extend the life of the UH-60, by providing it with the capabilities needed on the future battlefield. The UH-60M program will incorporate a digitized cockpit and improved handling characteristics, and will extend the service life of the system. The UH-60A recapitalization/rebuild program will be applied to a number of older aircraft while awaiting introduction of the UH-60M aircraft into the fleet, and will gain immediate reliability improvements and slow the fleet aging process.
| Country of Origin | USA. |
|---|---|
| Similar Aircraft | Hirundo A109, Mi-24 Hind, Mi-8 Hip, Puma. |
| Crew | Two. |
| Role | Assault-transport (11 equipped troops), multipurpose. |
| Armament | Hellfire missiles, machine guns, rockets, mine dispensers. |
| Dimensions | Length: 51 ft (15.25 m). Rotor diameter: 53 ft, 8 in (16.9 m). |
UH-60 Blackhawk Specifications
| UH-60A | UH-60L | UH-60M | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max gross weight (pounds) | 20,25022,000
22,000 |
||
| Cruise speed (knots) | 149150
152 |
||
| Rate climb (feet per minute) | 8141,315
1,646 |
||
| Engines (2 each) | GE-700GE-701C
GE-701D |
||
| External load (pounds) | 8,0009,000
9,000 |
||
| Internal load (troops/pounds) | 11/2,64011/2,640
11/3,190 |
||
| Crew | Two pilots, two crew chiefs | ||
| Armament | Two 7.62mm machine guns | ||
UH-60 Blackhawk WEFT Description
| Wings | Four-blade main rotor with swept-back tips mounted on top center of fuselage. |
|---|---|
| Engine(s) | Two turboshaft engines within a hump on top of fuselage. Semicircular air intakes. Oval exhausts. |
| Fuselage | Slender, rectangular fuselage tapers to the rear. Rounded nose with stepped cockpit. Fixed landing gear. |
| Tail | Boom tapers to a high, swept-back fin with tail rotor on right. Large, unequally tapered flat mounted low on the fin. |
Countries which Fly the UH-60 Blackhawk
Colombia, Israel, Spain (SH-60), United States of America.
Books on the UH-60 Blackhawk
Blackhawk Helicopter
Weapons Carrier Helicopters: The Uh-60 Blackhawks
Blackhawk
In 1978, Sikorsky introduced the UH60 helicopter as a transport, medevac, special ops, escort, and reconnaissance platform to replace the UH-1 “Huey” that had become a legend in Vietnam. Nearly a quarter century hence, the “Blackhawk” remains the world’s premiere military helicopter.
This colorful look back at the namesake of the 2001 blockbuster film examines the development, capabilities, specifications, and active service of variants by branch of service-Army, Navy, and Air Force. Within each chapter, author Steve Tomajczyk describes the histories and specifications of task-specific variants and profiles typical missions. Included are the UH-60Q Medevac, MH-60 Night Stalkers, SH-60B Sea Hawk, MH-60G Pave Hawk special ops (infiltration and search-and-rescue), and the CH-60 Sea Hawk amphibious support aircraft, among others.
UH-60 Blackhawk,