Sikorsky S-70


The Sikorsky S-70 is an American medium transport/utility helicopter family manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was developed for the United States Army in the 1970s, winning a competition to be designated the UH-60 Black Hawk and spawning a large family in U.S. military service. New and improved versions of the UH-60 have been developed since. Civilian versions, and some military versions, are produced under various S-70 model designations.

Development

The Sikorsky S-70 family was developed to meet a United States Army requirement to replace the UH-1 Iroquois family of utility medium-lift helicopters in 1972. Three YUH-60A prototypes were constructed, with the first flying in October 1974. They were evaluated against the Boeing Vertol YUH-61A. The YUH-60A was selected for production, and entered service as the UH-60A Black Hawk with the U.S. Army in 1979.
After entering service, the helicopter was modified for new missions and roles, including mine laying and medical evacuation. An EH-60 variant was developed to conduct electronic warfare and special operations aviation developed the MH-60 variant to support its missions. In the late 1980s the model was upgraded to the UH-60L, which featured more power and lift with the upgrade to the -701C model of the GE T700 engine. The improved UH-60M model was developed in the early 2000s. The UH-60M and its International version, the S-70i, include GPS navigation, a glass cockpit, an integrated Flight Management System, and a significant upgrade to the powertrain and rotor system adding both power and lift capability.
The S-70 can perform a variety of missions, including air cavalry, electronic warfare, and aeromedical evacuation. Versions are used to transport the President of the United States under call sign "Marine One". In air assault operations it can move a squad of 11 combat troops and equipment or carry the 105 mm M102 howitzer, thirty rounds of ammunition, and a six-man crew. Alternatively, it can carry of cargo or sling load of cargo. The S-70 is equipped with advanced avionics and electronics, such as the Global Positioning System.
The United States Navy received the first navalized SH-60B Seahawk in 1983, and the SH-60F Ocean Hawk in 1988.
The HH-60G Pave Hawk is a highly modified version of the S-70 primarily designed to recover downed aircrew or other isolated personnel during war and equipped with a rescue hoist with a cable that has a lift capability, and a retractable in-flight refueling probe. The United States Air Force received the MH-60G Pave Hawk in 1982.
The United States Coast Guard received the HH-60J Jayhawk in 1992. It utilizes the equipment of the HH-60G Pave Hawk on the navalized SH-60 platform.
The S-70A Firehawk is a version of the S-70 designed for firefighting, rescue, medical evacuation, and external lift of bulky cargo and equipment. The Oregon National Guard was the first military organization in the world to add the Firehawk to its inventory; the Los Angeles County Fire Department was the first municipal organization. Another Firehawk aerial firefighting operator is the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection with the S-70i variant.
The Army flies medical evacuation models configured as rotary winged medical suites. It also uses the S-70 for special operations by the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, designated as the MH-60K.
The Maple Hawk was a variant offered by Sikorsky to the Canadian Forces during a 1996 tender to replace the military's search and rescue helicopters.

Operational history

Colombia

On 5 August 2010, to support its counter-narcotics and armed forces modernisation efforts, the US DSCA approved the Colombian government's request of additional 9 UH-60L.
In 2017 March, the Police of Colombia">Policja">Police of Colombia ordered 10 additional 2nd-hand UH-60A helicopters that will increase their total to 19 helicopters in operation.

Poland

In 2018, Poland sign agreement to buy S-70i for Police aviation, to replace Mi-2 reaching the end of their safe flying life.

Romania

In 2021, Romania purchased S-70M Black Hawk helicopters through the VISION 2020 European Union program. Under the EU-funded program, up to 12 Black Hawks build by PZL Mielec are to be acquired. The first seven S-70M helicopters were delivered in 2023, of which six configured for SMURD and one for the Romanian Police. In December 2025, Romania received a Black Hawk helicopter funded through the RescEU program. This helicopter will be used to also intervene during major conflicts in other European countries, at the request of the European Union. The helicopters are operated by the General Inspectorate of Aviation.

Peru

The Peruvian National Police received its first UH-60A in November 2024. These aircraft arrived to replace the older UH-1 Huey helicopters used primarily for anti-drug operations and were assigned to the Pucallpa Police Aviation Base, which is emerging as their main operational center and where some UH-1H Huey II helicopters remain in service.
Two of the aircraft are UH-60A models, previously operated by the Department of State Air Wing, while the remaining four are UH-60A+, a variant developed to provide foreign forces with capabilities equivalent to those of the UH-60L. These four UH-60A+ aircraft retain the desert camouflage scheme used by the Afghan Air Force's Black Hawks that were originally intended for that country.

