The UH-60 Black Hawk is one of the most capable rotorcraft developed for the US Armed Forces, with everything needed to complete any mission it is tasked to finish. One word to call this workhorse is it can give punishment and take, better than any helo that makes it badass.
When it was designed by Sikorsky, everything included equipment to avionics that allows it to survive short of a direct hit. It is built to withstand minimal damage and keep flying, making it a survivor taking home its crew after every mission.
Black Hawks are hard to keep down
Here's what makes the UH-60 capable of flying its missions, all these equipment like fuel tanks that seal itself. It is crash capable too that can take shots from small-caliber arms that will prevent leaks from hard landings, reported Popular Mechanics.
A vastly improved tail blade rotor with a new design that can survive getting shot at its tail is made to lessen hits that could cause it to spin. It has a better main rotor that can withstand damage. Lastly, it has extra armor in the cockpit as it was built.
Next is the inclusion of backup or redundant systems that will take over if the main flight control and avionics were to fail. For example, all the hydraulics and electrical systems are backed up to keep the helo damage to effect self-repair and mechanical systems will take over if a major hit does happen.
The secret to the UH-60 Black Hawk performance is two engines and a four-bladed rotor that is optimized to allow over 100 mph flight speed. It comes with power for lifting 8-tons and an extra 1-ton cargo carried in the undercarriage.
It is designed to be transportable in components and inserted cargo planes for heavy lift operations in a C-130 Hercules, along with other air-transportable equipment to be sent anywhere the US needs it noted Forbes.
History of the Black Hawk
It first saw service in 1979, after the first demo flight in 1975 when Sikorsky won the contract to build the Iroquois successor. The UH-60 has been upgraded and improved over the years, and even adapted to exotic missions. Some of the systems are still kept classified by the US military to this day.
The first variants of the UH-60 were involved in operations in Grenada in 1983, next in 1988 during the Panama invasion as its earliest campaigns. In Operation Desert storm, the helicopter had its first true taste of blood when many were used to deploy troops in a large deployment of US troops with 300 units.
Enter the UH-60L and its most modern variant
This is the next variant that can carry more, with more flight capabilities over the first model used. It has a better engine and upgraded gearbox which can lift external packages to 9-tons. A naval version called SH-60B Sea Hawk was exclusively for Naval use, noted Newsbreak.
Lockheed Martin aerospace owns Sikorsky now and has four standard UH-60 Black Hawk models. One is the armed Black Hawk which has offensive systems.
Another one is the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter specialized in search and rescue. The last two versions are the standard UH-60m and the S-70 that is for export to US-allied countries. It is one of the most exported helicopters to other countries as well.
Related article : China Makes knockoffs of Black Hawk Helicopter, Hellfire ATG Missiles
