S-70 Black Hawk

The Black Hawk Multi-Purpose Helicopter is a classic battlefield support helicopter with the ability to perform strike missions, including guided weapons, and the ability to perform transport tasks, such as transporting an infantry squad.

The Sikorsky S-70 multi-role helicopter is one of the legendary aircraft, with approximately 4000 ordered and built, including 3200 for land use and 800 for sea use. It was purchased and put into operation by more than 30 countries. The S-70 is still being developed and produced in large numbers, and further contracts for this type of helicopter are being negotiated. During the decade, S-70 Black Hawks were also produced at Państwowe Zakłady Lotnicze Sp. z oo in Mielec (subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation). They were purchased for the police and the Polish armed forces (special forces). According to statements by decision makers, the number of S-70 Black Hawk helicopters procured for Polish users will be increased.

Multi-purpose helicopter Black Hawk is considered one of the best in its class. It has an extremely robust construction that is resistant to impact and damage during hard landings, giving a very good chance of survival for the people on board in the event of a crash landing. Due to the wide, flat fuselage and even wider undercarriage gauge, the airframe rarely rolls to the side. The Black Hawk has a relatively low floor, which makes it easier for armed soldiers to get in and out of the helicopter, as do wide sliding doors on the sides of the fuselage. Thanks to heavy-duty gas turbine engines, the General Electric T700-GE-701D Black Hawk has not only a very large excess of power, but also significant reliability and the ability to return from a mission on a single engine.

Black Hawk helicopter equipped with ESSS two-pillar wing; International defense industry exhibition, Kielce, 2016. On the external booth of ESSS we see a four-barreled anti-tank guided missile launcher AGM-114 Hellfire.

The Black Hawk's cockpit is equipped with four multi-functional liquid crystal displays, as well as auxiliary displays on a horizontal panel between the pilots. The whole thing is integrated with the flight control system, which operates a four-channel autopilot. The navigation system is based on two inertial systems connected to the receivers of the global satellite navigation system, which interact with a digital map formed on a liquid crystal display. During night flights, pilots may use night vision goggles. Secure communication is provided by two broadband radio stations with encrypted correspondence channels.

Black Hawk is a truly versatile helicopter and allows: cargo transportation (inside the transport cabin and on an external sling), soldiers and troops, search and rescue and medical evacuation, combat search and rescue and medical evacuations from the battlefield, fire support. and escorting convoys and marching columns. In addition, attention should be paid to the short reconfiguration time for a specific task.

Compared to other designs of a similar purpose, the Black Hawk is distinguished by very strong and diverse weapons. It can carry not only barreled weapons and unguided rockets, but also anti-tank guided missiles. The fire control module has been integrated with existing avionics and can be controlled by any of the pilots. When using cannon barrels or rockets, target data is displayed on head-mounted head-mounted displays, allowing pilots to maneuver the helicopter to a comfortable firing position (they also allow head-to-head communication). For observation, aiming and guidance of guided missiles, an optical-electronic observation and aiming head with thermal imaging and television cameras, as well as a laser station for measuring range and target illumination are used.

The fire support version of the Black Hawk uses the ESSS (External Store Support System). A total of four points can carry 12,7mm multi-barrel heavy machine guns, 70mm Hydra 70 unguided rockets, or AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles (equipped with a semi-active laser homing head). It is also possible to hang additional fuel tanks with a capacity of 757 liters. The helicopter can also receive a pilot-controlled 7,62-mm stationary multi-barreled machine gun and / or two movable rifles with a shooter.

By integrating with ESSS two-position outer wings, the Black Hawk multipurpose helicopter can perform the following tasks, among other things:

• escort, strike and fire support, using the entire range of aviation combat assets placed on external hardpoints, with the possibility of placing spare weapons or an additional fuel tank in the cargo cabin of a helicopter;
• combating armored weapons and armored fighting vehicles with the ability to carry up to 16 AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank guided missiles;
• transport and landing troops, with the possibility of transporting 10 paratroopers with two side gunners; in this configuration, the helicopter will still have air armament hardpoints, but will no longer carry ammunition in the cargo compartment.

A particularly valuable Black Hawk weapon is the latest version of the Hellfire anti-tank guided missile - AGM-114R Multi-Purpose Hellfire II, equipped with a universal warhead that allows you to hit a wide range of targets, from armored weapons, through fortifications and buildings, to the destruction of enemy manpower. Missiles of this type can be launched in two main modes: lock before lunch (LOBL) - lock / lock on the target before firing and lock on after lunch (LOAL) - lock / lock on the target after firing. Target acquisition is possible both by helicopter pilots and by third parties.

The AGM-114R Hellfire II multi-purpose air-to-surface missile is capable of hitting point (stationary) and moving targets. Effective range - 8000 m.

Also possible are 70 mm air-to-ground DAGR (Direct Attack Guided Rocket) air-to-ground missiles integrated with Hellfire launchers (M310 - with 2 guides and M299 - with 4 guides). DAGR missiles have the same capabilities as the Hellfire, but with reduced firepower and range, allowing them to neutralize lightly armored vehicles, buildings, and enemy manpower while minimizing collateral damage. Quadruple DAGR missile launchers are mounted on rails of Hellfire launchers and have an effective range of 1500-5000 m.