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. The Black Hawk helicopter can carry 11 combat-ready troops, as well as spare parts. It is a versatile utility rotorcraft that can perform a wide range of missions, including search and rescue and medical evacuations.
Military-grade armament, an external cargo hook and the ability to fly in low altitudes make it a valuable asset in a wide range of missions. It also has a unique rescue hoist, allowing it to recover survivors from a hover height of 200 feet, or vertical landings into unprepared areas.
Black Hawk's other modifications include an enhanced avionics suite as well as increased payload capacities, maneuverability, and safety features. It's a common platform in the Army National Guard. It provides airlift and firefighting as well as troop transport.
There are two types of UH-60A/UH-60L: a standard armed troop transport, and one that can be used to ferry or provide medical assistance. It can house 11 fully-equipped soldiers and four full-size 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's also the only rotorcraft which can be fast-roped. That makes it an efficient way for people to disembark in a hurry and reload.
Black Hawks are available in both the main military and special operations versions. These variants can be used to perform missions in hostile environments with challenging terrain and weather conditions. This version is equipped with two M134 7.62mm “miniguns” and can conduct aerial attacks, resupply special forces and transport them.
The UH-60 Black Hawk, while considered a great workhorse by the military is still in its prime. It seems that the UH-60Black Hawk will be a key component in America's peacekeeping and military operations for many years.
The Pentagon plans to replace its Black Hawk helicopters using a new tiltrotor design. The project would likely cost $70 million over the next decade. It is expected that it will be the Army’s largest-ever procurement effort. Sikorsky (part of Lockheed Martin) and Boeing protest the decision. They could challenge the Army's bid in court if it wins.
Lawmakers have already begun to demand answers from Army officials and have asked for the Government Accountability Office's review of the 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 is in the process of replacing its Black Hawks aircraft with a new tiltrotor design. This design will be used by the Army to launch the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft. The Army selected Bell's V-280 Valor design over the Defiant X joint design from Sikorsky, Boeing. The two companies have filed a formal protest with the non-partisan GAO, and they must submit a recommendation within 100 days. If the GAO finds them guilty, they would be forced reevaluate their FLRAA bids.