The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter has played an evolutionary role in the United States military, specifically the Army, but is also used in many other American government organizations. The Black Hawk is four bladed twin-engine utility helicopter with an amazing history and multiple capabilities.
To begin, the UH-60 Black Hawk has an extraordinary history in our military. It all started in 1972 when Sikorsky Aircraft submitted the S-70 design to the United States Army’s Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition. The Army selected the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk as the winner of the program, after a fly-off competition with the Boeing Vertol YUH-61. The UH-60 entered military service in 1979. It replaced the Bell UH-1 Iroqouis, or the “Huey”, as the Army’s main tactical transport helicopter. The black Hawk first served with the U.S. Army’s 101st Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division in June 1979. It was first used during the invasion of Grenada and again in the invasion of Panama. The UH-60 Black Hawk as known well for the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” incident during the assault on Mogadishu in Samalia. The Black Hawk was also used in Iraq, the Balkans, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bosnia and many other over seas missions. The Black Hawk helicopter will continue to be used in the future on account of its success in so many previous missions.
Although the U.S. Army uses the UH-60s a great deal, other government organizations use them as well. Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine (OAM) uses the Black Hawk in operations along the southwest border. They use it to interdict illegal entry into the U.S. It’s also used by OAM for search and rescue operations. The United States Navy uses a version of the UH-60, part of the S-70 design, called the SH-60 Seahawk. Nick named the “Rescue Hawk”. The Seahawk is used for transportation and medical evacuation. The Seahawks medical evacuation aids civilians,