Aircraft Factfile and Recognition Guide - HH-60 Jayhawk & Pave Hawk

 

HH-60 Jayhawk

The HH-60J Jayhawk is a medium-range recovery helicopter. The HH-60J is used to perform search and rescue, law enforcement, military readiness, and marine environmental protection missions.

In 1986 the HH-60 Jayhawk was selected to replace the aging HH-3F Pelican as the Coast Guard's medium range helicopter. Implementation of the HH-60J began in March of 1990 with the delivery of the first airframe to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland for developmental testing. ATC Mobile, Alabama was the first Cost Guard unit to fly the aircraft as instructor pilots prepared for pilot training in March 1991. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City was the first operational unit with the Jayhawk.

The United States Coast Guard built a fleet of 42 medium-range Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk helicopters to its fleet of aircraft. Jayhawks have replaced the Sikorsky HH-3F Pelican helicopters that the Coast Guard has used for over 20 years. The HH-60J is similar to the HH-3F in many ways, and the assigned mission are the same. However, the HH-60J has numerous upgrades including a state of the art electronics package. The HH-60J is lighter, faster and the engines have more power.

The power provided by the twin T700-GE-401C General Electric turbine engines, each rated at 1662 shaft horsepower, gives the aircraft a maximum takeoff weight of 21,884 pounds and enables a cargo sling load of 6,000 pounds. The HH-60J can fly 300 miles offshore, remain on-scene for 45 minutes, recover six survivors, and return with fuel reserves.

The Jayhawk's state-of-the art radar, radio, and navigation equipment enables the helicopter to carry out the Coast Guard's search and rescue, law enforcement, military readiness, and marine environmental protection missions efficiently and effectively. The Jayhawk uses the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System as its primary long range navigational aid. On board the Jayhawk, the Collins RCVR-3A radio simultaneously receives information from four of the system's 18 worldwide satellites and converts it into latitude fixes, pinpointing the helicopter's position.

The H-60 can not perform water landings, as the H-3 was capable of. However, with its twin T700-GE-401C engines, the Jayhawk can fly 300 miles offshore, remain on scene 45 minutes, hoist six people on board, and return to its point of origin with a safe fuel reserve. Normal cruising speeds of 135-140 knots can be increased to a "dash" speed of 180 knots when necessary. The H-60 will fly comfortably at 140 knots for 6-7 hours.

Though normally stationed ashore, the Jayhawk can be carried aboard 270-foot WMEC and 378-foot WHEC Coast Guard Cutters. These cutters are capable of refueling and supporting the helicopter for the duration of a cutter patrol. They assist in the missions of search and rescue, enforcement of laws and treaties including drug interdiction, marine environmental protection, and military readiness.

The United States Coast Guard will upgrade and modernize its current Sikorsky HH-60J JAYHAWK helicopter fleet to meet its expanded Homeland Defense responsibilities, according to the revised Deepwater Implementation Plan presented to Congress in April 2005. Deepwater outlines the USCG's long-range acquisition strategy across its entire inventory of cutters and aircraft to provide improved systems for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) and innovative logistics support.

An earlier version of Deepwater called for the purchase of a new and smaller aircraft to replace the JAYHAWK as the Coast Guard's Medium Range Recovery (MMR) Helicopter. In light of the USCG's post 9-11 requirements, Deepwater now forgoes the new aircraft and calls for upgrading the current HH-60J JAYHAWK.

The newly-designated MH-60T will be fitted with a new state-of-the-art cockpit, new search /weather radar and Electro-Optics/IR units, upgraded engines and airframe, and an Airborne Use of Force Package to provide more firepower and protection from small arms fire.

The JAYHAWK is a variant of the Sikorsky H-60 product line currently used by all five branches of the US military along with 25 governments across the world. The JAYHAWK is a rugged, proven, versatile multi-mission military aircraft well suited to the task. Sikorsky Aircraft delivered 42 HH-60Js to the Coast Guard for search and rescue (SAR), offshore law enforcement, drug interdiction, aids to navigation and environmental protection.

HH-60G Pave Hawk

The HH-60G's primary wartime mission is combat search and rescue, infiltration, exfiltration and resupply of special operations forces in day, night or marginal weather conditions. The HH-60G Pave Hawk provides the capability of independent rescue operations in combat areas up to and including medium-threat environments. Recoveries are made by landing or by alternate means, such as rope ladder or hoist. Low-level tactical flight profiles are used to avoid threats. Night Vision Goggle (NVG) and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) assisted low-level night operations and night water operation missions are performed by specially trained crews. The basic crew normally consists of five: pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer, and two PJs. The aircraft can also carry eight to 10 troops.

Pave Hawks are equipped with a rescue hoist with a 200-foot (60.7 meters) cable and 600-pound (270 kilograms) lift capacity. The helicopter hoist can recover survivors from a hover height of 200 feet above the ground or vertical landings can be accomplished into unprepared areas. The hoist can recover a Stokes litter patient or three people simultaneously on a forest penetrator.

The helicopter has limited self-protection provided by side window mounted M-60, M-240, or GAU-2B machine guns. Pave Hawk is equipped with two crew-served 7.62mm miniguns mounted in the cabin windows. Also, two .50 caliber machine guns can be mounted in the cabin doors. An APR-39A(V)1 radar warning receiver, ALQ-144A infrared jammer, Hover Infrared Suppression System (HIRSS), M-130 chaff dispenser, and precision navigation equipment (GPS, Inertial Navigation System (INS), Doppler) afford additional threat avoidance and protection.

