Black Hawk helicopters have been transporting soldiers and personnel for over 50 years. 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 can fly at low altitudes and has military-grade armament. It also features a rescue hoist which allows it to retrieve survivors from 200-foot hover height or vertical landings in unprepared areas.
Black Hawk's other modifications include an enhanced avionics suite as well as increased payload capacities, maneuverability, and safety features. It serves as a common platform for Army National Guard, providing airlift, firefighting and troop transport.
UH-60A/UH-60L can be ordered in two different versions. One is the standard armed troop transportation, while the other is a dedicated medevac vehicle that is used for providing medical assistance and ferrying patients. It boasts a spacious cabin that can fit 11 fully-equipped troops, as well four full-sized litters and medical equipment.
It is the only UH-60 that can be refueled onboard a C-130 Hercules, which is why it is often used by military forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also the only rotorcraft capable of being fast-roped. This makes it a very efficient way to disembark quickly and reload quickly.
Black Hawk is available in the main military version as well as a special operation variant. It is capable of operating in hostile terrain and adverse weather conditions. This version is equipped with two M134 7.62mm “miniguns” and can conduct aerial attacks, resupply special forces and transport them.
Although the UH-60 Black Hawk has been a reliable workhorse for the military, it is not yet in its final days. It seems that the UH-60Black Hawk will be a key component in America's peacekeeping and military operations for many years.
The Pentagon is preparing to replace its iconic Black Hawk helicopters with a new tiltrotor design, an initiative that would cost $70 billion over the next decade and will likely be the biggest-ever procurement project for the Army. 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 are demanding answers from the Army and have requested that the Government Accountability Office review its decision. GAO's ruling could transform the Black Hawk debate, potentially putting millions of dollars in tax credits on the line for Sikorsky suppliers and other contractors.
The Army is working to replace its Black Hawks with a new tiltrotor design that it will use 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. They will have to reevaluate the FLRAA applications if they are disapproved by the GAO.