Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk

Chosen to replace the HH-3F Pelican, the HH-60J was based on the United States Navy's SH-60 Seahawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter family. Compared to its predecessor, the HH-3F, the HH-60J is lighter, faster, and equipped with more sophisticated electronics and more powerful engines. The HH-60J was developed in conjunction with the U.S. Navy's HH-60H Rescue Hawk.Leoni, Ray D. Black Hawk, The Story of a World Class Helicopter, pp. 212-213. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2007. {{ISBN|978-1-56347-918-2}}.

File:Sikorsky HH-60.jpg]]

Sikorsky began development in September 1986 and aircraft registration number 6001 achieved first flight on 8 August 1989. The first aircraft was delivered to the USCG for developmental testing in March 1990 at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland. In March 1991, ATC Mobile, Alabama became the first USCG unit to fly the HH-60J, allowing instructor pilots to prepare for pilot training. Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina was the first USCG operational unit to fly the HH-60J. Sikorsky produced 42 HH-60Js with sequential registration numbers from 6001 through 6042.{{cite web |url= http://www.helis.com/database/model/270/ |title= Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk |publisher= Helis.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100513035535/http://www.helis.com/database/model/270/ |archive-date= 13 May 2010 |access-date= 7 July 2010 |quote= 42 delivered from 1990. 1 written off. }} Sikorsky ended production in 1996 after completing the 42 units on contract. Subsequently, the Coast Guard has converted six ex-Navy SH-60F Seahawks into MH-60T Jayhawks (registration numbers 6043-6048) to replace attrition and expand fleet.{{cite web |url=http://www.uscg.mil/innovation/sci_tech_2010.asp |title=2010 Innovation Award Winner: Science or Technology, SH-60F to MH-60T Conversion Process |website=US Coast Guard |date=4 April 2014 |access-date=5 March 2024 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427082128/http://www.uscg.mil/innovation/sci_tech_2010.asp |archive-date=27 April 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://www.helis.com/database/modelorg/Coast-Guard-Jayhawk/cn |title=Sikorsky HH/MH-60 Jayhawk in US Coast Guard |website=Helicopter History Site |access-date=6 March 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509075117/https://www.helis.com/database/modelorg/Coast-Guard-Jayhawk/cn |archive-date=9 May 2023}}

The USCG began converting its 42 HH-60Js to MH-60Ts in January 2007. This avionics and capabilities upgrade is part of the USCG's Integrated Deepwater System Program and provide a glass cockpit, an enhanced electro-optic/infrared sensor system as well as a radar sensor system and airborne use of force capability.{{cite web |url=http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/mrr/default.asp |title= Acquisition Directorate - Medium Range Recovery Helicopter |publisher=United States Coast Guard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100802065503/http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/mrr/default.asp |archive-date= 2 August 2010 |access-date= 7 July 2010 |quote= The MH-60T project will upgrade 42 in-service HH-60J helicopters ...}}{{cite web |url=http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/deepwater/newsletters/jan07/newsletter_jan07-04.asp |title=Acquisition Directorate, January/February (2007) Newsletter |website=US Coast Guard|date=February 2007 |access-date=18 September 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918011144/http://uscg.mil/acquisition/deepwater/newsletters/jan07/newsletter_jan07-04.asp |archive-date=18 September 2008}} The airborne use of force package includes both weapons for firing warning and disabling shots and armor to protect the aircrew from small arms fire.{{cite web |url= http://www.uscg.mil/acquisition/newsroom/updates/mrr060909.asp |title= Acquisition Update: "T" It Up: First Production MH-60T Medium Range Recovery Helicopter Delivered to Coast Guard |date= 9 June 2009 |work= United States Coast Guard website |publisher= United States Coast Guard |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101130214553/http://uscg.mil/acquisition/newsroom/updates/mrr060909.asp |archive-date= 30 November 2010 |access-date= 8 July 2010 |quote= The AUF package equips the MH-60T with a 7.62mm machine gun for firing warning shots and a .50 caliber long range rifle for precise targeting... }} The MH-60T upgrades were completed in February 2014.[http://www.uscg.mil/acquisITION/newsroom/updates/mh60t021714.asp Acquisition Update: Final Jayhawk Completes Conversion to MH-60T Model] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427112526/http://www.uscg.mil/acquisITION/newsroom/updates/mh60t021714.asp |date=27 April 2014}}. U.S. Coast Guard, 19 February 2014.

File:Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew takes off from Air Station Kodiak, Alaska 130725-G-FO900-033.jpg]]

The normal cruising speed of the MH-60T is {{convert|135|to|140|kn|mph km/h|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} and the aircraft is capable of reaching {{convert|180|kn|mph km/h|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} for short durations. It can fly at {{convert|140|kn|mph km/h|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} for six to seven hours.{{cite web |url= http://www.uscg.mil/d13/units/factsheets/hh-60_jayhawk.pdf |title= Jayhawk - HH-60J Helicopter |author= Thirteenth Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office |date= 21 April 2003 |work= United States Coast Guard website |publisher= United States Coast Guard |access-date= 7 July 2010 |quote= ...carry out the Coast Guard's search and rescue, law enforcement, military readiness and marine environmental protection missions... |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110609010346/http://www.uscg.mil/d13/units/factsheets/hh-60_jayhawk.pdf |archive-date= 9 June 2011 |url-status= live}} With a fuel capacity of {{convert|6460|lb|kg|sigfig=3|abbr=on}}, the helicopter is designed to fly a crew of four up to {{convert|260|nmi|km|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} offshore, hoist up to six additional people on board while remaining on-scene for up to 45 minutes and return to base while maintaining an adequate fuel reserve.

The Jayhawk has a radar for search/weather that gives its nose a distinctive look. A forward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor turret can be mounted below its nose. It can carry three {{convert|120|USgal|L|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} fuel tanks with two on the port side rack and one on the starboard side rack. The starboard side also carries a {{convert|600|lbf|kN|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} capacity rescue hoist mounted above the door. The hoist has {{convert|200|ft|m|sigfig=3|abbr=on}} of cable.

It uses the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System as its primary long range navigational aid, using a Collins RCVR-3A radio to simultaneously receive information from four of the NAVSTAR system's 18 worldwide satellites. The helicopter is normally based on land but can be based on 270 foot medium endurance Coast Guard Cutters (WMEC) or 418 foot Legend-Class National Security Cutters (WMSL) .

The MH-60T is equipped with a 7.62 mm M240H medium machine gun and a .50 in Barrett M82 semi-automatic rifle for firing warning and disabling shots. These weapons also serve as defensive armament.{{cite web |title=Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron |url=https://www.uscg.mil/history/aviation/HITRON/USCG_HITRON_History_Neubecker.pdf |website=USCG.mil |publisher=USCG |access-date=14 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111110533/https://www.uscg.mil/history/aviation/HITRON/USCG_HITRON_History_Neubecker.pdf |archive-date=11 January 2017 |url-status=live}}

{{Expand section|Add more general operational use information|date=March 2015}}

File:U.S. Coast Guard Guantanamo hospital 2010-01-13.jpg victims are unloaded from a Jayhawk at U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay.]]

In 1990, HH-60J Jayhawks began replacing HH-3F Pelican and CH-3E Sea King helicopters in service with the US Coast Guard. HH-60Js perform search and rescue missions, along with other missions such as maritime patrol and drug interdiction.Tomajczyk, Stephen F. Black Hawk, pp. 74-74. MBI, 2003. {{ISBN|0-7603-1591-4}}. Coast Guard cutters with their HH-60Js and other helicopters performed security and interdiction in the Persian Gulf in 1991 in support of Operation Desert Storm and also in 2003 for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Starting in 2009, Coast Guard Jayhawks have been tasked with a secondary mission of drug patrol/enforcement. These missions are usually conducted in cooperation with Coast Guard cutters.{{cn|date=July 2023}}

In 2016, some Jayhawks were delivered in a yellow color scheme celebrating 100 years of Coast Guard aviation. The yellow color scheme represented colors used on certain Coast Guard and Navy helicopters in the 1940s and 1950s. The first of the operational aircraft in this color scheme was delivered to Air Station Astoria in Oregon on 15 January 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.airmedandrescue.com/latest/news/us-coast-guard-helos-turn-yellow|title = US Coast Guard helos turn yellow}}

