WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., - The Sikorsky HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter achieved first flight last week at Sikorsky's West Palm Beach, Florida site. The aircraft, developed by Sikorsky and based on the UH-60M Black Hawk, is customized for the U.S. Air Force's rescue mission and will ensure the Air Force fulfills its mission to leave no one behind.
Total flight time was approximately 1.2 hours and included hover control checks, low speed flight, and a pass of the airfield.Â
The flight paves the way for a Milestone C production decision in September 2019, per the original baseline schedule, to which both Sikorsky and the Air Force are committed. A second HH-60W helicopter is expected to enter flight test this week, with a third and fourth aircraft entering flight test this summer.
The U.S. Air Force program of record calls for 113 helicopters to replace the Pave Hawks, which perform critical combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations for all U.S. military services. A total of nine aircraft will be built at Sikorsky's Stratford, Connecticut, facility during the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the program ― four EMD aircraft and five System Demonstration Test Articles (SDTA).
For more information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/crh.Â