Mission systems on the HH-60H make it ideally suited for operations with special warfare units. Combat-equipped personnel can be covertly inserted and/or extracted in any terrain with precise GPS navigation accuracy. A variety of insertion and extraction techniques are available, including landing, hoisting, fast rope, rappel, paradrop, McGuire or SPIE Rig, and CRRC. Additionally, Helicopter Visit Board Search and Seizure (HVBSS) operations may be conducted using one or more of these insertion/extraction techniques. HVBSS missions are designed to take control of a ship considered to be a Contact of Interest (COI). The ability to interdict or 'take down' shipping during enforcement of a naval blockade requires precise planning and execution. Tethered Duck (T-Duck) was implemented to rapidly insert troops and a Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC) to water areas. The troops fast rope down to the CRRC after it is lowered into the water, and the motor is then hoisted down to the troops to complete the procedure. Parachute operations are used for inserting troops when the helicopters are unable to land with a minimum free-fall drop altitude of 2500 feet AGL (above ground level).

The maximum speed is 193 knots with a cruise speed of 120 to 140 knots. Unrefueled range is 480 nautical miles (NM), with a combat load and aircraft at maximum gross weight of 22,000 lbs; the combat radius is approximately 200NM. Inflight refueling greatly extends this range. Pave Hawks are equipped with a retractable in-flight refueling probe and internal auxiliary fuel tanks.

All HH-60G's have an automatic flight control system to stabilize the aircraft in typical flight altitudes. They also have instrumentation and engine and rotor blade anti-ice systems for all-weather operation. The HH-60G is equipped with an all-weather radar which enables the crew to avoid inclement weather. Pave Hawks are equipped with folding rotor blades and a tail stabilator for shipboard operations and to ease air transportability. The non-retractable landing gear consists of two main landing gears and a tail wheel. Aft sliding doors on each side of the troop and cargo compartment allow rapid loading and unloading. External loads can be carried on an 8,000-pound (3,600 kilograms) capacity cargo hook. The Pave Hawk can be equipped with the external stores support system.

The HH-60 is stationed throughout the world. MAJCOMS include AFRC, ANG, AFSOC, PACAF, AFMC, AETC, and ACC. ACC is the lead command. Besides a full complement of flightline support, home stations provide two and three level maintenance support functions. HH-60 helicopter is a worldwide deployable aircraft. Two 365 day a year contingencies are currently being conducted. In deployment scenarios some locations have full flightline support capabilities with limited back shop support, while other deployed sites have less support, down to a bare base scenario. A flightline support contingent is deployed with the aircraft. Depending on the deployment location and duration, varying levels of back shop maintenance support might also be deployed.

The HH-60G is rapidly approaching its flying hour service life limit. Consequently, CAF will soon require either a service life extension program (SLEP) for HH-60G or procurement of a replacement aircraft for conducting CSAR operations. The HH-60G System Program Office (WR-ALC/LU) is assessing whether HH-60G’s service life limit is 8,000 flight hours, IAW the Army specification for the H-60 airframe, or actually closer to 7,000 flight hours based upon AF configuration and operating gross weights of the HH-60G. Depending on the assessment results, HH-60G aircraft (1981 models) will begin reaching their service life limit as early as FY00, if service life limit is determined to be 7,000 flight hours. Otherwise, if the limit is determined to be 8,000 flight hours, 1981 model HH-60G aircraft will begin reaching their service life limit in FY03.

As of 2002 there were no HH-60s in special operations any more. The last squadron that had them was the 55th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, and they flew the MH-60.

Recognizing the HH-60 Jayhawk & Pave Hawk

The Jayhawk, Pave Hawk, and all variants of the H-60 are easy helicopters to identify on the ground and in the air. Here's some tips to help you identify the HH-60:

Wings:  Four-blade main rotor with swept-back tips mounted on top center of fuselage.
Engines:  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.

Keep in mind the different models of the H-60 in the US Armed Forces inventory by taking a note of its paint scheme:

Black/White:  UH-60 Blackhawk (US Customs and Border Patrol and Homeland Security)
Gunship Grey:  HH-60 and MH-60 Pave Hawk (USAF Special Ops)
Light Ghost Grey:  MH-60S Knighthawk, SH-60 Seahawk (both US Navy)
Olive Drab:  UH-60 Blackhawk (US Army)
White/Orange:  HH-60 Jayhawk (US Coast Guard)

Specifications

HH-60G Pave Hawk
    Primary Function: combat search and rescue and military operations other
    than war in day, night or marginal weather conditions.
    Builder: United Technologies/Sikorsky Aircraft Company
    Power Plant: Two General Electric T700-GE-700 or T700-GE-701C engines
    Thrust: 1,560-1,940 shaft horsepower, each engine 
    Length: 64 feet, 8 inches (17.1 meters)
    Height: 16 feet, 8 inches (4.4 meters)
    Rotor Diameter: 53 feet, 7 inches (14.1 meters)
    Speed: 184 mph (294.4 kph)
    Maximum Takeoff Weight: 22,000 pounds (9,900 kilograms)
    Range: 445 statute miles; 504 nautical miles (unlimited with air refueling)
    Armament: Two 7.62mm machine guns 
    Crew: Two pilots, one flight engineer and one gunner
    Date Deployed: 1982

HH-60J Jayhawk
    Manufacturer: Sikorsky
    Rotor Diameter: 54’
    Height: 17’
    Length: 65’
    Max Gross Weight: 21,884 pounds
    Empty Weight: 14,500 pounds
    Number Engines: 2
    Propulsion Type: General Electric T700-401C Gas Turbines
    Fuel Capacity: 6,460 pounds

Sources: US Coast Guard HH-60 Jayhawk Factfile, USAF HH-60G Pave Hawk Factfile,
GlobalSecurity.org HH-60J Jayhawk, GlobalSecurity.org HH-60G Pave Hawk

© 2006-2007 Steven Holzinger