On 21 October 2023, a USCG Jawhawk operating from Air Station Elizabeth City was used to rescue four Canadian mariners from an overturned 60-foot catamaran, about 140 miles southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina.{{cite web |title=VIDEO AVAILABLE: Coast Guard rescues 4 Canadians from capsized catamaran 150 miles offshore of North Carolina |url=https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3564899/video-available-coast-guard-rescues-4-canadians-from-capsized-catamaran-150-mil/ |website=US Coast Guard Press Releases |publisher=US Coast Guard |access-date=23 October 2023}}

;HH-60J: Medium range recovery helicopter. Forty-two units delivered to the USCG between 1990 and 1996.

;MH-60T: Medium range recovery helicopter. Thirty-nine surviving HH-60J airframes received upgraded avionics and operational capabilities, including armaments, from 2007 to 2014. Six SH-60Fs have also been converted to MH-60T specifications. Forty-five were active as of March 2024. Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) began in 2017 to provide 12,000 to 20,000 hours of available service life to each aircraft. In 2023, USCG received approval to transition to an all MH-60T rotary fleet, and grow fleet to 127 aircraft.{{cite web |date=23 January 2024 |title=Coast Guard takes next steps toward all MH-60T helicopter fleet |url=https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Newsroom/Latest-Acquisition-News/Article/3653395/coast-guard-takes-next-steps-toward-all-mh-60t-helicopter-fleet/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240305190213/https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Newsroom/Latest-Acquisition-News/Article/3653395/coast-guard-takes-next-steps-toward-all-mh-60t-helicopter-fleet/ |archive-date=5 March 2024 |access-date=5 March 2024 |website=US Coast Guard}}

File:HH60 Retrieving rescue swimmer.jpg

;{{USA}}

• United States Coast Guard{{cite web |url= http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg7/cg711/h60s.asp |title= Office of Aviation Forces (CG-711) "Jayhawk" |publisher= uscg.mil |access-date= 2 February 2013 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130128232306/http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg7/cg711/h60s.asp |archive-date= 28 January 2013 |url-status= live}} 45 MH-60s in service.{{cite web |url=https://www.uscg.mil/About/Assets/ |title=Coast Guard Operational Assets |website=US Coast Guard |access-date=5 March 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231130064355/https://www.uscg.mil/About/Assets/ |archive-date=30 November 2023}}
• CGAS Astoria
• CGAS Borinquen
• CGAS Cape Cod
• CGAS Clearwater
• CGAS Elizabeth City
• CGAS Kodiak
• CGAS New Orleans
• CGAS San Diego
• CGAS Sitka
• CGAS Traverse City
• CGAS Ventura
• Coast Guard Aviation Training Center

As of November 2023, four Jayhawks have been involved in crashes, including two fatal crashes.{{cite web |url= http://www.check-six.com/lib/Coast_Guard_Aviation_Casualties.htm#2000 |title= Fatal Coast Guard Aircraft Accidents |first= Ken |last= Freeze |work= check-six.com |publisher= Check Six |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101019043613/http://check-six.com/lib/Coast_Guard_Aviation_Casualties.htm#2000 |archive-date= 19 October 2010 |access-date= 7 July 2010 |quote= Date of incident: 8 December 2004....Aircraft type and Coast Guard tail number: Sikorsky HH-60 Jayhawk, 6020 }}{{cite web |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700013957/Coast-Guard-commandant-orders-review-of-Utah-helicopter-crash.html |title= U.S. Coast Guard team to probe Uinta Mountains crash |first= Geoff |last= Liesik |date= 5 March 2010 |work= Deseret News |publisher= Deseret News Publishing Co. |location= Salt Lake City, UT |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100715075804/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700013957/Coast-Guard-commandant-orders-review-of-Utah-helicopter-crash.html |archive-date= 15 July 2010 |access-date= 7 July 2010 |quote= The Jayhawk that crashed was one of two returning to North Carolina from Washington state.... It was last heard from just before 10 a.m. Wednesday.}}{{cite web |url= http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012301842_coptercrash08m.html |title= 3 dead in Coast Guard copter crash off La Push |first= Sara Jean |last= Green |date= 7 July 2010 |work= Seattle Times |publisher= The Seattle Times Company |location= Seattle, WA |access-date= 7 July 2010 |quote= The MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed around 9:30 a.m. off James Island near the mouth of the Quillayute River at the northwest tip of Washington state. |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100710194540/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012301842_coptercrash08m.html |archive-date= 10 July 2010}} Four Coast Guardsmen were hospitalized after a crash on 13 November 2023 during a search and rescue mission near Read Island, Alaska.{{cite web | url=https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/3588467/coast-guard-helicopter-crashes-in-alaska-during-search-and-rescue-response/ | title=Coast Guard helicopter crashes in Alaska during search and rescue response }}

