HH-60H Seahawk
The HH-60H Armed Helicopter is a variant of the SH-60F, specifically designed for combat search and rescue and naval special warfare support. It can operate from aircraft carriers, and a variety of other naval and merchant vessels, as well as land bases. The HH-60H retains the same basic airframe, core avionics, and inherent sea-basing capability of the SH-60F and incorporates many of the ballistic tolerance attributes of the Army UH-60, which are ideally suited for the CSAR mission.
The largely empty cabin area of the HH-60H allows room for rescued personnel or SEAL teams in support of special operations. HH-60H aircrews specialize in the rescue of downed airman in hostile territory and employ high-tech devices such as Night Vision Devices (NVD’s). Additionally, they are armed with M-240 or GAU-17 machine guns used to suppress enemy fire during such a rescue, or during a special operations troop insertion. In addition, the HH-60H has recently been outfitted with Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) technology, and the capability to fire Hellfire anti-ship missiles. The FLIR incorporates an integrated laser designator, and is used to assist with classification of surface targets at long ranges, and provide laser guidance for Hellfire missiles. This anti-ship capability is being used to counter the small patrol boat and minelayer threat to U. S. Navy and commercial ships.
When called upon to fight, the HH-60H stands ready. The HH-60H armament consists of 2 M-60D/M-240 machine guns or two GAU-17A miniguns. It is capable of carrying M60 or M240 machine guns and 4 Hellfire missiles. With its weapon system growth package, it can pack a GCAL-50 machine gun, 2.75" rockets, Stinger, Maverick or Hellfire missiles. The HH-60H's survivability equipment consists of a radar warning system (APR-39(V) 1), a chaff/flare dispenser (ALE-39) and an infrared jammer (ALQ-144(V) 1). It has an advanced forward looking infrared (FLIR) capability and radar and infrared countermeasures as well as passive laser and radar detection systems. The engines are also mounted with a hover infrared suppression system (HIRSS). The HH-60H multi-mission VERTREP helicopter features a 6,000 lb external cargo hook, and is cleared for a 7,468 lb useful load. The HH-60H is designed for extended mission endurance and range, and can carry four crew members and 8 passengers. The HH-60H has an increased seating capacity in the cabin area for greater versatility and the cockpit is designed for night vision goggle (NVG) operations.
The HH-60H's primary mission is combat search and rescue (CSAR), naval special warfare support (NSW) and anti-surface warfare (ASUW). Additional missions are logistic support, vertical replenishment (VERTREP), anti-surface warfare (ASUW) and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).
The HH-60H is a specialized aircraft for a specialized mission. Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) is a dedicated effort to bring back pilots shot down behind enemy lines. With the aid of night vision goggles, pilots are able to fly this helicopter under the cover of darkest nights, staying close to the ground to avoid detection by enemy radar and lookouts. Once the downed aviator is rescued, the helicopters egress in the same covert manner to avoid detection. The aircraft may be launched on a variety of CSAR mission scenarios and is designed to covertly penetrate enemy airspace, locate and recover isolated personnel, and return them to friendly territory. Depending upon the threat level in the mission area, the response may vary from an immediate, unopposed recovery to a delayed, highly integrated joint mission utilizing national assets.
In carrier aviation, helicopters are the first to launch and the last to recover. They provide the battle group with a swift search and rescue platform, on call around the clock to launch on a moment's notice. A search and rescue (SAR) swimmer is part of the helicopter's crew on nearly every mission. If a sailor falls overboard or a pilot ejects, highly trained swimmers react immediately to effect a rescue.
The HH-60H, with its forward looking infrared (FLIR) capability has the ability to track surface vessels under any conditions and pass that information on to the carrier battle group. Additionally, the HH-60H carries 4 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. With this added capability, the "HH" is able to engage any surface vessels that threaten the battle group. The HH-60H also carries door-mounted M60, M240 and .50 caliber machine guns.
Logistics missions include mail and passenger runs, medical Evacuations (MEDEVAC) and vertical replensihment (VERTREP). Both the SH-60F and HH-60H are capable of all logistics missions, but the HH-60H is better suited for most missions because of its larger internal capacity. the cabin of the "H" can be fitted with 10 passenger seats while the "F" is able to carry only 3 passengers in addition to its crew. Both aircraft have an external cargo hook which is capable of carrying 6,000 pounds and is used for heavy loads or bulky loads that cannot be fit into the cabin. Having a rescue hoist also gives the helicopter the enhanced ability of hoisting personnel or cargo down to vessels not able to support air operations. Cargo Transfer generally consists of delivering mail or parts, and may be completed by either airframe, however, the HH-60H's increased cabin capacity makes it more versatile for the mission.
