MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters
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The US Army’s UH-60 Black Hawks have always had a naval counterpart. SH-60B/F Seahawk/ LAMPS helicopters were outfitted with maritime radar, sonobuoys, and other specialized equipment that let them perform a wide variety of roles, from supply and transport, to anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and even surface attack with their Penguin missiles. Like their land-based counterparts, however, the Seahawks are getting older. The Reagan defense build-up is receding into history, and its products are wearing out.
European countries chose to build new designs like the medium-heavy EH101 and the smaller NH90: larger helicopters built with corrosion-proof composites, and new features like rear ramps. The USA, in contrast, decided to upgrade existing H-60 designs for the Army and Navy. Hence the MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter (aka. “Romeo”) and MH-60S (aka. “Sierra”) Seahawks. MH-60Rs and MH-60Ss will eventually replace all SH-60B/F & HH-60H Seahawks, HH-1N Hueys, UH-3H Sea Kings, and CH-46D Sea Knight helicopters currently in the US Navy’s inventory.
Both programs are underway, and will be covered in this DID FOCUS Article. The latest additions include a number of minor contracts for associated equipment, and reports of growing export interest in the MH-60R…
- Romeo, Armed: The MH-60R Multi-Mission Helicopter
- Blue Collar Sierra: The MH-60S
- The MH-60R/S Program
- MH-60R/S Contracts and Key Events, 2005-Present [updated]
- Additional Readings and Sources
Get instant access to the whole DII story of the Navy's helicopter program when you subscribe to DII. The story includes many moving parts, as the US Navy is moving from six helicopter types to just two. Our cross-linked article network and reference materials include:
- Description of the helicopter, its mission capabilities and armament kits including, for example, Hellfire anti-armor missiles and 50 caliber (GAU-21/M3M) and 7.62 mm (M240B) machine guns.
- Additional DII coverage including "Lockheed Receives $76.6M for MH-60S' New Airborne Anti-Mine Systems," "Fly and Listen: The AN/ALQ-22 ALFS Sonar System," " Listening Sticks: US Navy Sonobuoy Contracts," "The Wonders of Link 16 for Less: MIDS-LVTs", and more
- Tracking of contractors and sub-contractor involved, such as Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Vought Aircraft, Kaman Aerospace, GKN Aerospace, Telephonics, Kimball Electronics Group and Aldinger
- A project budget summary for each fiscal year since 2005, and a breakdown of current orders
- Advanced features including: the AN/AAS-52 MTS surveillance and targeting turret, the AN/APS-147, Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) imaging, an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator capability and the AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar (ALFS)
- Timeline of news and events
- 17 photos
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