USAF Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

[fightingirish]

The first flight of the Air Force’s next generation combat rescue helicopter has been pushed back until May as design flaws and other issues have pushed the program out of an accelerated schedule and back toward the original baseline schedule.[...]

Source: http://airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/February%202019/Air-Force-Now-Planning-First-Flight-of-Pave-Hawk-Replacement-for-May.aspx
Edit:

INCOMING: Two fully assembled HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters (CRH), built by @Sikorsky, are preparing for their maiden flights, which will occur before mid-year at the Sikorsky West Palm Beach site in Florida.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharkParsons/status/1100755832780869633

 

[fightingirish]

2019-05-17: Sikorsky Combat Rescue Helicopter Achieves First Flight
On May 17, our HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter took to the skies for the first time. With its new fuel system and more capable defensive system, this helicopter will allow the U.S. Air Force to succeed in its critical rescue mission.

Video:

https://youtu.be/ACkfJXB-7kk

 

[fightingirish]

[...]
Still, without any offence to other name proposals, my name proposal "Warrior Hawk" suits better to the Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter HH-60W.
First the same letter "W" (double-u), then this is an helicopter flying into combat.
[...]

Sikorsky HH-60W “Jolly Green II”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1233049530154864641

 

[Antonio]

Air Force Names New HH-60W Rescue Helicopters After The "Jolly Green Giants" Of Vietnam

The nickname originally referred to the "green footprints" the older rescue helicopters would leave when they landed in the fields of Vietnam.

www.thedrive.com

 

[500 Fan]

Going back in time a little to 2008 and the CSAR-X competition, here is an artist's impression of the Boeing HH-47 in a later configuration. Interestingly, it is fitted with a pair of mast-mounted antennae, which might be for the FAB-T system. It also looks like it is fitted with a LAIRCM system on the forward sponson and the large engine intake filters that weren't favored by the 160th SOAR because of a slight reduction in engine power. Previous drawings of the HH-47 also showed it fitted with the Davis Engineering IRSS exhaust. If anyone has further drawings or artwork of the 2008 HH-47, I'd love to see them.

500 Fan.

 

[RavenOne]

found this poster ..

cheers

 

[RavenOne]

Anyhow first two Jolly Green II been delivered to Moody AFB today (photos courtesy of ACC 15th Air Force).

cheers

 

[fightingirish]

HH-60W Jolly Green II Helicopters Arrive At Moody

The 23d Wing and 347th Rescue Group leadership received the Air Force’s first two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters. The delivery of the new model is significant to the personnel recovery mission as it begins the transition from the predecessor, the HH-60G Pave Hawk, which has been flown for more than 26 years.

Video by Senior Airman Taryn Butler 23d Wing Public Affairs, Airman Megan Estrada 23d Wing Public Affairs
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Video:

View: https://youtu.be/Is_HxXeFF78

Link:

https://youtu.be/Is_HxXeFF78

 

[fightingirish]

The airmen should baptize these new helicopters rather with Whiskey than with champagne.

 

[TomcatViP]

Sikorsky to upgrade HH-60W helicopters in $980.7 million contract

The U.S. Air Force plans to award Sikorsky with a contract for upgrades to its new HH-60W combat rescue helicopter in a five-year contract totaling $980.7 million.

www.upi.com

 

[yasotay]

Almost a billion bucks to upgrade the brand new, barely out the door helicopter. Hmmmmm....

 

[DWG]

Almost a billion bucks to upgrade the brand new, barely out the door helicopter. Hmmmmm....

It did make me wonder whether they'd only specced the defensive systems for non-state actor level threats.

 

[fightingirish]

Two very informative videos comparing these two helicopter models.
Happy 4th July !

HH-60G Pave Hawk Walkaround Tour
Capt. Phil White gives us the most detailed Walkaround of the HH-60 ever!

Video 1:

View: https://youtu.be/1b1LMFihSWs

HH-60W Walkaround Jolly Green II
Capt Phil White gives the most detailed walkaround tour of the brand new HH-60W, Jolly Green II helicopter that recently arrived at Moody AFB.

Video 2:

View: https://youtu.be/WPc578CV-78

 

[jsport]

Kelly: Downed Airmen May Have to Get to Safe Areas | Air & Space Forces Magazine

The combat search and rescue missions for Airmen will be extremely challenging against an adversary such as China, Gen. Mark D. Kelly warned.

www.airforcemag.com

 

[riggerrob]

How much does all that extra equipment add to the empty weight?
... compared with a simple UH-60 cargo helicopter?

