The U.S. Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) Sikorsky Aircraft delivered the first HH-60W Jolly Green II Combat Rescue Helicopter to the 563rd Rescue Group, here August 11. The HH-60W is the latest upgrade of the Sikorsky H-60 series helicopter designed to replace the Air Force’s current HH-60G inventory. Crewmembers from the 66th Rescue Squadron, or RQS, who will field the advanced rescue helicopter, were on hand for the delivery. The new aircraft also features upgraded avionics. U.S. Navy Capt. Dan Short, the Defense Contract Management Agency Sikorsky Aircraft commander, joined the delivery crew that flew the aircraft from Connecticut to Nevada for the 563rd Rescue Group (563rd RQG) and 66th Rescue Squadron (66th RQS).
U.S. Air Force Capt. Jose Martinez, 66th RQS Mission Pilot said,”The upgraded frame provides a number of benefits. A new bird, fresh off the lot, with zero hours on it, will improve flight percentages due to reduced maintenance hours. The rescue squadron pilots are looking forward to the glass cockpit, which is a giant improvement over steam gauges used in the HH-60G. The new helicopter will vastly improve the squadron’s capabilities in training and executing combat rescue missions.”
“The best part was seeing the young mechanics’ excitement about how this brand-new airframe will improve maintainability compared to their HH-60G. It’s very rewarding when you get the opportunity to see the impact of our efforts at the ground levels,” Navy Capt. Dan Short said.
The HH-60W Jolly Green II is a new-build, dual-piloted, twin-engine rotary-wing aircraft, based on the U.S. Army UH-60M, to replace the Air Force HH-60G. The HH-60W will fly a combat radius of at least 195 nautical miles without aerial refueling and conduct an out-of-ground effect hover at its mid-mission gross weight. Cockpit and cabin armor, self-sealing fuel cells that do not suffer catastrophic damage from high-explosive incendiary rounds, and crew and passenger crashworthy seating. Two external mount gun systems with forward and side-firing crew-served weapons including the GAU-2B, GAU-18, and GAU-21. Aircraft survivability equipment including the AN/AAR?57(V)3 common missile warning system, the AN/ALE-47 countermeasures dispenser set, the AN/AVR?2B(V)1 laser detecting system, and the AN/APR?52(V)1 radar warning receiver (RWR). An upturned exhaust system to reduce its infrared signature.
The Defense Contract Management Agency Sikorsky Aircraft accepts and delivers more than 120 aircraft on behalf of the government enterprise each year, providing advanced and capable airframes to flight lines around the world. DCMA Sikorsky provides contract oversight for a variety of aircraft for the military. In addition to the Black Hawk, the contract management office has oversight over the Navy’s Seahawk helicopter, Combat Rescue Helicopter for the Air Force, and the King Stallion and presidential helicopters for the Marine Corps. DCMA is also credited for being the last line of defense in preventing a non-conforming product from being fielded to the warfighter.
