SIKORSKY S-65/MH-53J PAVE LOW III ENHANCED

TYPE:

• Low-level, long-range, day or night, all weather, infiltration, exfiltration and resupply helicopter for special operations forces.

PROGRAMME:

• US Air Force upgrade of Special Operations Forces combat rescue and recovery fleet.
• 31 HH-53Bs, HH-53Cs and CH-53Cs were converted at NAS Pensacola, Florida, beginning in 1986, to MH-53J Pave Low III Enhanced, which are similar to 11 HH-53H Pave Low III produced earlier, eight survivors of which were also converted to MH-53Js.
• The programme was completed in 1990.

UPGRADES:

IBM/Loral:

• Contract awarded in late 1993 to evaluate incorporation of Defensive Aids System (DAS).
• System includes integration of MIL-STD-1553 databus, AAR-47 missile plume detector, ALW-136 missile jammer as well as a multimission advanced tactical terminal.

Lockheed Martin:

• Awarded US$9.5 million contract by US Air Force in early 1997 to improve the combat effectiveness of the Sikorsky MH-53J Pave Low III helicopters.
• Lockheeed will deliver 12 Interactive Defensive Avionics System/Multimission Advanced Tactical Terminal (IDAS/MATT) kits and upgrade 17 AP-102A mission computers.

US Navy:

• Block 1. The majority of the MH-53J aircraft have already undergone Service Life Extension Programmes, but a further programme known as the Block 1 programme is intended to keep the aircraft in service until the year 2010.
• Programme includes basic reworking of structure, hydraulics and wiring.
• Further work is being carried out in order to improve shipboard stowage.
• Work includes installing fully automatic main and tail rotor folding.

DESIGN FEATURES:

• MH-53J Pave Low-Enhanced modifications includes:
• Texas Instruments AN/AAQ-10 nose-mounted FLIR
• inertial Doppler navigation
• Computer-projected map display
• Navstar GPS
• Texas Instruments AN/APQ-158 terrain-following/avoidance radar in offset nose radome
• Chaff/flare dispensers
• Loral AN/ALQ-157 IR jammer on each outrigger pylon
• 454 kg (1,000 lb) of extra titanium armour plating and Collins AN/AIC-3 intercom.
• Self-lubricating, all-metal main and tail rotors
• Armament includes three 7.62 mm or 0.50 in machine-guns firing through windows on each side and from open rear ramp.
• Power plant is two 3,266 kW (4,380 shp) General Electric T64-GE-415 turboshafts.
• Maximum T-O weight increased to 22,680 kg (50,000 lb).

BACKGROUND:

• The MH-53J Pave Low is a modified version of the HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant helicopter used extensively during the Vietnam War for special operations and rescue of combat personnel.
• During past space programs, the HH-53 was on duty at the launch site as the primary astronaut recovery vehicle.
• Under the Air Force's Pave Low IIIE program, nine MH-53H's and 32 HH-53s were modified for night and adverse weather operations and designated MH-53J's.
• Their modifications included forward-looking infrared, inertial global positioning system, Doppler navigation systems, a terrain-following and terrain-avoidance radar, an on-board computer and integrated avionics to enable precise navigation to and from target areas.
• MH-53J's were used in a variety of missions during Desert Storm.
• Pave Lows were among the first aircraft into Iraq when they led Army AH-64 Apaches to destroy Iraqi early warning radars and opened a hole in enemy air defenses for the opening air armada.
• In addition to infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of special forces teams throughout Iraq and Kuwait, Pave Lows provided search and rescue coverage for coalition air forces in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Turkey and the Persian Gulf.

Other Sources/Pictures

• MH-53J Pave Low Photo Gallery