Philippines

2 S-70-A5 VIP helicopters purchased 1983 and was delivered in 1984, this Blackhawk served the 250th PAW for more than 3 decades as a Presidential VVIP transport helicopter. Only 1 remains in service with the 505th Search and Rescue Group.

First batch

As part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines modernization efforts, the Department of National Defense signed a contract with PZL-Mielec for 16 S-70i variant of Black Hawk helicopters worth US$241.4 million in March 2019. This to further replace the Philippine Air Force's aging fleet of UH-1 Huey helicopters. The first six units were delivered in November 2020 while the second five units were delivered in June 2021. The final five units of the first batch were delivered in December 2021.
During a nighttime training mission, one unit of the new S-70i Black Hawk crashed killing all six crew on board. In response, the Philippine Air Force grounded the entire fleet until the investigation has been completed. The Armed Forces of the Philippines later on said that "Based on the investigating team’s report, no single factor can be determined as the only cause of these mishaps."

Second batch

On 22 February 2022, the Department of National Defense signed another contract with PZL-Mielec for an additional 32 S-70i Black Hawks worth US$624 million which included an integrated logistics support and training package for pilots and maintenance crew.
With the latest contract with PZL-Mielec, the Philippines is set to become the largest operator of the S-70i variant of the Black Hawk once full delivery of the ordered units are completed.

Variants

H-60

The company name for the H-60/S-70 family is the S-70 Black Hawk.
  • S-70A Black Hawk : Military model for the export market.
  • S-70A Firehawk: Firefighting variant of the UH-60L. Tank system designed and built by Aero Union in Chico, California.
  • S-70A Naval Hawk: Maritime variant that blends the S-70A Black Hawk and S-70B Seahawk designs.
  • S-70B/C Seahawk: Maritime military model for the export market.
  • S-70A-9: Australian derivative Black Hawk
  • S-70C Firehawk: Firefighting variant
  • S-70i Black Hawk: International military version assembled by Sikorsky subsidiary, PZL Mielec in Poland. Designated H.12 by the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
  • S-70i Firehawk: Firefighting variant assembled by Sikorsky subsidiary, PZL Mielec in Poland. Tank system designed and built by United Rotorcraft in Englewood, Colorado.
  • Turkish Aerospace Industries T-70: Variant based on S-70i built under license by Turkish Aerospace Industries with indigenous Turkish mission-computer and avionics ; flight controls, landing gear and transmission ; and T700-TEI-701D engines built under license from General Electric. Turkey was to initially produce about 109 T70s under license. U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Frank Ricciardone stated that Turkey intends to produce some 600 T70s.
  • S-70M Black Hawk: FAA type certified version based on S70i Black Hawk manufactured by Sikorsky subsidiary, PZL Mielec in Poland. S-70M Black Hawk helicopter is available to the US commercial/civil market for the missions such as agricultural operations, external cargo carriage and forest and wildlife conservation, which includes aerial firefighting missions.
  • S-70UAS “U-Hawk” A new unmanned cargo and attack variant of the S-70

    Derivatives

  • Sikorsky S-71 - a proposed attack helicopter using dynamic components from the S-70.
  • Sikorsky S-92 - Civilian medium-lift derivative of the S-70/H-60 with dynamic components based on S-70/H-60 components. The S-92 took its maiden flight on December 23, 1998, at the Sikorsky Development Flight Center, West Palm Beach, Florida.
  • H-92 Superhawk - military version of the S-92. The Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone is the H-92 version for the Canadian Armed Forces.
  • Sikorsky VH-92 Patriot - VIP transport version of the S-92.

    Operators

Civilian operators

  • Presidential Air Group
  • Contour Helicopters, ex-US Army UH-60A now converted for firefighting operations.
  • Expedition Helicopters Ltd., ex-US Army UH-60A now converted for firefighting operations.
  • RCMP two Blackhawks leased to patrol the Canadian-US border
  • National Police of Colombia
  • Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres — 2 S-70i Firehawks on order
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File:Firehawk-s70c-N2FH-070919-fox-01cr-16.jpg|thumb|S-70C Firehawk at Fox Field, California