Photo By Capt. Cheran Campbell | Members of the 106th Rescue Wing take a picture with a HH-60G Pave Hawk search and...... read more read more
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Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, N.Y., – Aircraft maintainers and helicopter aircrews of the 106th Rescue Wing, New York Air National Guard, prepare to replace their aging fleet of HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters with the first two of six, HH-60W “Whiskey” Jolly Green II search and rescue helicopters, arriving at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, New York, later this week.
The majority of current “Golf” airframe helicopters the 106th operates are from the 1990s, said Lt. Col. Matthew Forbes, 101st Rescue Squadron Commander and helicopter rescue pilot. They are all operational loss replacements and the youngest of the HH-60G aircraft in the Air Force inventory, he said.
According to the manufacturer’s website, the proven survivability and reliability of the H-60M Black Hawk carries over to the HH-60W Jolly Green II and incorporates advanced techniques in aircraft design, improved defensive survivability systems such as cabin and cockpit armor with improved anti-aircraft countermeasures, integrated weapons, an increase in main fuel tank capacity and several other upgrades.
“From a pilot’s standpoint it’s going to be exciting to get a new generation of avionics and tools that a lot of the general aviation and some of the other military communities have been flying with.” said Forbes.
A fully functional flight management system, autopilot, and “glass cockpit,” which utilizes screens in place of traditional gauges and advanced GPS navigation capability are also eagerly anticipated upgrades for pilots, Forbes explained.
The first two of the six updated airframes being delivered are low-hour refurbished helicopters being reassigned from the Active Duty Air Force. The next four helicopters will be flown directly from the Sikorsky manufacturing plant in Stratford, Connecticut.
From a maintenance perspective, not much will change and better reliability from newer aircraft will be a key advantage to getting the newer helicopters, said Technical Sgt. Clifford Bould III a 106th Rescue Wing HH-60 crew chief. The biggest task ahead will be familiarization training to get all the maintainers qualified on the new model, he said.
The HH-60G airframes being replaced will be flown cross country over four days, from Westhampton Beach, N.Y., to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group commonly referred to as “The Boneyard,” in Tucson, Arizona, at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base. Once there, they will be put into long-term storage where they can be utilized for parts or put back into service if necessary.
The 106th Rescue Wing, based at F.S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, New York, operates and maintains the HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft, and the HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopter. The 106th RQW is home to a special warfare squadron with pararescuemen and combat rescue officers, specializing in rescue and recovery, and deploys for domestic and overseas operations.
| Date Taken: | 06.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.17.2024 16:59 |
| Story ID: | 473942 |
| Location: | WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 426 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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