US Air Force retrofits M240 machine guns to HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters for combat rescue
According to a press release from the 920 Rescue Force Public Authority, the 943 Rescue Team designed a concept to mount four more M240 machine guns on the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter to provide additional firepower to the HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter. Rescue Force 920 personnel recovery task in contested environments.
The wing was looking for a creative way to bring more firepower to the fight, and with the HH-60G slated for retirement, it had to be cost-effective and easy to switch to the HH-60W Jolly Green II. new because of similar design structure.
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The 943rd RQG operates under three constraints: using only available resources; work within Air Force manuals and technical orders to the fullest extent possible; and has minimal impact on manpower.
Most weapon configurations of the HH-60 include two guns in any combination of the GAU-2C 7.62mm pistol, the GAU 18/A .50 caliber machine gun, or the M240 machine gun. The team has the goal of adding four more weapons to the aircraft and looking at what would work on both platforms. It was discovered that the .50 caliber machine gun would not work as the deck design of the HH-60G would not support the torque applied by the GAU 18/A. The aircraft’s pistols are also inoperative due to the energy required to operate the weapon.
“The M240 is a multi-function device for our personnel recovery task force, allowing us to perform search and rescue in the combat zone, logistics during attack and combat deployment. agile, nimble. It will increase our offensive and defensive capabilities, at an incredibly low cost, and give us the flexibility to use it in the air and on land around the world,” said Colonel Jes Hamilton. , said the 920th RQW commander.
The concept required the integration or redesign of three separate sections to accommodate two M240s per door opening. First, a stand from an existing collaborative project in the Air Force Reserve and the National Air Force is said to meet the requirements. Second, an aircraft mount formerly used by the 55th and 71st Special Operations Squadrons for their .50 caliber gunboat operations was added to the base. Third, in cooperation with industry partners, the team used the MK99 gun mount commonly used for patrol boat operations to mount two M240 caliber machine guns and hold 1,200 rounds. To use this rack, the 355th Maintenance Team at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base built gun mount stops for proper operation in the aircraft.
In a rescue scenario, an HH-60 equipped as a helicopter would integrate with the CSAR task force and provide additional self-escort capabilities. If the aircraft is needed for rescue, such as a mass crash, non-combat evacuation or embassy evacuation; The guns can be removed within seconds, instantly becoming an additional rescue vehicle platform.
“When we do forward operations at the edge of battlefield space, we will have multi-purpose equipment that can be operated by Multi-Pilots. As ACE operations progress, this aerial platform can become a defensive ground combat position to protect the Initial Backup/Temporary Backup Site or ICL-Forward,” the Center said. Colonel Joe Romeo, commander of Security Force Squadron 943.
The next step in the process is operational testing in coordination with the Air Force Defense Test Center before the system can be used and fired on an aircraft in flight.
“This capability increases the lethality of the PRTF and improves point defense in forward operations, while also increasing the airbase’s ground defense to support air force deployments. army,” said Romeo.
