The 943d Rescue Group has designed an idea to mount 4 extra M240 machine weapons onto the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter to offer extra firepower to the 920th Rescue Wing’s personnel restoration process power in contested environments. The wing was searching for an progressive method to deliver extra firepower to the combat and with the HH-60G scheduled to be retired, it needed to be price efficient and simply transferred to the brand new HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II due to the same design constructions. Whereas following Air Power Chief of Employees Normal Charles Q. Brown’s Speed up, Change, or Lose steering, the 943d RQG operated inside three constraints. To have all assets accessible now, work inside Air Power manuals and technical orders to the utmost extent attainable, and have minimal extra influence to manpower. The present weapons configuration most HH-60s fly with is comprised of two weapons in any mixture of the GAU-2C 7.62mm mini gun, GAU 18/A .50 caliber machine gun, or M240 machine gun. The staff had a objective of including 4 extra weapons onto the plane and examined what would work on each platforms.
“As we carry out ahead operations on the fringe of the battlespace, we may have multicapable gear that may be operated by multicapable Airmen. As ACE operations advance, this airborne platform can turn into a land-based, defensive preventing place to defend an Preliminary Contingency Location/Short-term Contingency Location or ICL-Ahead. This functionality will increase the lethality of the PRTF and improves level protection in ahead operations and likewise will increase the capability for airbase floor protection in help of the projection of air energy,” mentioned Lt. Col. Joe Romeo, 943d Safety Forces Squadron commander.
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“The M240 is multicapable gear for our personnel restoration process power that may allow us to carry out contested-area fight search and rescue, logistics underneath assault, and agile fight employment. It’s going to enhance our offensive and defensive capabilities, at a particularly low price, and provides us flexibility for air and land use world wide,” mentioned Col. Jes Hamilton, 920th RQW commander.
It was found that the .50 caliber machine gun wouldn’t work as a result of the ground design of the HH-60G wouldn’t help the torque utilized by the GAU 18/A. The plane’s mini gun additionally wouldn’t work due to the facility required to function the weapons. This idea required the mixing, or redesign, of three separate components to accommodate two M240s on every door opening. First, a base stand from an current cooperative challenge throughout the Air Nationwide Guard and Air Power Reserve was discovered to fulfill the necessities. Second, an plane mount that was beforehand utilized by the fifty fifth and 71st Particular Operations Squadrons for his or her .50 caliber gunship operations was added to the bottom. Third, working at the side of trade companions, the group took an MK99 gun mount that was usually used for patrol boat operations to mount two M240 caliber machine weapons and holds 1,200 rounds of ammunition. To make use of this mount the 355th Upkeep Group at Davis-Monthan AFB fabricated gun mount stops for correct operations throughout the plane.
In a rescue state of affairs, one HH-60 outfitted as a gunship would combine with the CSAR process power and supply extra self-escort capabilities. Ought to that plane be wanted for rescue, akin to a mass casualty, noncombatant evacuation operation, or embassy evacuation; the weapons might be eliminated inside seconds, immediately changing into a further rescue car platform. The following step within the course of is operational testing in coordination with the Air Guard Air Reserve Take a look at Heart earlier than the system can be utilized and fired on flying plane. The Sikorsky MH-60G/HH-60G Pave Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility navy helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Plane. It’s a by-product of the UH-60 Black Hawk and incorporates the US Air Power PAVE digital programs program. The HH-60/MH-60 is a member of the Sikorsky S-70 household. In September 2013, the preliminary USAF FY 2015 finances proposal would have cancelled the CRH program as a consequence of sequestration finances cuts, as an alternative retaining the HH-60 fleet. In February 2020, the HH-60W was named the “Jolly Inexperienced II” by the U.S. Air Power.
