The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is a multi-mission aircraft that has been exported to 25 countries and has become an iconic piece of military living history. If you enjoy the Black Hawk, then you should see its cousin.
Sikorsky Industries, the maker of the Black Hawk, have created an armed multi-mission (multi-role) variant that builds on the capabilities and reliability of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter — it’s called the Sikorsky Battlehawk armed helicopter.
(Extreme Weapons/Youtube)
The Battlehawk uses a mission computer and weaponization modifications that can be ordered with new-build aircraft as described in the UH-60M and S-70i models armed mission section or fitted into existing models. It is versatile enough to carry out multiple missions, ranging from armed combat to disaster relief, but performing each with maximum effectiveness.
The Battlehawk concept can be traced to one of the most high-speed military aviation units in history, the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the Night Stalkers.
Check out the badass helicopter below:
A scalable weapons kit can be ordered and installed into the existing BlackHawk. By utilizing various weapons, mission systems and multiple fuel carriage options, the aircraft can be optimized both on and off the battlefield. The multi-mission capabilities allow it to perform differently than attack only helicopters. It can be used during utility transport operations. It is a valuable option for nations faced with limited defense resources.
On the other hand, the Battlehawk is a new-build UH-60M helicopter with a full weapons kit that can be retrofitted to existing aircraft or incorporated into newer models to take advantage of more advanced features, according to Defense Industry Daily. It was built to compete with Russia’s popular Mi-17.
The Battlehawk modifies a standard BlackHawk that would be used for search and rescue missions by installing a state-of-the-art weapons suite. Battlehawk weapons can be scaled to meet the needs of the user. The armed demonstrator of the Battlehawk utilizes an advanced pelvic weapons system, a 20mm Turret gun system that provides outstanding accuracy, and the Spike ER, which is an advanced electro-optic missiles system, highly efficient against armor, shooting 8,000 meters.
(Extreme Weapons/Youtube)
The GATR laser-guided rocket is perfect for accurate precision engagements. The Battlehawk is easily maintainable and provides reliable operations by military around the world. It is combat proven, effective, and cost-efficient, and right on target. The Battlehawk weapons kit is available in three different options, each offering different and new capabilities and specific weapons, all with different price tags.
In 2011, Sikorsky received a $270.5m contract to upgrade 23 of 70 UH-60M helicopters with Battlehawk kits, which was funded by the UAE and marketed to other countries, according to Army Technology.
