USAF Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

The first flight of the Air Force’s next generation combat rescue helicopter has been pushed back until May as design flaws and other issues have pushed the program out of an accelerated schedule and back toward the original baseline schedule.[...]
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Source: http://airforcemag.com/Features/Pages/2019/February%202019/Air-Force-Now-Planning-First-Flight-of-Pave-Hawk-Replacement-for-May.aspx
Edit:
Dan Parsons @SharkParsons said:
INCOMING: Two fully assembled HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters (CRH), built by @Sikorsky, are preparing for their maiden flights, which will occur before mid-year at the Sikorsky West Palm Beach site in Florida.
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/SharkParsons/status/1100755832780869633
 
2019-05-17: Sikorsky Combat Rescue Helicopter Achieves First Flight
On May 17, our HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter took to the skies for the first time. With its new fuel system and more capable defensive system, this helicopter will allow the U.S. Air Force to succeed in its critical rescue mission.
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Video:
Code: 
https://youtu.be/ACkfJXB-7kk
 
Going back in time a little to 2008 and the CSAR-X competition, here is an artist's impression of the Boeing HH-47 in a later configuration. Interestingly, it is fitted with a pair of mast-mounted antennae, which might be for the FAB-T system. It also looks like it is fitted with a LAIRCM system on the forward sponson and the large engine intake filters that weren't favored by the 160th SOAR because of a slight reduction in engine power. Previous drawings of the HH-47 also showed it fitted with the Davis Engineering IRSS exhaust. If anyone has further drawings or artwork of the 2008 HH-47, I'd love to see them.

500 Fan.

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HH-60W Jolly Green II Helicopters Arrive At Moody

The 23d Wing and 347th Rescue Group leadership received the Air Force’s first two HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters. The delivery of the new model is significant to the personnel recovery mission as it begins the transition from the predecessor, the HH-60G Pave Hawk, which has been flown for more than 26 years.

Video by Senior Airman Taryn Butler 23d Wing Public Affairs, Airman Megan Estrada 23d Wing Public Affairs
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
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Video:
View: https://youtu.be/Is_HxXeFF78

Link:
Code: 
https://youtu.be/Is_HxXeFF78
 
Two very informative videos comparing these two helicopter models.:cool::)
Happy 4th July !

Erik Johnston said:
HH-60G Pave Hawk Walkaround Tour
Capt. Phil White gives us the most detailed Walkaround of the HH-60 ever!
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Video 1:
View: https://youtu.be/1b1LMFihSWs

Erik Johnston said:
HH-60W Walkaround Jolly Green II
Capt Phil White gives the most detailed walkaround tour of the brand new HH-60W, Jolly Green II helicopter that recently arrived at Moody AFB.
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Video 2:
View: https://youtu.be/WPc578CV-78
 
How much does all that extra equipment add to the empty weight?
... compared with a simple UH-60 cargo helicopter?
 
The current platform is woefully inadequate for INDOPACOM given the distances. While you can air refuel HH-60 it will take several hours (minimum) to get to most of the areas in question from likely US bases when talking about a peer fight. You are also putting more assets at risk for a long period once you execute the rescue and then begin the exfiltration. I suspect this is one of the reasons that the USAF has reenergized their long dormant VTOL efforts. Especially the HSVTOL work.
 
This is the sad truth: almost all helicopters are designed to operate at a combat radius of 100-150 NM (185 - 278 KM). This is adequate in many parts of the world, but utterly inadequate in the Pacific and Africa. The logistics alone of conducting a CSAR mission at these distances argue against conventional rotorcraft. Like medical evacuation the clock is ticking from the moment a crew leaves an aircraft.
 
It certainly has the range, and the speed... and is not far off the carrying capacity of the HH-60W (if not equal).
 
I agree it is a better option. However, the distances in the Pacific are huge. Again, I imagine this is why AFRL has begun a high speed VTOL program.
 
Last edited:
zevets said:
yasotay said:
I agree it is a better option. However, the distances in the Pacific are huge. Again, I imagine this is why AFRL has begun a high speed VTOL program.
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We should trade some F-35s for some US-2s, and get a genuine Pacific capability.
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Given that the theater in question that is driving this problem is ~90% water, US-2 or even the Dornier could be a great solution for over the water SAR. Although I am not so sure about CSAR.
Given the amount of time it will take to get any platform to an area of a downed crew escape and evasion will have to figure in the training regime again.
 
yasotay said:
zevets said:
yasotay said:
I agree it is a better option. However, the distances in the Pacific are huge. Again, I imagine this is why AFRL has begun a high speed VTOL program.
Click to expand...

We should trade some F-35s for some US-2s, and get a genuine Pacific capability.
Click to expand...
Given that the theater in question that is driving this problem is ~90% water, US-2 or even the Dornier could be a great solution for over the water SAR. Although I am not so sure about CSAR.
Given the amount of time it will take to get any platform to an area of a downed crew escape and evasion will have to figure in the training regime again.
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hmmm

warontherocks.com

A Japanese Seaplane Could Be the Difference-Maker for the U.S. Military - War on the Rocks

On Jan. 23, 1992, a U.S. Air Force F-16 — Clan 33 — collided with its air refueling tanker during a ferry flight to the United States. The pilot ejected
warontherocks.com

Alman-lede-1-1024x654.jpg


cheers
 
The USAF is trying to end procurement of the HH-60W, turns out it wasn't suitable after all. Planned to end at the funded 75, instead of continuing to 113 but over-ruled by Congress which added funding for 10 in FY2023 and prohibited using the money to shut-down the line. Subsequently the AF has again requested zero funding for the 60W in FY2024.

Simultaneously the USAF is looking at potential upgrades for the 60W fleet since the systems that were baselined in 2012 are now considered inadequate.

Perhaps they should just sell the fleet to the RAF as the Puma replacement and buy the HH-47...
 
Kadena receives their new HH-60W

www.kadena.af.mil

HH-60Ws move to Kadena

The HH-60W Jolly Green IIs from the 55th Rescue Generation Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, arrived at their new duty station, Kadena Air Base, Japan, January 26, 2024. The HH-60W is the
www.kadena.af.mil

Cheers
 

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1) engine swap the T700s to the T901s so the Jolly Green has enough power to lift all the crap that got added.

2) for the long range CSAR role, CMV-22 fuselages/sponsons with the extra fuel tanks, and maybe even some fuel tanks in the cargo bay.
 
CMV-22B would likely need the space for ASE and the extra bolt on armor. Would still be a beast to operate in the mountains. Speed is its best attribute (witness the MV-22B recovery of F-15E crew), but hard to beat CH-47 in the mountains, although a revised Ka-32 with monster Klimov's might due well.
 
yasotay said:
CMV-22B would likely need the space for ASE and the extra bolt on armor. Would still be a beast to operate in the mountains. Speed is its best attribute (witness the MV-22B recovery of F-15E crew), but hard to beat CH-47 in the mountains, although a revised Ka-32 with monster Klimov's might due well.
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I dunno, the V-22 has 12,000hp available to hover with. Chinooks have 9500hp.

Though I guess Chinooks do have 2500lbs more MTOW.
 
The rotor size at those altitudes would have also played a significant part in any significant winds or turbulence.
 

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