Aviation Specials - July 2018

H-60 Seahawk:

HH-60H, MH-60R, MH-60S

Under its Helicopter Master Plan,

the US Navy rationalized its carrier

and ship-based helicopter  eets,

phasing out the Sikorsky SH-60B,

SH-60F and HH-60H variants of

the Seahawk, which were replaced

by the MH-60R and MH-60S. The

two variants share 85 per cent

commonality between systems

including a common cockpit and

dynamic components, which

reduces maintenance, logistic and

training requirements.

Under the navy’s current concept

of operations two helicopter

squadrons are deployed with each

CVW. The wing’s assets nominally

include 19 helicopters comprising

11 MH-60R and eight MH-60S

variants that are respectively

operated by helicopter maritime

strike (HSM) and helicopter sea

combat squadrons (HSC). In

addition to the aircraft carrier,

the rotorcraft operate from the

CSG’s air-capable escort ships.

Typically,  ve of the HSM squadron’s

helicopters operate from the carrier

and detachments are sent to the

escorts. In a similar arrangement

six examples of the MH-60S are

normally stationed aboard the

carrier, while two are  own from a

logistics ship in support of vertical

replenishment (VERTREP) duties.

Seven HSM squadrons are

tasked as expeditionary squadrons

and support individual ship

deployments by deploying MH-60Rs

in one or two aircraft detachments.

Each squadron is nominally

assigned 10 MH-60Rs.

The last operational SH-60Fs were

retired by HS-11 at Naval Station

Norfolk, Virginia’s Chambers Field

on May 9, 2016. Today a single

NSH-60F is operated by HX-21 at

NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, and

supports testing associated with the

presidential airlift mission.

HH-60H

Optimized for strike rescue and

special operations missions,

the HH-60H was equipped with

AGM-114 Hell re missiles and

door-mounted 0.50-caliber and

7.62mm weapons. The rotorcraft

was also tasked with SAR,

medical evacuation (medevac),

vertical replenishment (VERTREP)

and  eet support as secondary

duties. It joined the  eet in 1990

and operated alongside the

SH-60F until completing its  nal

carrier deployment aboard the

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)

with HS-11 in November 2015.

In late 2017, nine aircraft were

still assigned to Naval Reserve

squadron HSC-85 at NAS North

Island. The squadron supports

naval special warfare SEAL Teams

and other special operations

forces. The remaining HH-60Hs

will be retired in FY 2019 and

HSC-85 will transition to the

MH-60S. The current  eet also

includes two HH-60Hs that are

assigned to the FRS.

Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code

HSC-3 (FRS) ‘Merlins’ NAS North Island, California HH-60H CHSCWP SA

HSC-85 ‘Firehawks’ NAS North Island, California HH-60H CHSCWL NW

An HH-60H of HSC-85 at NAS North

Island. US Navy/MCS1C Chad M. Butler

An MH-60R Seahawk of HSM-72 ‘Proud Warriors’.

US Navy/MCS3C Kaysee Lohmann

MH-60R

Operating both from aircraft

carriers and aviation-capable

escort ships, the multi-mission

MH-60R achieved initial

operational capability with

HSM-41 in December 2005,

and began its  rst operational

deployment with HSM-71

aboard the USS John C. Stennis

(CVN 74) in January 2009. The

helicopters are in service with

15 operational squadrons, one

Naval Reserve squadron and two

 eet replacement squadrons.

MH-60R procurement ended in FY

2016 when the  nal batch of 29

was ordered. The navy procured

280 examples and in early 2018

the  eet included 270 aircraft.

Deliveries will end in FY 2018.

The helicopter’s primary

missions include anti-submarine

warfare (ASW) and anti-surface

warfare (ASuW) including

fast attack craft/fast in-shore

attack craft threat response. Its

numerous secondary missions

include area surveillance,

SAR, VERTREP, naval gun re

support (NGFS), naval special

Squadron Location Aircraft Command Tail code

HX-21 ‘Blackjack’ NAS Patuxent River, Maryland MH-60R NAWCAD HX

HSM-35 ‘Magicians’ NAS North Island, California MH-60R CHMSWP TG

HSM-37 ‘Easyriders’ MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii MH-60R CHMSWP TH

HSM-40 (FRS)

‘Airwolves’ NS Mayport, Florida MH-60R CHMSWL HK

HSM-41 (FRS)

‘Seahawks’

NAS North Island,

California MH-60R CHMSWP TS

HSM-46 ‘Grandmasters’NS Mayport, Florida MH-60R CHMSWL HQ

HSM-48 ‘Vipers’ NS Mayport, Florida MH-60R CHMSWL HR

HSM-49 ‘Scorpions’ NAS North Island, California MH-60R CHMSWP TX

HSM-51 ‘Warlords’ NAF Atsugi, Japan MH-60R CHMSWP TA

HSM-60 ‘Jaguars’

(see note 1)

NAS Jacksonville,

Florida MH-60R CHMSWL NW

HSM-70 ‘Spartans’ NAS Jacksonville, Florida MH-60R CHMSWL AJ

HSM-71 ‘Raptors’ NAS North Island, California MH-60R CHMSWP NG

HSM-72

‘Proud Warriors’

NAS Jacksonville,

Florida MH-60R CHMSWL AB

HSM-73 ‘Battle Cats’ NAS North Island, California MH-60R CHMSWP NA

HSM-74 ‘Swamp Fox’ NAS Jacksonville, Florida MH-60R CHMSWL AC

HSM-75 ‘Wolfpack’ NAS North Island, California MH-60R CHMSWP NH

HSM-77 ‘Sabrehawks’ NAF Atsugi, Japan MH-60R CHMSWP NF

HSM-78 ‘Blue Hawks’ NAS North Island, California MH-60R CHMSWP NE

HSM-79 ‘Gri ns’ NAS North Island, California MH-60R CHMSWP TK/AG

VX-1 ‘Pioneers’ NAS Patuxent River, Maryland MH-60R COTEF JA

1 HSM-60 is a Naval Reserve squadron.

US NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018

(^78) AIR POWER REVIEW
66-85 US Navy Review C.indd 78 01/06/2018 10:12