The Pave Hawk

When the going gets tough, the tough get airborne. Enter the HH-60G Pave Hawk, the helicopter that laughs in the face of adversity and scoffs at danger. Designed for personnel recovery in hostile environments, the Pave Hawk is the go-to chopper when you need to get people out of tight spots, day or night, in war zones or during natural disasters.

Mission

The Pave Hawk's primary mission is to swoop into hostile territory and pluck isolated personnel from the jaws of danger. But this bird isn't a one-trick pony. Its versatile skill set includes civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and even NASA space flight support. Basically, if there's trouble, the Pave Hawk is your airborne knight in shining armor.

Features

The Pave Hawk is essentially the Black Hawk helicopter's cooler, more capable cousin. It boasts an upgraded communications and navigation suite that sounds straight out of a sci-fi movie: integrated inertial navigation, GPS, Doppler systems, satellite communications, secure voice, and Have Quick communications. Night vision goggles, forward-looking infrared systems, and an automatic flight control system make night ops a breeze. With color weather radar and an anti-ice system, this bird is ready for any weather Mother Nature throws its way.

Mission equipment? It’s got a retractable in-flight refueling probe, internal auxiliary fuel tanks, heavy-duty machine guns, and an 8,000-pound cargo hook. Foldable rotor blades ensure it can fit on ships, making it a truly versatile piece of military hardware.

Background

The Pave Hawk has been proving its mettle since Operation Just Cause, through Desert Storm, Allied Force, and humanitarian missions from Mozambique to Hurricane Katrina and the Japanese tsunami. It’s a veteran of countless missions, providing critical support in war zones and disaster-stricken areas alike. Whether it's rescuing pilots behind enemy lines or delivering tons of relief supplies, the Pave Hawk has done it all.

Facts and Figures

• Primary Function: Personnel recovery in hostile conditions and military operations other than war in day, night, or marginal weather

• Contractor: United Technologies/Sikorsky Aircraft Company

• Power Plant: Two General Electric T700-GE-700 or T700-GE-701C engines

• Thrust: 1,560-1,940 shaft horsepower, each engine

• Rotor Diameter: 53 feet, 7 inches (14.1 meters)

• Length: 64 feet, 8 inches (17.1 meters)

• Height: 16 feet, 8 inches (4.4 meters)

• Weight: 22,000 pounds (9,900 kilograms)

• Maximum Takeoff Weight: 22,000 pounds (9,900 kilograms)

• Fuel Capacity: 4,500 pounds (2,041 kilograms)

• Payload: Depends upon mission

• Speed: 184 mph (159 knots)

• Range: 504 nautical miles

• Ceiling: 14,000 feet (4,267 meters)

• Armament: Two 7.62mm or .50 caliber machineguns

• Crew: Two pilots, one flight engineer, and one gunner

• Unit Cost: $40.1 million (FY11 Dollars)

• Initial Operating Capability: 1982

• Inventory: Active force, 67; Air National Guard, 17; Reserve, 15

From its impressive arsenal to its life-saving capabilities, the HH-60G Pave Hawk proves time and again that it's more than just a helicopter—it's a lifeline, a workhorse, and a guardian angel in rotorcraft form