HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters: US Indo-Pacific Command reported on January 26 that the US Air Force (USAF) had moved new HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters to Kadena, Japan. This marked the arrival of the HH-60G Pave Hawk’s replacement inside the PACAF.
According to US Air Force Master Sgt. Bryan Donnelly, “all HH-60G models will be replaced on Kadena.” He also stated that the new models will become the new national standard for combat search and rescue in the US.
According to US Air Force Senior Airman Anthony Canlas, the aircraft has upgraded avionics and multifunctional displays to give pilots vital flying data for executing combat search and rescue missions in disputed settings.
The HH-60W was built with integrated mission systems to fulfil this job from the ground up. The new model is anticipated to function under a range of danger scenarios, including those involving chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and in inclement weather.
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HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters
In October 2012, a call for proposals was released under the USAF Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) project, and in November 2022, the first HH-60W aircraft were delivered to the USAF.Under a $1.2 billion contract that was given in 2014, Lockheed Martin and its subsidiary Sikorsky collaborated to finish the construction of four HH-60W helicopters, with options for an additional 113 aircraft.
Prior to the first Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of ten helicopters being purchased in September 2019, the preliminary and critical design reviews were finished in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The first flight was carried out in May 2019. Under a $500 million deal, the second LRIP for 12 more helicopters was approved in February 2020.
Sikorsky was awarded a $650 million contract in October 2023 to modernise the HH-60W. The upgrade would improve the rotorcraft’s performance and mission-critical systems, such as the visual environment systems and an improved global positioning system that guards against jamming.
The 2024 National Defence Authorization Act (NDAA), approved by the US Congress in December 2023, forbade force reduction of the HH-60W combat rescue helicopter.
