MH-60CZ Multi-Role Helicopter
The MH-60CZ is a twin-engine multi-role variant of the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. It was designed by Pinnacle Solutions Inc. as an exportable attack/assault aircraft to aid NATO allied nations in their transition from legacy, Soviet era Mi-17, Mi-24 and Mi-35 helicopters to a suitable "Western" replacement. The MH-60CZ is configured to replicate the MH-60M DAP (Direct Action Penetrator), the attack/assault platform of choice for the US Army's elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), and was originally designed to satisfy national requirements of the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic, hence the nomenclature "CZ".[citation needed]
Initial requirement
On 27 February 2014, Russian-backed separatists seized the Crimean Parliament and raised the Russian flag over the region’s capital. On 21 March 2014, President Putin signed a constitutional amendment to finalize the illegal annexation of Crimea.[1] This sent shockwaves through the security establishments of Central and Eastern Europe. NATO and non-NATO-allied nations began re-evaluating their force structures, military capabilities, and equipment. Many of these nations employ Russian equipment including helicopters and currently find themselves in a tenuous situation, as the Russian Federation has the ability to cripple their forces through withholding spares.
As the United States and NATO face the realities of a resurgent Russia, there has been a renewed focus on interoperability, pooling and sharing, and maximizing scarce defense resources for common defense. Many nations have neither planned nor budgeted for the rapid transition from Russian helicopters to equivalent Western models, and some are in a near state of crisis trying to re-allocate funding. Their primary concern is how to acquire aircraft with the wide spectrum of capabilities of their current Mi-17, assault, and Mi-24/35, attack, helicopters.
Surplus U.S. Army Black Hawks
The U.S. Army had a significant surplus of obsolescent Black Hawk models. In order to make money, UH-60A aircraft were made available to private businesses. Most aircraft came from the National Guard and were unairworthy. It has been estimated that over the next ten years (starting in 2014) four hundred to eight hundred helicopters will be sold through the General Services Administration (GSA) online auction.[2]
Development of multi-role helicopter
In mid-2015, Pinnacle Solutions Inc. developed the concept of refurbishing them, conducting performance upgrades on the aircraft, and modifying them for export, to serve as a suitable replacement for the Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters currently employed by NATO allied nations of Central and Eastern Europe. As it appeared the Czech Republic was closest to procuring and fielding a new fleet of helicopters, Pinnacle concentrated on satisfying the requirements of the Czech Air Force.
Pinnacle ultimately developed a scheme whereby the Czech Republic could get a fleet of Black Hawks capable of assuming the full spectrum of missions currently conducted by Czech Mi-17 and Mi-24/35 helicopters. As a true multi-role helicopter, the Czech solution is based on a common baseline platform equipped with the Common Avionics Architecture (CAAS) digital cockpit found in the MH-60M DAP and the CH-47F. Each aircraft is fully reconfigurable for either attack or assault role. Complete re-configuring of the aircraft can be done by unit-level maintenance personnel in less than 90 minutes.
Assault configuration
The Assault configuration of the aircraft includes the following mission capabilities and mission equipment to support all stated utility requirements.
- Tactical Paradrop and Airmobile Operations
- Air Transport of Troops and Material
- Autonomous Search and Reconnaissance
- Data Transfer
- Command and Control (C2) Operations
- Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR)/SAR
- Casualty Evacuation (CasEvac)
- Special Operations Forces Support
Attack configuration
The Attack configuration of the aircraft includes the following mission capabilities and mission equipment to support all MoD Attack Helicopter requirements. Eight aircraft (plus spares) will be delivered with the capability to support the following mission requirements:
- Close Air Support
- Ability to Engage Hardened and Armored Ground Targets
- Convoy Security/Armed Escort
- Air-to-Air Combat
References
- Prentice, Alessandra (27 February 2014). "Ukraine leader warns Russia after armed men seize government HQ in Crimea". Reuters. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
External Links
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