Black Hawk arms

The ESSS (External Stores Support System) wings are not usually carried on a standard Blackhawk.  They are normally only used to carry external fuel tanks for long ferry flights.  Some Special Ops varients, like the US Navy MH-60S Knighthawk can carry hellfires and rockets, but normally don't. The only dedicated Blackhawk gunship is the US Army's 160th SOAR (Special Operations Aviation Regiment) MH-60L DAPs (Direct Action Penetrator) and they usually have M134 Miniguns as "doorguns"  that are fixed in a forward firing position and can carry a variety of wing stores to include rockets, a 30mm chain gun, hellfires, miniguns, etc.   Also, the DAP and MH-60S use shorter ESSS wings with one hard-point on each side, as opposed to the two hard-points on a standard ESSS wing. 

MH-60L DAP:

My model of one: 

More here.

MH-60S w/ESSS:

The normal "doorguns" for a modern UH-60L now is the M240D MG, which has replaced the M60D MG in US service.

M240D:

As usual HeavyArty covered it all.

HeavyArty wrote:

The normal "doorguns" for a modern UH-60L now is the M240D MG, which has replaced the M60D MG in US service.

Interesting, never noticed that. Any aftermarket source for that gun?

HeavyArty wrote:

The normal "doorguns" for a modern UH-60L now is the M240D MG, which has replaced the M60D MG in US service.

Not all of them have been replaced.  I believe that it is mostly NG units that still have the M60D.  There may still be a few AD units with them but they would be the exception rather than the rule.  We just missed getting 240's when we came home, maybe the next time around we will get them.

Mac

Screaminhelo wrote:

Not all of them have been replaced.  I believe that it is mostly NG units that still have the M60D.  There may still be a few AD units with them but they would be the exception rather than the rule.

You have a point there.  I was thinking just AD units for the M240Ds. 

Trigger wrote:

Hey Gino - Maybe I'm hallucinating since it's a quarter after 11 and I'm getting ready to leave after a long day at the office... am I losing it or was there once a picture of a DAP with the full-size ESS wing carrying rocket pods, Hellfire and an M230?

Grant, you could be right.  I believe the original DAPs used the full-sized ESSS wings.  Not sure why they went to the shorter ones, probably had to do with aircraft performance verses weight though.

Here is a prototype Australian AH-60L / S-70 Battlehawk that is outfitted with the long ESSS wings and dual hard-points on each side.  FLIR ball on the nose and whatever it has under the nose is interesting too.  Don't think the Aussies ended up buying this version though.

HeavyArty wrote:

....whatever it has under the nose is interesting too....

Looks like a chain gun to me -- now that is too sweet!!

Hi There

Gino your right Australia didn't go with the Battlehawk instead they went with the Tiger Attack Helo and are making them here in Brisbane and aswell as RAAF Base Amberly near Brisbane.

Here is a link to a few vids of the Tiger in its test phase.  http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2005/Jun/20050602b/000-176-267_0013_lo.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2005/Jun/20050602b.cfm&h=391&w=600&sz=201&tbnid=sPI83igWSgPtOM:&tbnh=86&tbnw=133&hl=en&start=4&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHelicopter%2BTiger%2BAustralian%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26cr%3DcountryAU%26sa%3DN

Also that was a 20mm cannon under the nose of the BattleHawk. Australia only has the S-70s with the ESSS both short and long they dont carry any weapons on it though ( well havent seen any ) just external fuel tanks.

HTH

Robert