 

[yasotay]

The current platform is woefully inadequate for INDOPACOM given the distances. While you can air refuel HH-60 it will take several hours (minimum) to get to most of the areas in question from likely US bases when talking about a peer fight. You are also putting more assets at risk for a long period once you execute the rescue and then begin the exfiltration. I suspect this is one of the reasons that the USAF has reenergized their long dormant VTOL efforts. Especially the HSVTOL work.

 

[jsport]

Robot Rescue? Air Force Seeks New Way to Recover Downed Troops

The CSAR helicopters it’s currently buying can’t handle the mission in a conflict with China, officials say.

www.defenseone.com

 

[yasotay]

This is the sad truth: almost all helicopters are designed to operate at a combat radius of 100-150 NM (185 - 278 KM). This is adequate in many parts of the world, but utterly inadequate in the Pacific and Africa. The logistics alone of conducting a CSAR mission at these distances argue against conventional rotorcraft. Like medical evacuation the clock is ticking from the moment a crew leaves an aircraft.

 

[BlackBat242]

This looks like a job for V280!

 

[yasotay]

This looks like a job for V280!

Better, but I'm not sure it makes the grade.

 

[BlackBat242]

It certainly has the range, and the speed... and is not far off the carrying capacity of the HH-60W (if not equal).

 

[yasotay]

I agree it is a better option. However, the distances in the Pacific are huge. Again, I imagine this is why AFRL has begun a high speed VTOL program.

 

[yasotay]

Sikorsky spins up to defend HH-60W combat rescue helicopter from planned cuts - Breaking Defense

With possible alternatives still undefined and likely several years away, Sikorsky and supporters are leaning on Congress to rescue the HH-60W from planned cuts. But will the argument win the day?

breakingdefense.com

The turmoil over the tyranny of distance, brought on by a switch to a Pacific region focus, has begun to settle in with the U.S. DoD rotorcraft operators.

 

[zevets]

I agree it is a better option. However, the distances in the Pacific are huge. Again, I imagine this is why AFRL has begun a high speed VTOL program.

We should trade some F-35s for some US-2s, and get a genuine Pacific capability.

 

[Dynoman]

Maybe Bell will be funded to develop its proposed concepts for 400 kt long range jet VTOL for the Pacific region.

Bell's Plan To Finally Realize A Rotorcraft That Flies Like A Jet But Hovers Like A Helicopter

After 50 years of sporadic development, Bell thinks it can build a survivable, long-range, high-speed, VTOL aircraft adapted to tomorrow's wars.

www.thedrive.com

 

[RavenOne]

This looks like a job for V280!

Air Force Will Look at CV-22, New Army Helicopter for Long-Range Combat Search and Rescue | Air & Space Forces Magazine

The AIr Force will consider the new Army V-280 helicopter for long-range combat search and rescue but may rely on the CV-22 in the interim.

www.airandspaceforces.com

cheers

 

[riggerrob]

Kelly: Downed Airmen May Have to Get to Safe Areas | Air & Space Forces Magazine

The combat search and rescue missions for Airmen will be extremely challenging against an adversary such as China, Gen. Mark D. Kelly warned.

www.airforcemag.com

Good luck if the pilot broke a leg on landing, or landed in rough terrain, or landed near enemy infantry, etc.

 

[yasotay]

I agree it is a better option. However, the distances in the Pacific are huge. Again, I imagine this is why AFRL has begun a high speed VTOL program.

We should trade some F-35s for some US-2s, and get a genuine Pacific capability.

Given that the theater in question that is driving this problem is ~90% water, US-2 or even the Dornier could be a great solution for over the water SAR. Although I am not so sure about CSAR.
Given the amount of time it will take to get any platform to an area of a downed crew escape and evasion will have to figure in the training regime again.

 

[RavenOne]

I agree it is a better option. However, the distances in the Pacific are huge. Again, I imagine this is why AFRL has begun a high speed VTOL program.

We should trade some F-35s for some US-2s, and get a genuine Pacific capability.

Given that the theater in question that is driving this problem is ~90% water, US-2 or even the Dornier could be a great solution for over the water SAR. Although I am not so sure about CSAR.
Given the amount of time it will take to get any platform to an area of a downed crew escape and evasion will have to figure in the training regime again.

hmmm

A Japanese Seaplane Could Be the Difference-Maker for the U.S. Military - War on the Rocks

On Jan. 23, 1992, a U.S. Air Force F-16 — Clan 33 — collided with its air refueling tanker during a ferry flight to the United States. The pilot ejected

warontherocks.com

cheers

 

[Kiltonge]

The USAF is trying to end procurement of the HH-60W, turns out it wasn't suitable after all. Planned to end at the funded 75, instead of continuing to 113 but over-ruled by Congress which added funding for 10 in FY2023 and prohibited using the money to shut-down the line. Subsequently the AF has again requested zero funding for the 60W in FY2024.

