HH-60 Jayhawk

Infobox Aircraft
name= HH-60 Jayhawk


caption= HH-60J at CGAS Astoria, Oregon
type= Search and rescue (SAR) helicopter
manufacturer= Sikorsky Aircraft
first flight=
retired=
status= Active service
primary user= United States Coast Guard
more users=
produced=
number built=42
unit cost=
developed from = SH-60 Seahawk
variants with their own articles=

The Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk is a twin-engine medium-range search and rescue (SAR) helicopter. It is based on the SH-60 Seahawk, which is a navalized variant of the US Army's UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter. Besides SAR, the HH-60 is used for drug interdiction, cargo lift, and special operations. It was developed for the United States Coast Guard to replace the aging Sikorsky Aircraft HH-3F Pelican in 1986.

Design and development

The HH-60J Jayhawk development began in 1986 based on the HH-60H Rescue Hawk airframe. The Jayhawks were delivered to the US Coast Guard in the early 1990s. The HH-60J has a radar for search/weather that gives its nose a distinctive look. A forward-looking infared (FLIR) sensor turret can be mounted below its nose. It can carry three convert|120|USgal|l|sigfig=3|abbr=on|lk=on fuel tanks with two on the port side rack and one on the starboard side rack. The starboard also carries a rescue hoist with a convert|600|lbf|kN|sigfig=3|abbr=on|lk=on capability mounted above the door. [Leoni 2007, pp. 212-214.] The hoist has convert|200|ft|m|sigfig=3|abbr=on|lk=off of cable.

The Jayhawk has a convert|6460|lb|kg|sigfig=3|abbr=on|lk=off fuel capacity allows it to operate for 6.5 hours within a convert|300|nmi|km|sigfig=3|abbr=on|lk=on radius. [http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/mrr/features.asp Medium Range Recovery Helicopter features] , US Coast Guard, December 13, 2007.] The helicopter is not able to perform water landings as was its amphibious HH-3F Pelican predecessor. [http://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/hh-60.asp HH-60 "Jayhawk" Medium Range Recovery Helicopter] , US Coast Guard, February 5, 2008.]

A total of 42 Jayhawks were built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation with 35 in operation and another 7 in storage or support roles.

The HH-60Js began an upgrade program to convert them to medium range responder helicopters in January 2007, and will be redesignated as MH-60T. The program, called Deepwater Program will provide a glass cockpit and other upgrades. [http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/deepwater/newsletters/jan07/newsletter_jan07-04.asp Aviation Update newsletter] , US Coast Guard, January/February 2007.] The MH-60T is modified with an airborne use of force package, including weapons for firing warning and disabling shots, and armor to protect the aircrew from small arms fire.

Variants

;HH-60J : Medium range search and rescue (SAR) helicopter.;MH-60T : Medium range responder helicopter. HH-60J modernized and used as armed responders for offshore operations.

Operators

;USA
* United States Coast Guard
** CGAS Astoria, Oregon
** CGAS Clearwater, Florida
** CGAS Cape Cod, Massachusetts
** CGAS Elizabeth City, North Carolina
** CGAS San Diego
** CGAS Sitka, Alaska
** CGAS Kodiak, Alaska
** CGAS/ATC Mobile, Alabama

pecifications (HH-60J)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= copter
jet or prop?= prop
ref=USCG page USCG features Globalsecurity page [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/hh-60j-specs.htm HH-60 Jayhawk] , globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 3 August 2008.]
crew= Four (pilot, co-pilot, two flight crew)
capacity=
length main= 65 ft
length alt= 19.8 m
span main= 54 ft
span alt= 16.5 m
height main= 17 ft
height alt= 5.2 m
area main=
area alt=
airfoil=
empty weight main= 14,500 lb
empty weight alt= 6,580 kg
loaded weight main=
loaded weight alt=
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 21,884 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 9,926 kg
more general=
engine (prop)= General Electric T700-GE-401C
type of prop= gas turbines
number of props= 2
power main= 1,980 hp
power alt= 1,476 kW
power original=
max speed main= 180 knots
max speed alt= 205 mph, 333 km/h
cruise speed main= 140 knots
cruise speed alt= 160 mph, 260 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 700 nautical miles
range alt= 802 mi, 1,300 km
ceiling main= 5,000 ft hovering
ceiling alt= 1,520 m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
more performance=
armament= 2x M240B 7.62x51 mm medium machine guns or 2x Browning M2 12.7x99 mm HMG forward of doors.
avionics=

ee also

aircontent
related=
* Sikorsky S-70
* UH-60 Black Hawk
* HH-60 Pave Hawk
* SH-60 Seahawk
* Sikorsky S-92
similar aircraft=
* HH-65 Dolphin
* MH-68 Stingray
lists=
* List of helicopters
* List of active United States military aircraft
see also=
* US Helicopter Armament Subsystems

References

* Leoni, Ray D. "Black Hawk, The Story of a World Class Helicopter", American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2007. ISBN 978-1-56347-918-2.

External links

* [http://www.uscg.mil/datasheet/hh-60.asp HH-60 Jayhawk on US Coast Guard site]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/hh-60j.htm HH-60 Jayhawk] and [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/mh-60t.htm MH-60T on globalsecurity.org]
* [http://www.navalhelicopterassn.org/helo%20page/hh60j.htm HH-60J Jayhawk on navalhelicopterassn.org]
* [http://www.vtol.org/news/issues405.html#coast Coast Guard Plans Jayhawk Modernization on VTOL.org]