SH-60B/F Seahawk

• Anti-submarine warfare • Air-sea rescue • Helicopter delivery

America’s navy would not be able to function without the SH-60 Seahawk. the versatile Sikorsky helicopter which flies from frigates, destroyers and aircraft-carriers. The Seahawk has to operate at night, in heavy seas, from the deck of a ship swaying and pitching and bombarded by salt water. When airborne it must fulfil its assigned role, searching for hostile submarines and surface vessels that may pose a threat to the battle fleet.

SH-60B/F SeahawkThe mainstay of the US Navy ►

The first SH-60B flew m 1983. with its initial shipboard deployment taking placo in 1985. The first SH-60Fs wore dekvered ю 1989.

A MAO bird

The red and yellow ‘MAD bird’, or towed Magnetic Anomaly Detector, helps to locato submannes by measunng changes in the earth’s magnetic field.

A Spanish Armada

Tho Spanish navy has operated SH-60Bs under the designation HS.23 smeo 1988. Twelvo are based at Rota and regularly deploy aboard ‘Santa Maria’-class guided missile frigates. They differ from US Navy SH-60Bs in having a dipping sonar.

A Frigate based

Some of the US Navy’s FFG-7 ‘Oliver Hazard Perry’-class guided missile frigates operate with one SH-60B.

Australian Hawks ►

Exported examples of the Seahawk use Sikorsky’s S-70 model designation. In tho foreground is an RAAF S-70A-9 Black Hawk: behind is a naval S-70B-2.

FACTS AND FIGURES

► Taiwan operates the S-70C(M)-1. equipped with new radar and torpedoes, from ‘Kwang Hua Г-class frigates.

► During the Gulf War two downed pilots were rescued by US Navy SH-60s.

► Door-mounted machine-gun armament is often carried by US Navy SH/HH-60s.

► A third version operated by tho US Navy is tho HH-60H (unofficially callod ‘Rescue Hawk’) for the rescue of downed aircrew.

► The US Coast Guard flies tho HH-60J Jayhawk In the search-and-rescue role.

► Tho only US Marino Corps H-60s are nine VH-60N ‘Presidential Hawks’ for VIPs.

Подпись: Ocean-going sub-hunter

Подпись:Подпись: ACTION DATAПодпись:Подпись:Подпись:Подпись:Подпись:Подпись:SH-60B/F SeahawkПодпись:Подпись:SH-60B/F Seahawk

Подпись: Submarine hunting in the Seahawk * —v . v __

Подпись: SH-60B Seahawk Type: ship-baaed anti-submarine helicopter Povrerplant: two 1260-kW (1690-tvp.) Genera! Elect/x: T700-GE-J01 Of 1417-kW (1900-hp.) -401C turboshaft епдлез Maximum speed: ?34 at kmto (145 rrtpii l at 1525 m (5003 ft.) Rango: 966 km (600 ml.) Operational radius: 92.5 km (57 mi.) with a 3 hour torter 278 km (173 ml.) with a 1-hour loiter Weights: empty 6191 kg (13.650 to); maximum take-oh 9182 kg (20.243 lb.) Armament: two Mk 46 ot 50 torpedoes or one AGM-119B Penguin anti-ship missile; one door- mounted 12.7-mm mach/ie-gun Dimensions: main rotor diameter 16.36 m (53 It. 8 In,) length rotors turning 19.76 m (6-ї tl 9 in,) height 5.18 m (17 1l.) mam rotor disc area 210.05 m- (2.261 sq. ft.)

Wall ilic proven

airframe of the I ‘$ Amty’s Шнек Hawk, lilt* SH-fjOB Scaluwk serves. is the backlxmc of roury aviation ilxxird the US Navy’s surface ve. sscls, The SH-60F (unofficially named ‘Ocean I I. ivk‘> fulfils a Minilar role on aircraft-carrier decks.

Пн* SH-боК operating fn>ni a Innate or destroyer and live*

SI 160F flying from a carrier

Tito – AJ’ marking

u tool o< tho Cornu»

А.» Group aboard ton ‘?Stod(Ve Поошил and -. іггнsi by ail nrcratt on tnn earner

Індії have a crew ol three: pilot, airixime tactical оПВсст/ОО-pilot and sensor operator. These are prinurily anii-submarine helicopters and their search fix >ulxm lines is aided by the [xireni vessel’s СОП1ІХІІ information centre. Пк – Rnal Ііхдііоп ol the submarine and its subsequent .mack, however, are the responsibility of the SI I-<a0H і rew.

While the SH-tiOB is an over the-horixon wcajvon system, the SH-60F, obtained to replace the elderly Sikorsky SI 1-311 Sea King |X*iforms the Navy’s *innei

/one’ ASW mission lor the carrier Battle Group, called CV-Helo’ I lie Sll-OOF also tills air-sea rescue ‘plane guard and utility transport roles.

BtJSUXmG

 

217 fcstl) |IS6 m. p.R I

 

• nr

• и Аьпе ot pas-wo sonebuoys.

1 released from the holicoptor. provides an approximate location ol the submarine.

Q Tho SH-60’з AN/ASQ-81 / A magnetic anomaly dotoctor is toon used to give the precise location.

О Once located, the Seahawk О aunches a Mk 46 homing torpedo, which uses sonar to tmd its target.

SHIP CONTACT: It the captain of a destroyer tonka " • sonat has acqixed a possible contact, ho will mch tho SH-60 to investigate Tho helicopter‘s i>»ta is sent back to the ship for processing.

 

SH 60П SIMM! O* ke.1l-‘

lUSe. B.h. l

 

240 »i»A (155 a. p.h.)

 

SH-60B/F Seahawk

Sikorsky