SIKORSKY (S-70B) SH-60 SEAHAWK

US Navy designation: SH-60B and SH-60R Seahawk, SH-60F and HH-60H
US Coast Guard designation: HH-60J Jayhawk
Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force designation: SH-60J
Spanish Navy designation: HS.23
Taiwanese Navy designation: S-70C(M)-1 and S-70C(M)-2 Thunderhawk

TYPE:

• ASW/Anti-Ship Surveillance and Targeting (ASST)/SAR helicopter.

PROGRAMME:

• The Kaman SH-2 was considered to be unsuitable for the new LAMPs systems. In 1977, year after S-70A had been selected for the Army, the Navy conducted a similar evaluation.
• The YUH-60A Sikorsky airframe was selected for the new LAMPS Mk III (Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System).
• First flight of YSH-60B on December 12, 1979.
• Two years of development and testing before initial production.
• First flight of production aircraft on February 11, 1983.
• Changed USN planning in 1993 resulted in premature end to SH-60B/F production.
• SH-60F to be withdrawn from aircraft carriers and remanufacture all SH-60B/Fs as SH-60R.

VARIANTS:

SH-60B

• Initial production version for ASW/ASST.

SH-60F Ocean Hawk

• CV Inner Zone ASW helicopter.
• Known as CV-Helo, for close-in ASW protection of aircraft carrier groups to replace SH-3H Sea King.
• First flight of SH-60F on March 19, 1987.
• Production terminated with final delivery on December 1, 1994.
• To be phased out of carrier operations and conversions to SH-60R planned, thought some may become HH-60Hs.
• The SH-60F configuration has all LAMPS Mk III avionics, fairings and equipment removed, including cargo hook and RAST system main and tail probes.
• Features include:
• Integrated ASW mission avionics including AlliedSignal AN/AQS-13F dipping sonar.
• MIL-STD-1553B databus.
• Dual Teledyne Systems AN/ASN-150 tactical navigation computers.
• AN/ASM-614 avionics support equipment.
• Automatic flight control system with quick automatic transition and both cable and Doppler autohover.
• Tactical datalink with other aircraft.
• Communications control system.
• Multifunction keypads and displays for each of four crew members.
• Internal/external fuel system and extra weapon station to port allowing carriage of three Mk 50 homing torpedoes.
• Provision for surface search radar.
• FLIR, night vision equipment.
• Passive ECM, MAD, air-to-surface missile capability.
• Sonobuoy datalink.
• Chaff/sonobuoy dispenser.
• Attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), Navstar GPS.
• Fatigue monitoring system.
• Increase of maximum T-O weight to 10,659 kg (23,500 lb).

HH-60H

• A strike-rescue/special warfare support (HCS) variant.
• Designated HH-60H in September 1986.
• First flight on August 17, 1988.
• Accepted by USN on March 30, 1989.
• Missions requirements are to recover four-man crew at 250 n miles (463 km, 288 miles) from launch point or fly 200 n miles (371 km, 230 miles) and drop eight SEALs from 915 m (3,000 ft).
• A close derivative of SH-60F with same T700-GE-401C engines and HIRSS as SH-60B/F.
• Equipment includes:
• General Instrument AN/APR-39A(XE)2 RWR.
• Hughes AN/AVR-2 laser warning receiver.
• Honeywell AN/AAR-47 missile plume detector.
• Lockheed Martin AN/ALE-47 chaff/flare dispenser.
• Sanders AN/ALQ-144 IR jammer.
• Elbit ANVIS 7 NVG/HUD system.
• Two cabin-mounted M60D 7.62 mm machine guns.
• Provision for weapon pylons.
• Cubic AN/ARS-6 personnel locator system installed from FY91.
• Some equipped with Seahawk-type Indal RAST (recovery assist, secure and traverse) equipment.

HH-60J Jayhawk

• Ordered in parallel with HH-60H, adapted for US Coast Guard medium-range recovery (MRR) role.
• First flight on August 8, 1989.
• When carrying three 455 litre (120 US gallon, 100 Imp gallon) external tanks, HH-60J can fly out 300 n miles (556 km, 345 miles) and return with six survivors in addition to four-man crew or loiter for 1 hour 30 minutes when investing possible smuggles.
• Other duties include law enforcement, drug interdiction, logistics, aids to navigation, environmental protection and military readiness.
Equipment includes:
• AlliedSignal RDR-1300C search/weather radar.
• AN/ARN-147 VOR/ILS.
• KDF 806 direction-finder.
• GPS, Tacan, VHF/UHF-DF, TacNav.
• Dual U/VHF-FM radios, HF radio.
• ILL/V/U/HF IFF crypto computers.
• NVG-compatible cockpit.
• Rescue hoist and external cargo hook.

XSH-60J

• Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) placed an order for two S-70B-3s for installation of Japanese avionics and mission equipment.
• First flights on August 31 and early October 1987.
• Includes Japanese avionics but the AN/APS-124 radar.

SH-60J

• Mitsubihi is manufacturing SH-60J Seahawk for JMSDF to replace Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King.

UH-60J/UH-60JA

• Japanese variants of Black Hawk.

