The HH-60G Pave Hawk is an armed, all-weather day/night CSAR helicopter derived from the UH-60 Black Hawk. Additional missions include casualty/medical evacuation, disaster and humanitarian response, firefighting, and combat/utility support.
The HH-60G is equipped with advanced INS/GPS/Doppler navigation systems, SATCOM, secure/antijam communications, and personnel locating system (PLS) that aids location of a survivor’s radio. It includes automatic flight control, NVG lighting, FLIR, an engine/rotor blade anti-ice system, in-flight refueling probe, additional fuel tanks, and an integral rescue hoist.
Combat enhancements include a full self-defensive suite and two miniguns (or .50-caliber guns). Major upgrades include Block 162, which encompasses Avionics Communications Suite Upgrade and replaced obsolete systems with color weather radar, improved TACAN, new RWR, auto direction finding, and digital intercoms.
HH-60U are modified UH-60Ms operated by AFMC for testing and support. USAF modified 21 Army surplus UH-60Ls as combat loss replacements which were delivered between 2016 and 2022.
USAF began retiring the Pave Hawk fleet in 2022 and plans to fully recapitalize its rescue fleet with new-build HH-60Ws this year. AFRC’s 920th Rescue Wing at Patrick decommissioned its last HH-60Gs in September 2025.
HH-60 Pave Hawk Technical Data
Contractors: Lockheed Martin Sikorsky.
First Flight: October 1974.
Delivered: 1982-1998 (HH-60G).
IOC: 1982.
Production: 10 (HH-60G); three (HH-60U).
Inventory: 27 (HH-60G); three (HH-60U) (Current as of FY24).
Operator: AFMC (HH-60U), ANG, AFRC.
Aircraft Location: Eglin AFB, Fla.; JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Moffett Field, Calif.
Active Variants: •HH-60G. Modified UH-60 helicopter equipped for CSAR. •HH-60U. Modified UH-60M helicopters utilized by AFMC for utility and test support.
Dimensions: Rotor diameter 53.6 ft, overall length 64.7 ft, height 16.7 ft.
Weight: Max T-O 22,000 lb.
Power Plant: Two GE Aviation T700-GE-700/701C turboshafts, each 1,560-1,940 shp.
Performance: Speed 184 mph; range 580 miles (farther with air refueling).
Ceiling: 14,000 ft.
Armament: Two 7.62 mm miniguns or two .50-caliber machine guns.
Accommodation: Two pilots, flight engineer, gunner.
Load: Up to three PJs and four nonambulatory patients.