The HH-60W is an armed, all-weather day/night CSAR helicopter meant to replace the HH-60G. The type is derived from the UH-60M Black Hawk and dubbed “Jolly Green II” in honor of the Vietnam-era HH-3 and HH-53. Additional missions include casualty/medical evacuation, disaster and humanitarian response, firefighting, and combat/utility support.
The HH-60W features a fully digital glass cockpit, improved hot weather/high-altitude performance, onboard self-defenses capable of defeating higher-end threats, increased usable cabin space, and double the internal fuel capacity of the HH-60G. Features include digital RWR, laser/ missile/ hostile fire warning, integrated chaff/flares, cabin and cockpit armor, mounted 7.62 mm and .50-cal weapons, LINK 16, SADL, integrated cockpit/cabin displays, advanced comms, ADSB, tactical moving map displays, upturned IR-masking exhausts, and efficient wide-chord rotor blades.
USAF awarded Sikorsky Aircraft the $1.28 billion Combat Rescue Helicopter contract to replace the HH-60G on June 26, 2014, and accepted the first production aircraft on May 18, 2021. USAF revised its accelerated procurement plan to buy a total of 75 HH-60Ws over five lots (decreased from a planned 113 aircraft) which Congress amended to 89 airframes. USAF dropped plans to replace DV UH-1Ns at Andrews with MH-139s, instead repurposing 26 HH-60Ws for Air Force District Washington.
Upgrades include Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) system to prevent disorientation during takeoff and landing as part of the HH-60W’s first major capability upgrades. FY26 begins VIP-transport modifications for AFDW aircraft, as well as jam-resistant GPS, MUOS next-generation SATCOMS integration, and software and airspace compliance updates. Development includes Distributed Aperture IR Countermeasures (DAIRCM) to counter modern missile threats, Video Data Link (VDL), improved Blue Force Tracker, and integrated system diagnostics. The service is also exploring options to merge sensor-related interface to save weight. Current tests are validating deficiency fixes, refining the external GAU-21 .50-cal. machine gun mounts, and verifying low-visibility hover instrumentation. USAF approved full-rate production and shifted to operational fielding, adding Patrick as an HH-60W operating location on Feb. 16, 2025.
HH-60 Jolly Green II Technical Data
Contractor: Lockheed Martin Sikorsky.
First Flight: May 17, 2019.
Delivered: 2019-present.
IOC: Sept. 7, 2022.
Production: 89 (planned).
Inventory: 69 (HH-60W).
Operator: ANG, ACC, AETC, AFRC, PACAF, USAFE.
Planned: USAFE, AFDW, ANG.
Aircraft Location: Aviano AB, Italy; Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; Duke Field, Fla.; Francis S. Gabreski Arpt., N.Y.; Kadena AB, Japan; Kirtland AFB, N.M.; Moody AFB, Ga.; Patrick SFB, Fla. Planned: JB Andrews, Md.; JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Moffett Field, Calif.; and Nellis AFB, Nev.
Active Variant: •HH-60W. Developmental next-generation Combat Rescue Helicopter based on the UH-60M.
Dimensions: Rotor diameter 53.6 ft, overall length 64.7 ft, height 16.7 ft.
Weight: Max T-O 23,500 lb.
Power Plant: Two GE Aviation T700-GE-701D turboshafts, each 1,940 shp.
Performance: Speed 192 mph; range 690 miles (air refuelable).
Ceiling: 14,000 ft.
Armament: Two 7.62 mm miniguns or two .50-caliber machine guns.
Accommodation: Two pilots, flight engineer, gunner, two PJs.
Load: Total of 12 personnel or 9,000 lbs internal/sling-loaded cargo.