MH60R & MH-60S Sea Hawks prepared for flight ops on deck of USS Gerald R Ford

An MH60R SeaHawks and MH-60S SeaHawk prepared for flight ops. These helicopters took off from the US Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. The helicopters on board were preparing for flight operations onboard the aircraft carrier.

The aircraft carrier has these helicopters on board for anti-submarine operations. The largest aircraft carrier in the world, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is where it is located. For the US Navy's CVN-21 Aircraft Carrier Programme, Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding division is creating a fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers called the Gerald R. Ford class.

What are the MH60R choppers that are operating from USS Gerald R. Ford?

The MH60R seahawk helicopter brings transformational anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare capabilities to navies around the world. The helicopter is built and designed to meet the requirements of the US Navy. The Romeo aircraft is rugged, powerful and reliable.

Whether onshore or offshore the MH60R operators can confidently prosecute the missions and return home safely. These helicopters are equipped with advanced digital sensors which include multi-mode radar, electronic support measure systems, electro-optical/ infrared cameras, data links, aircraft survivability systems, sipping Sonar and sonobuoys. The fully integrated mission system processes sensor data to build a complete situational picture of the ocean surface and subsea domain.

With actionable knowledge, the crew can track and engage ships or submarines effectively and efficiently. It has weapon systems including torpedoes, air-to-ground missiles, rockets and crew-served guns. It can carry a crew of 3-4 members and has a capacity for 5 passengers in the cabin, a slung load of 2700 kg, internal load of 4,100 pounds, and a 6,684-pound payload and has a maximum take-off weight of 23000 Ib, gross weight 17,758 Ib. The diameter of its main rotor is 53 ft 8 inches. Its maximum speed is 270 km/hr and has a range of 450 nautical miles and also has a service ceiling of 12000 ft and a rate of climb is 1,650 ft/min.

The armament on this helicopter is lethal and is also known as submarine killer. It is equipped with two Mark 46 torpedoes or two 120 US gallon fuel tanks for SH 60-B, HH-60-R, and MH-60-R, It also has AGM-114 Hellfire missiles for MH-60S Block III, also the AGM 119 Penguin missile. APKWS Advance Precision Kill Weapon system. It also has an M60 or M240 machine gun and its Rapid Airborne Mine Clearing system using MK44 Mod 0 30 MM Cannon.