Black Hawk helicopters are a long-range, rotarywing aircraft that's been used for transporting soldiers and other personnel all over the globe for more than 50 year. It can carry 11 troops with combat equipment, plus spare parts. The Black Hawk helicopter is also a versatile utility aircraft, which can be used for a variety missions including medical evacuations, search and rescue, and medical evacuations.
It is equipped with military-grade armament, a cargo hook and the ability of flying at low altitudes. This makes it an invaluable asset for a variety of missions. It also comes with a unique rescue hoist. This allows it to transport survivors from 200ft above the ground, and vertically land in areas unprepared.
Black Hawk also has other modifications, such as an improved avionics system, increased payload capability, improved maneuverability, and enhanced safety features. It is a common platform for the Army National Guard and provides airlift, firefighting, electronic warfare, emergency medical service, and troop transport.
UH-60A and UH-60L come in two versions: the standard armed troop carrier and a medevac-specific model that can ferry and provide medical aid. It has a large cabin and can accommodate 11 fully-equipped soldiers, plus four full-size litters or medical equipment.
It is the UH-60 with the ability to refuel onboard C-130 Hercules. Because of this, military forces in Iraq & Afghanistan often use it. It is also the only rotorcraft capable of being fast-roped. This makes it a very efficient way to disembark quickly and reload quickly.
In addition to the main military version, the Black Hawk is also available in a special operations variant that is designed to conduct missions in hostile areas with difficult terrain and weather conditions. This version can carry special forces, conduct aerial assaults and resupply missions.
The UH-60 Black Hawk, while considered a great workhorse by the military is still in its prime. In fact, it looks like it will be a critical component of the United States' wars and peacekeeping efforts for many years to come.
The Pentagon is working to replace its Black Hawk helicopters with a new tiltrotor. This initiative will cost $70billion over 10 years and will most likely be the Army's biggest ever procurement project. Sikorsky, which is part of Lockheed Martin, and Boeing are protesting the decision, and they could challenge it in court if the Army wins the bid.
Already, lawmakers demand answers from Army personnel and have asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review their decision. GAO rulings can reshape debate about Black Hawk's future and could potentially result in millions of dollars worth of tax credits to Sikorsky contractors.
The Army plans to replace its Black Hawks iconic aircraft with a new tiltrotor design. It will be used for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft launch (FLRAA). The Army has selected Bell's V-280 Valor model over the Defiant X which is a joint design of Sikorsky and Boeing. The companies have made a formal complaint to the GAO. It must make a recommendation within 100 calendar days. If they are found guilty by the GAO, they will be required to reevaluate and resubmit their FLRAA bids.