Simultaneously the USAF is looking at potential upgrades for the 60W fleet since the systems that were baselined in 2012 are now considered inadequate.

Perhaps they should just sell the fleet to the RAF as the Puma replacement and buy the HH-47...

 

[RavenOne]

Kadena receives their new HH-60W

HH-60Ws move to Kadena

The HH-60W Jolly Green IIs from the 55th Rescue Generation Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, arrived at their new duty station, Kadena Air Base, Japan, January 26, 2024. The HH-60W is the

www.kadena.af.mil

Cheers

 

[Scott Kenny]

1) engine swap the T700s to the T901s so the Jolly Green has enough power to lift all the crap that got added.

2) for the long range CSAR role, CMV-22 fuselages/sponsons with the extra fuel tanks, and maybe even some fuel tanks in the cargo bay.

 

[yasotay]

CMV-22B would likely need the space for ASE and the extra bolt on armor. Would still be a beast to operate in the mountains. Speed is its best attribute (witness the MV-22B recovery of F-15E crew), but hard to beat CH-47 in the mountains, although a revised Ka-32 with monster Klimov's might due well.

 

[Scott Kenny]

CMV-22B would likely need the space for ASE and the extra bolt on armor. Would still be a beast to operate in the mountains. Speed is its best attribute (witness the MV-22B recovery of F-15E crew), but hard to beat CH-47 in the mountains, although a revised Ka-32 with monster Klimov's might due well.

I dunno, the V-22 has 12,000hp available to hover with. Chinooks have 9500hp.

Though I guess Chinooks do have 2500lbs more MTOW.

 

[yasotay]

The rotor size at those altitudes would have also played a significant part in any significant winds or turbulence.

 

[zevets]

I dunno, the V-22 has 12,000hp available to hover with. Chinooks have 9500hp.

Though I guess Chinooks do have 2500lbs more MTOW.

hot and high performance is all about having giant rotors:

Disk loading - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[RavenOne]

Now its 943rd Rescue Group, 920th Rescue Wing just received theirs.

Wing receives first new HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter

A new era began when the 920th Rescue Wing’s first new HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter touched down here Feb. 1.Flown to the 943d Rescue Group by the 305th Rescue Squadron, the arrival of the HH-60W

www.afrc.af.mil

cheers

 

[Forest Green]

Next-gen helo engines delivered to Sikorsky for Black Hawk integration

Sikorsky has received two Improved Turbine Engine Program engines and will begin integrating them into UH-60 Black Hawks in the coming months.

www.defensenews.com

 

[agm114k]

Hi everyone, new poster here. I'm really interested in the HH-47 CSAR-X and the internals. Are there any good sources for finding details about specific systems, operators, and more?

The Struggle Over CSAR-X | Air & Space Forces Magazine

USAF’s plan to quickly buy a new combat search and rescue helicopter is going nowhere fast.

www.airandspaceforces.com

For context, the HH-47 was Boeing's entry into the CSAR-X program that the U.S. Air Force launched to find a medium/heavy lift helicopter to supplement the HH-60G Pavehawk. The HH-47 won initially, but Lockheed Martin protested to the GAO (Governmental Accountability Office) and the USAF soon reversed their decision, leading the HH-60W.

Thanks for looking and if I got anything wrong, please correct me.

 

[RavenOne]

56th Rescue Squadron at Aviano Air BAse in Italy have flown their last HH-60G Pave Hawk mission as their new HH-60W arrived in last week.

U.S. Air Force’s Final Active Duty Pave Hawk Mission Flown at Aviano Air Base, Unit Welcom

Airmen of the 56th Rescue Squadron and 56th Rescue Generation Squadron flew the final mission for the Air Force’s Active Duty HH-60G Pave Hawk at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Dec. 18.

www.mildenhall.af.mil

Aviano Becomes the Latest Base to Swap Out HH-60 Models

Airmen from Aviano Air Base, Italy, flew their last mission in an HH-60G helicopter on Dec. 18 as they transition to the new HH-60W.

www.airandspaceforces.com

cheers