SH-60R

• Remanufactured Seahawk.
• Combines SH-60B capabilities with dipping sonar of Sh-60F.
• US Navy planned 273 existing SH-60Bs, SH-60Fs and HH-60Hs to be converted.
• Sh-60R systems to be orientated towards littoral warfare operations, with ability to process and prosecute large number of air and sea contacts in a comparatively confined space.
• New system to enhance countermeasures and passive and active detection capability will be added.
• These include:
• Telephonics AN/APS-147 multitone radar.
• Raytheon AN/AAS-44 FLIR/laser ranger.
• AN/AYK-14 and AN/UYS-2 processors.
• Colour high-resolution displays.
• Dual INS with GPS.
• Air-air and air-ship datalinks.
• Satellite communications.
• Lockheed Martin ESM system with expanded detection frequency band.
• Laser detector.
• MIL-STD-1760 stores stations.
• Hughes/Thompson-CSF AN/AQS-22 airborne low-frequency sonar.
• New keyseats and displays will also be installed, with an upgraded Hamilton Standard flight control computer.
• SH-60B's MAD and floatation device to be deleted.
• Hellfire ASM and SH-60B weapons included.
• Service Life Extension Programme (SELP) to be included in the upgrade process as some SH-60Bs are nearing the projected life of 10,000 hours.

S-70B-1

• Spanish Navy received six from December 1988 and designated HS.23.
• Similar to USN SH-60B but with AlliedSignal AN/AQS-13F dipping sonar.

S-70B-2

• Royal Australian Navy selected the Seahawk for role adaptable weapon system (RAWS) full-spectrum ASW helicopter with autonomous operating capability.
• First flight on December 4, 1987.
• S-70B-2 has different avionics than the USN version, such as:
• Thomson Thorn Super Searcher radar.
• Collins advanced integrated avionics including cockpit controls and displays.
• Navigation receivers.
• Communications radios.
• Airborne target handoff datalink and tactical data system (TDS).

S-70B-6

• Hybrid SH-60B/F for Greece.
• Armament includes NFT Penguin ASMs.
• Avionics include AN/AQS-18(V)-3 dipping sonar, AN/APS-14(V)-3 radar and AN/ALR-66(V)-2 ESM.

S-70B-28

• Ordered for Turkish Navy on February 14, 1997.
• Armament include the use of AGM-114 Hellfire ASM.

S-70C(M)-1/2 Thunderhawk

• Delivery began in July 1990 to Taiwanese Navy.
• Equipment includes:
• AlliedSignal AN/AQS-18(V) dipping sonar.
• Telephonics AN/APS-128PC radar.
• Litton AN/ALR-606(V)-2 ESM integrated with radar antenna.
• Large antenna array positioned on top of main rotor assembly.
• Sigint system used to intercept HF and VHF radio communications.

Following descriptions applies to SH-60B

DESIGN FEATURES

• Seahawk designed to provide all-weather detection, classification, localization, and interdiction of surface ships and submarines, either controlled through datalink from mother ship or operated independently.
• Secondary mission include SAR, vertical replenishment, medevac, fleet support and communications relay.
• Structure is basically same as UH-60 plus marine corrosion protection, single cabin door narrower than the UH-60's.
• New features include:
• More powerful navalized GE-T700-GE-401 engines, additional fuel.
• Sensor operator's station.
• Port-side internal launchers for 25 sonobuoys.
• Pylons on starboard side of tailboom for MAD bird.
• Lateral pylons for two torpedoes for external tanks.
• Chin-mounted ESM pods.
• Sliding cabin door.
• Rescue hoist.
• Electrically actuated blade folding.
• Rotor brake.
• Folding tail.
• Short-wheelbase tailwheel landing gear with twin tailwheels stressed for lower crash impact.
• DAF Indal RAST recovery assist.
• Secure and traversing for haul-down landings on small decks and moving into hanger.
• Hovering in-flight refuelling system.
• And emergency floatation system.
• During the Gulf War, 25 SH-60Bs were fitted with upper and lower Sanders AN/ALQ-144 IR jammers, Tracor AN/ALE-39 chaff/flare dispensers, Honeywell AN/AAR-7 electro-optical missile warning, and a single 7.62 mm machine gun in door.

POWER PLANT:

• Two 1,260 kM (1,690 shp) intermediate rating general Electric (T700-GE-401 turboshafts in early aircraft.
• 1,342 kM (1,800 shp) T700-GE-401C turboshafts introduced in 1988 and on HH-60H/J.
• Transmission rating of 2,535 kW (3,400 shp).
• Internal fuel capacity: 2,233 litres (590 US gallons, 491 Imp gallons).
• Hovering in-flight refuelling capability.
• Two 455 litre (120 US gallon, 100 Imp gallon) auxiliary fuel tanks on fuselage pylons (three on HH-60J).
• Hover IR suppressor subsystem (HIRSS) exhaust cowling fitted on HH-60H.

ARMAMENT:

• US Navy armament includes two Mk 46 torpedoes, NFT AGM-119B Penguin Mk 2 Mod 7 anti-ship missiles, and Honeywell Mk 50 Advanced Lightweight Torpedoe.
• HH-60H has two pintle-mounted M60D machine guns.
• Cleared in 1996 to operated Rockwell AGM-114 Hellfire ASM on SH-60B/R.
• HH-60H also to receive 70 mm (2.75 in) rocket pods and forward-firing guns.