Thursday,
January 27, 2000:
First CH-60S Aircraft Completes Initial Flight
STRATFORD, Conn., USA ( Sikorsky Press Release ) -
The first production CH-60S helicopter
made its initial flight here today before U.S. Navy and Sikorsky Aircraft officials.
The aircraft entered a hover and completed basic airworthiness checks before
transitioning to a forward flight regime. The CH-60S then completed a short flight
demonstrating basic aircraft maneuverability and handling qualities before landing.
After additional tests are completed at Sikorsky's Stratford plant, the aircraft will be
headed to Naval Air Station at Patuxent River, Md., this spring to complete U.S. Navy
Development and Operational Testing.
The CH-60S represents the first newly designed rotary aircraft added to the U.S. Navy
fleet since the HH-60H was introduced nearly a decade ago. It also marks a return of
U.S. Navy production at Sikorsky. U.S. Navy H-60 deliveries came to a close in 1996
with the successful fulfillment of Navy Seahawk requirements.
Sikorsky completed the sale of the first two CH-60s Fleet Combat Support Helicopters to the U.S. Navy in December 1999. The Lot I contract awarded in September 1999
calls for delivery of six CH-60S aircraft through June 2000. A follow on contract award
for Lot II aircraft is expected in 2000 for deliveries from July 2000 to June 2001. The
Navy has a procurement objective of more than 200 CH-60S aircraft.
The CH-60S is an amalgam of the Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter and its
Seahawk variant. It is a baseline BLACK HAWK configuration with Naval Hawk
Engines, rotor system and dynamics, including the Seahwak's automatic rotor blade
folding system, folding tail pylon, an improved durability gearbox, rotor brake and
automatic flight control computer. The CH-60S will also feature a glass cockpit developed to ensure commonality with the SH-60R.
The Blackhawk airframe provides the larger cabin volume and double-door
feature needed for cargo and passenger transport. Also from Blackhawk, the
CH-60S will retain provisions for mounting the External Stores Support System
ESSS). This will offer a wide range of weapon and fuel tank options that will be very
useful for a wide range of missions, including search and rescue (SAR).
The robust CH-60S retains the Blackhawk 9,000 pound external cargo capacity,
and mounts a Seahawk rescue hoist for SAR missions. In April 1997, the Navy
awarded Sikorsky a contract to build a CH-60S helicopter demonstrator to verify the
design concept. A joint Navy-Sikorsky crew conducted a shipboard demonstration in
the YCH-60 later that year.
Versatility is the basic design concept of the CH-60S helicopter, which will be called
upon for naval operations including Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP), Vertical
On-board Delivery (VOD), amphibious and carrier search and Rescue (SAR), and
remote site logistics missions. The Navy is expected to capitalize on CH-60S
capabilities by expanding into future missions areas such as Airborne Mine Counter
Measures, Combat Search and Rescue, Special Warfare Support, utilizing a variety of
mission systems.
Sikorsky H-60 Blackhawk page
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