Based on the venerable UH-60 Black Hawk, the HH-60W Jolly Green II is intended to serve as the Air Force’s primary search and rescue helicopter in the years ahead.

The first of the United States Air Force’s HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopters arrived at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, this week—increasing the service’s rotary-wing capabilities in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The facility had previously operated the UH-1N Huey for decades.

“Our leaders recognized the need for change and decided to rapidly modernize the equipment that we use to protect our nation,” said Col. Karl W. Seekamp, 316th Wing and installation commander. “This critical mission deserves the modern capability and safety upgrades that are available today.”

About the HH-60W “Jolly Green II” Helicopter

• Manufacturer: Sikorsky (owned by Lockheed Martin)
• Initial operating capability: 2022
• Program of Record: 113 total aircraft
• Rotor Diameter: 53.6 feet (16.34 meters)
• Length: 64.7 feet (19.72 meters)
• Height: 16.7 feet (5.1 meters)
• Weight: ~22,500 pounds (operating weight); 23,500 pounds (MTOW)
• Powerplant: Two General Electric T700-GE-701D turboshaft engines (approx. 1,940 shp each)
• Speed: ~176 mph to 192 mph (indicated air speed / max speed)
• Range: 690 miles (air-refuelable via an integrated in-flight refueling probe)
• Service Ceiling: Up to 20,000 feet (6,100 m)
• Loadout: Two crew-served 7.62mm miniguns or .50-caliber machine guns
  • Rescue Equipment: 600-pound-capacity rescue hoist with 250 feet of cable and a personnel locating system
  • Cargo Hook: 8,000-pound capacity cargo hook
• Aircrew: 4

The HH-60W Jolly II is based around the UH-60M Black Hawk airframe, and shares 100 percent engine and dynamic system commonality. It was developed by Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky Aircraft to replace the aging HH-60 Pave Hawk (HH-60G), also produced by Sikorsky, which has been in the fleet for decades.

The Jolly II will now serve as the US Air Force’s next-generation combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopter, where it is able to recover downed aircrews, isolated personnel, and even special operations forces from hostile, contested, or denied territory. The HH-60W can also serve in a humanitarian role, providing medical evacuations (MEDEVAC) and disaster relief.

“Although rotary-wing aircraft represent a small but vital part of the Air Force, their maneuverability and ability to operate in areas inaccessible to many fixed-wing aircraft make them essential to a wide range of missions. The arrival of the Jolly Green II ensures JB Andrews’ long-term ability to respond to national security requirements across the nation’s capital,” the US Air Force noted.

According to the Air Force, the HH-60W received its designation “Jolly Green II” during a ceremony in February 2020, which was to honor the Jolly Green crews of previous generations who established the excellence and capability expected of the USAF combat rescue crews today.

How the Air Force Is Strengthening the 316th Wing’s Capabilities  

The new rotary-wing aircraft will further strengthen the capabilities and readiness of the 316th Wing, the host wing for Joint Base Andrews, which supports contingency operations in the NCR, the world’s highest visibility flight line.

The Air Force further acknowledged that the arrival of the HH-60W will open a “new chapter” in the service’s rotary-wing history and build on the legacy established by the 1st Helicopter Squadron. The unit can trace its lineage back to August 5, 1955, when it was originally activated as the 1401st Helicopter Flight and was redesignated as the 1st Helicopter Squadron in July 1969; it served as the US Air Force’s sole rotary-wing unit in the NCR for nearly 60 years, providing priority air transport for the Executive Branch, high-ranking military and civil leaders, emergency evacuation capabilities for key government officials, search and rescue, and medical evacuation.

The Jolly Green II offers a larger airframe and greater fuel capacity, provides nearly three times the airlift capability of the legacy UH-1N, and can also fly faster and farther than the older aircraft, extending the operational reach of the 316th Wing during a crisis. The new aircraft features a fully digital glass cockpit with integrated multi-function displays and digital moving maps, integrated radar warning receiver (RWR), laser, missile, and hostile fire warning systems tied to an automatic chaff/flare countermeasure dispenser, plus upturned infrared (IR)-masking exhausts.

The initial HH-60W will be assigned to the 5th Helicopter Squadron, the unit charged with training the force as well as establishing the new fleet of aircraft.

Beginning in calendar year 2027, designated classes of US Air Force airmen from Joint Base Andrews’ helicopter squadrons will begin their familiarization training on the Jolly Green II from Sikorsky personnel, after which select Air Force servicemembers will be qualified as instructors. In turn, they will provide training on the HH-60W safety and familiarization procedures.

Honoring the Old While Embracing the New

Even as the Air Force transitions to the new rotary-wing aircraft, it will continue to pay homage to the legacy of the UH-1N Huey.

“It is important that we honor the legacy of what the Huey has done for safety and operations as a whole,” noted Lt. Col. Jonathan Bonilla, 5th HS commander. “We must remember this while we, as an Air Force, continue to look into the future.”  

Still, the transition from the Huey, which maintains a history dating back to its role in the Vietnam War, to the new HH-60W highlights that change is a good thing when it increases the capabilities of the wing.

“I think the [HH-60] Whiskey is absolutely the right call,” said Capt. Joshua Lemon, 316th Operations Group executive officer and UH-1N instructor pilot, who will be part of the first class of aircrew transitioning to the new aircraft. “It is inherently a joint airframe, meaning that almost any branch or agency in the area can call on us and we can lend a hand, or an aircraft. It makes us part of a bigger team.” 

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. He has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines, and websites over a 30-year career in journalism, including Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author at Editor@nationalinterest.org.

The post The US Air Force’s First HH-60W Helicopter Just Arrived at Joint Base Andrews appeared first on The National Interest.