UH-60J(SP) RESCUE HAWK 'NIIGATA AIR RESCUE 60TH ANNIVERSARY'

The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a medium multi-role and infantry support helicopter of American production with a metal structure in a classic layout with a main rotor and a tail rotor on the beam. The drive of the UH-60 D version is provided by two General Electric T-700-700 engines with a capacity of 1560 HP each. The flight of the first prototype took place in 1974, and serial production, which started in 1974, is still ongoing. It is estimated that over 4,000 copies of this helicopter were built by 2017. The Sikorsky UH-60 was created in response to a tender launched in 1972 by the US Army for a new transport helicopter to replace the UH-1 Huey machines. The new machine was supposed to have better performance, be cheaper to operate and be characterized by high survivability on the battlefield. All these criteria were met by the machine of the Sikorsky concern, with particular emphasis on the last of the above-mentioned elements. Many development versions of this very solid and successful helicopter were created in the course of serial production. The basic version was designated as UH-60A, which was used primarily for transport purposes. Later, the UH-60L version with more powerful engines was introduced, which increased the lifting capacity of the machine. A version of the S-70 International was also created, widely offered - often successfully - to foreign customers. It is worth adding that at present (2017) this version is produced in the plants in Mielec. Numerous specialized versions have also been created, such as the MH-60A, which is dedicated to American special forces. On the basis of the UH-60, the marine version, the SH-60 Seahawk, was also significantly changed. MH-60 helicopters actively participated in the intervention in Granada (1983), the operation in Mogadishu (1993), both wars in Iraq (1990-1991 and 2003), as well as in the operation in Afghanistan from 2001. They have also been exported to many countries, including Austria, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Israel, Japan and Turkey.