The UH60 Black Hawk helicopter is the U.S. Army’s primary mediumlift utility transport and air assault aircraft. The UH60 Black Hawk is a twinengined medium lift utility helicopter. It is equipped with a single 4bladed rotor and a single 4bladed tail rotor. The basic crew compliment for the UH60A is three; pilot, copilot, and crew chief. The titanium cored rotor blades are resistant to AAA (antiaircraft artillery) fire up to 23mm and are equipped with pressurized sensors capable of detecting loss of rotor pressurization (damage). #Helicopter #BlackHawk #UH60

The A model was designed to carry 11 combat troops in addition to a crew of three (pilot, copilot, crew chief) and was intended to serve in utility, air assault, medivac, command and control, and reconnaissance roles. The Army began converting Black Hawks to the medivac role in 1981.

The UH60A utilizes a dragging tailwheel landing gear system, with two nonmovable main gear struts, and a rotating lockable tail wheel assembly. For operations in arctic environments, the Black Hawk can be fitted with landing skis.

The UH60A is equipped with troop accommodations for eight, which can be removed to accommodate four fullsized medical litters. The Black Hawk can transport 11 fully equipped combat soldiers in an assault ready configuration, or 14 in a maximum capacity situation. Maximum troop carrying capacity is 20 lightly equipped personnel. The dedicated medivac variant of the Black Hawk can accommodate 6 litters.

The UH60A is equipped with a reward sliding and lockable door on each side of the cargo compartment. The external cargo hook is rated to 8,000 pounds (3,630 kg.)

The ESSS (External Stores Support System) consists of two external winglike assemblies attached to the airframe above the cargo compartment doors. Each ESSS wing is equipped with 2 removable pylons. The wings are rated to 5,000 pounds each and can accommodate a single 230 gal. the fuel tank as well as a single 450 gal. fuel tank (this gives the UH60A an unrefueled selfdeployment range of 1,200 nautical miles. Up to 16 Hellfire missiles can be mounted on the ESSS, and, when coupled with the capability to carry an additional 16 missiles internally, gives an armed Black Hawk the ability to rearm itself midmission.

The UH60A is equipped with two General Electric T700GE701 turboshaft engines rated at 1,560 shaft horsepower each. Internal fuel is stored in two crashworthy fuel tanks and totals 360 gallons. If ESSS equipped, the Black Hawk can carry two 230gallon external tanks and can carry up to two additional auxiliary 185gal. internally in the cargo compartment. The Black Hawk is capable of flying on one engine.

The UH60A is equipped with VHFFM, UHFFM, and VHFAM/FM radios, as well as encrypted IFF recognition system. For selfdefense, the Black Hawk is equipped with AN/APR39 (v) 1 radar warning receiver, as well as AN/ALQ144 infrared countermeasures system and chaff/flare dispenser.

While not equipped with any dedicated weapon systems, the UH60A is equipped with two pintle mounts (one each located on either side of the airframe aft of the flight deck.) These pintles are capable of accepting a variety of weapons, to include the M60 GP 7.62mm machine gun, the M240 7.62mm machine gun, the .50 caliber GAU19/A machine gun, as well as the General Electric M134 7.62mm 6barreled minigun. Utilizing the ESSS system, the UH60A can equip up to 16 Hellfire missiles, as well as 2.75" FFAR (folding fin aerial rocket) rocket pods, FIM92 Stinger antiair missiles, as well as aerial mine delivery systems, such as the volcano and the M56 mine delivery system.

The UH60L Blackhawk represents an upgrade to the original UH60A Blackhawk, which entered service with the US Army in 1978. Production of the UH60L began in 1989 with the conversion of existing UH60A aircraft to the "L" standard as well as the production of new airframes. The First UH60L was delivered in November of 1989. Over 600 have been delivered since 2006, and production is expected to continue until the UH60L line is replaced by new production UH60M aircraft.

Externally, the UH60L is very similar to the UH60A. Major improvements include the incorporation of a hover IR suppression system (HIRSS) that is designed to cool engine exhaust gasses while hovering and in forwarding flight. As with the UH60A, the "L" variant is ESSS capable and rated for all of the same weapon systems. The external cargo hook limit has been improved on the UH60L, which has a maximum lift rating of 9,000 pounds. Internal troop carrying capacity remains unchanged at 11 fully loaded, 14 highdensity, and 20 lightly equipped.

The UH60L is equipped with two General Electric T700GE401C turboshaft engines, each rated to 1,880 shaft horsepower. The "L" model retains the same internal fuel arrangements as in the "A" model.