MEDEVAC is a vital role played by the entire HS community. At any hour of the day and in any weather conditions, the helicopters may be called upon to transport those in need of medical attention to facilities at sea or ashore. MEDEVAC can happen anywhere and anytime, so the HS community constantly has an alert helicopter ready to respond. If a landing cannot be made, personnel can be hoisted aboard using a rescue strop or litter.
The nature of certain missions requires the use of SEALs. The HH-60H is the ideal delivery vehicle for many of these missions. The HH-60H is capable of inserting and extracting SEALs in a variety of ways, including fast rope, rappel, SPIE and McGuire rigs, Para drop, and combat rubber raiding craft (CRRC). Any of these methods can be used to covertly insert or extract SEAL platoons from anywhere in the world. 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, fastrope, 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.
Helicopter Combat Support Special Squadrons 4 and 5 of the Naval Reserve operate HH-60H aircraft for either extended remote site operations ashore or extended shipboard operations. The aircraft are configured to support SOF infiltration and exfiltration. These units plan and execute missions during the hours of darkness. Routes are planned to avoid acoustic, optical, or electronic detection. Navigation requires visual meteorological conditions and is aided by global positioning system and doppler radar.
These units train for single and multi-ship operations, to include dissimilar rotary wing aircraft types. Aircrews maintain NVG qualification. These aircraft are equipped with secure radios; zone suppression weapons (M-60D and programmed GAU-17); NVG- compatible lighting (interior and exterior); air rescue personnel locator system (PLS); radar and IR self-protection capability; and automatic approach, hover, and depart capability. A cargo hook permits external cargo movement. Capability is similar to the MH-60G, except that it lacks aerial refueling.
Tethered Duck (T-Duck) was implemented to rapidly insert troops and a Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC) to water areas. The troops fastrope 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 minumum free-fall drop altitude of 2500 feet AGL (above ground level).
When the call comes in for the Navy SEALS to participate in a covert operation, time can be a critical ally. Depending on the type of environment the Navy's elite special force is tasked with entering, an array of military vehicles may be used to transport the team to its destination. One vehicle serving that function is the HH-60H. And thanks to on-going testing objectives of the Naval Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron (NRWATS), the SEALS can eliminate nearly a half hour from their mission itinerary when deploying from the helicopter.
On 18 June 1997, the NRWATS HH-60H test team and a team of SEALS from Naval Special Warfare Group Two in Little Creek, V, joined forces on the Chesapeake Bay and executed a Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC) Slung Load Recovery test after a training mission. The test completed an important phase in the overall CRRC project. The CRRC projected experimented with a new design technique that reduces the time it takes for a SEAL team to deploy a Zodiac raft from an HH-60H. What used to take a SEAL team 30 minutes to accomplish, now takes roughly 30 seconds. The staff of the HH-60H test team employed a cargo hook restraint system that attaches the raft to the bottom of the helicopter for faster deployment of a SEAL team over a body of water. The time required to deploy a raft before the implementation of the cargo hook restraint system was taking way too long. Helicopter aircrews had to lower the raft down to the water, have the SEALS inflate it, lower mission equipment from the aircraft to the raft, have the SEALS load the raft with the mission-essential gear, and then lower the remaining SEAL team members down the aircraft's rescue hoist.
But now with Tethered Duck (T-Duck) the fully inflated raft with a modified I-beam, is attached to the cargo hook on the bottom of the aircraft, providing a single-release attachment point (simplifying raft deployment under normal operations and raft jettison during emergency situations). Before the raft is attached to the aircraft, it's loaded with an engine, fuel, weapons and other SEAL mission-essential equipment. Fully loaded, the raft weighs nearly 1,600 pounds. The helicopter, with the loaded CRRC attached to the cargo hook, is positioned 10 feet over its intended target in the water. As the helicopter moves forward at 10 knots, the raft is deployed and the SEAL team members jump into the water to secure it. Previously, the SEAL team was hoisted down 60 feet which further delayed the training mission.
