UH-60 Black Hawk

Multi-purpose helicopters undoubtedly form the backbone of helicopter aviation of all armies of the world. Thanks to their variability, they can provide a wide range of tasks, which include the transfer of ground forces, material, fire support, but they can also be used as a command centre. The UH-60 Black Hawk is probably one of the most famous and one of the most used helicopters in the armament of Western states.

The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk entered service in the late 1970s after being selected by the US military as the successor to the legendary Bell UH-1 Huey. The Black Hawk is powered by a pair of 1410 kW General Electric T700 engines (each), which can carry up to 15 people, including up to four crew members. The main advantage of the Black Hawk is reliability, durability and low maintenance costs. Compared to the Huey, UH-60 also provides better protection for the crew against shooting or impact. Since its first version, the Black Hawk has undergone a number of modernization programs, thanks to which it is still used by many armies around the world, but also by private companies and police units.

The UH-60 underwent many operational deployments, first used in 1983 during the US invasion of Grenada as part of Operation Urgent Fury. Probably the most famous deployment was the Black Hawk in the battle of Mogadishu, Somalia, in which the United States lost 8 of these machines. The specially modified and modernized Black Hawk was also used by US special forces in the capture of Osama bin Laden in 2011.

Thanks to the popularity and capabilities offered by the H-60 ​​series helicopters, more than 4,000 units have been produced to date and are used by several NATO countries, including the USA, Slovakia, and Croatia. Outside the countries of the alliance, these helicopters can be found in the service of Australia, Colombia, or Israel.

► Aviantion Archive - UH-60 Black Hawk