WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Power’s new fight rescue helicopter, the HH-60W Jolly Inexperienced II, has moved into its operational check part at Nellis Air Power Base in Nevada.
In a Wednesday launch, the Air Power mentioned the final HH-60W left Eglin Air Power Base’s Duke Discipline in Florida on March 22, wrapping up its preliminary developmental check with the 413th Flight Take a look at Squadron.
The helicopter’s preliminary operational check and analysis part might be carried out by the 88th Take a look at and Analysis Squadron at Nellis, which focuses on fight search and rescue capabilities.
The Sikorsky-built HH-60W, which is a spinoff of the Army’s H-60M Black Hawk, is the successor to the Air Power’s getting older HH-60G Pave Hawk.
The announcement of the Jolly Inexperienced II’s subsequent testing part got here days after the Air Power revealed it needs to chop its complete order of the helicopter by one-third, to 75.
Air Power Secretary Frank Kendall mentioned in a fiscal 2023 finances briefing that the service modified course as a part of the shift in focus to a high-end combat in opposition to China or Russia, by which airspace can be extremely contested. When the Air Power made its authentic plan to purchase 113 Jolly Inexperienced IIs at a price of virtually $7.6 billion, the service was targeted on counterinsurgency-style conflicts by which the U.S. loved just about uncontested airspace.
Darlene Costello, the Air Power’s principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition, know-how and logistics, advised reporters at a convention in Orlando on March 4 that the HH-60W was on monitor to begin the operational testing part this month.
Costello mentioned on the Air Power Affiliation’s Air Warfare Symposium that the helicopter had already completed greater than 40% of its check and analysis efforts, and that its weapons have been licensed. The final step earlier than the preliminary operational check and analysis part might start, she mentioned, was a check of its radar warning receivers.
The check pilots within the 88th will begin by taking the helicopter, additionally nicknamed the Whiskey, for proficiency-building flights to higher perceive what it may do. As soon as they’re extra aware of it, the squadron can begin creating ways that may take probably the most benefit of its capabilities.
The commander of 88th, Lt. Col. Keith Craine, mentioned the squadron will focus most on creating ways, strategies and procedures for the Jolly Inexperienced II’s digital integration capabilities, which he known as considered one of helicopter’s most essential new options. “It permits us to extra successfully use the capabilities of different U.S. Air Power property to gather info on remoted personnel and penetrate extra heavily-defended areas,” Craine mentioned within the launch.
The HH-60W’s first operational check occasion would be the large-scale Black Flag train at Nellis, the Air Power mentioned. At that occasion, the service will observe how effectively the Whiskey integrates with the fight plane it helps.
Lt. Col. Andy Burns, the 413th’s operations officer, mentioned within the launch that the helicopter’s departure from Duke Discipline “is a major milestone for the [squadron] and your entire fight rescue helicopter program.”
“Whereas it’s bittersweet to see the helicopter depart, I’m actually excited to see the HH-60W program transition to the Fight Search and Rescue Mixed Take a look at Power for the following part in its improvement,” Burns mentioned.
The Air Power plans to purchase its final 10 HH-60Ws in 2023 beneath the finances request launched Monday. The primary 17 of the helicopters have been delivered to the Air Power to this point.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter at Protection News. He beforehand reported for Army.com, overlaying the Pentagon, particular operations and air warfare. Earlier than that, he coated U.S. Air Power management, personnel and operations for Air Power Occasions.