File:Sikorsky HH-60J orthographical image.svg

: Most data is for HH-60J with data for MH-60T noted below.

{{Aircraft specs

|prime units?=imp

|ref= USCG HH-60J information, Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk information,S-70B Seahawk Technical Information, 2001.{{cite web |url= http://www.sikorsky.com/StaticFiles/Sikorsky/Assets/Attachments/Mission%20Downloads/S70-064_S70B_TI.pdf |title= S-70B Seahawk Helicopter Technical Information S70-064 1438 3C |date= January 2008 |publisher= Sikorsky Aircraft |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110110044142/http://www.sikorsky.com/StaticFiles/Sikorsky/Assets/Attachments/Mission%20Downloads/S70-064_S70B_TI.pdf |archive-date= 10 January 2011 |access-date= 7 July 2010 }} Globalsecurity.org HH-60J specifications{{cite web |url= http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/hh-60j-specs.htm |first= John |last= Pike |title= HH-60J Jayhawk Specifications |publisher= GlobalSecurity.org |access-date= 7 July 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20051023133929/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/hh-60j-specs.htm |archive-date= 23 October 2005 |url-status= live}}

|crew= four (pilot, co-pilot, two flight crew)

|length ft= 64

|length in= 10

|length m= 19.76

|span ft= 53

|span in= 8

|span m= 16.36

|height ft= 17

|height m= 5.18

|empty weight lb= 14,500

|empty weight kg= 6,580

|max takeoff weight lb= 21,884

|max takeoff weight kg= 9,926

|eng1 name= General Electric T700-GE-401C

|eng1 type= gas turbines

|eng1 number= 2

|eng1 shp= 1,890

|eng1 kw= 1,410

|max speed kts= 180

|max speed mph= 205

|max speed kmh= 333

|cruise speed kts= 140

|cruise speed mph= 160

|cruise speed kmh= 260

|range nmi= 700

|range miles= 802

|range km= 1,300

|ceiling ft= 5,000

|ceiling m= 1,520

|ceiling note= hovering

|armament=* 1 × 0.308 in (7.62×51 mm) M240H medium machine gun in starboard door (MH-60T)

• 1 × 0.50 in (12.7×99 mm) Barrett M82 semi-automatic rifle (MH-60T)

}}

{{Aircontent

|related=

• Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk
• Sikorsky S-70
• Sikorsky S-92
• Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk
• Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk

|similar aircraft=

• Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin
• MH-68 Stingray
• Changhe Z-8

|lists=

• List of active United States military aircraft
• List of rotorcraft
• List of Sikorsky S-70 Models

|see also=

• U.S. helicopter armament subsystems

}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|HH-60 Jayhawk}}

• [https://www.dcms.uscg.mil/Our-Organization/Assistant-Commandant-for-Acquisitions-CG-9/Programs/Air-Programs/MRR-MH-60T/-60T MH-60T on US Coast Guard site]
• [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/hh-60j.htm HH-60 Jayhawk] and [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/mh-60t.htm MH-60T on globalsecurity.org]

{{Black Hawk family}}

{{Sikorsky Aircraft}}

{{US helicopters}}

{{Current US Coast Guard aircraft}}

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1989

Category:Search and rescue helicopters

H-060, H

Category:1980s United States helicopters

Category:Twin-turbine helicopters

H-060 Jayhawk

Category:United States military helicopters