BLACK HAWK

BLACK HAWK

MISSION

Provide air assault, general support, aeromedical evacuation, command and control and special operations support to combat and stability and support operations.

ENTERED ARMY SERVICE

1979

DESCRIPTION AND SPECIFICATIONS

The UH 60 Black Hawk is a utility tactical transport helicopter that replaces the UH-1 "Huey". The versatile Black Hawk has enhanced the overall mobility of The Army, due to dramatic improvements in troop capacity and cargo lift capability, and will serve as The Army's utility helicopter in the Objective Force. On the asymmetric battlefield, it provides the commander the agility to get to the fight quicker and to mass effects throughout the battlespace across the full spectrum of conflict. An entire 11-person, fully-equipped infantry squad can be lifted in a single Black Hawk, transported faster than in predecessor systems, in most weather conditions. The Black Hawk can reposition a 105 mm Howitzer, its crew of six, and lift up to 30 rounds of ammunition in a single lift. The aircraft's critical components and systems are armored or redundant, and its airframe is designed to progressively crush on impact to protect the crew and passengers.

	UH-60A	UH-60L
Max. Gross Weight	20,250 lbs	22,000 lbs, 23,500 (external cargo)
Cruising Speed	139 kt	150kt
Endurance	2.3 hrs	2.1 hrs
Range	320 nm	306 nm
Max. Gross Weight	8000 lbs	9000 lbs
Internal Load	2640 lbs (or 11 combat-equipped troops)
Crew	4 (2 pilots; 2 crew chiefs)
Armament	Two 7.62mm machine guns

MANUFACTURER

United Technologies (Stratford, CT); General Electric (Lynn, MA)