Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk

History of the Sikorsky S-67 Black Hawk

Before the U.S. Army's ubiquitous workhorse transport/utility helicopter - the Sikorsky UH-60 "Black Hawk" - became a household name, the name "Black Hawk" was used by Sikorsky in the 1970s The Attack Helicopter Company is in service, handling its S-67 variant. The type was an advanced design at the time, and was designed to meet the US Army's new need for a dedicated, heavily armed and armored assault system capable of defeating Soviet armor from a distance while maintaining excellent speed and protection for extension personnel. Initial work began in the 1960s as a U.S. Army program, the Advanced Air Fire Support System (AAFSS) program, for which Sikorsky introduced the S-66 design (with a rotating tail called a "propeller").

Paddles - for increased cruising speed) submitted to Lockheed CL-840 (which became the ill-fated AH-56 "Cheyen"). The Lockheed design was ultimately selected as the winner, although the program was always delayed and eventually cancelled due to internal disputes and the complex/expensive nature of the AH-56.

When the AAFSS program ran into problems, Sikorsky worked on an improved S-66 design, which became the S-67 model, and design work began in late 1969. The S-67 is designed as a dedicated attack helicopter for the primary role, and is designed to have an attack-oriented role as a secondary role. In the first case, the helicopter will be armed with a variety of weapons - cannons, rocket launchers, anti-tank missiles and short-range air-to-air missiles for various mission types. In the latter case, the aircraft can carry up to eight combat-ready troops in combat under the protection of the aforementioned weapons.

In this way, the Black Hawk's role on the battlefield is comparable to the more famous Mil MI-24 "Hind" attack/transport helicopters provided by the Soviet Union during the Cold War (many of which are still in service today - 2012).

Construction of an airworthy prototype took place in 1970, and the first flight was recorded on 20 August 1970. On August 9, 1972, the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne was officially cancelled, pitting the S-67 against the Bell 309. The "King Cobra" was proposed as a Cheyenne replacement in a 1972 review. However, neither design matched the U.S.

Army's bid, and both failed (this was the U.S. Army's procurement process at the time) The U.S. Army developed another new attack helicopter program called the "Advanced Attack Helicopter" and eventually produced the superb Hughes AH-64 "Apache" attack helicopter lost in an accident.

The S-67 was designed with a traditional large diameter five-blade main rotor assembly mated to a traditional five-blade tail rotor facing port. Power is provided by 2 General Electric T58-GE-5 turboshaft engines with 1,500 shaft horsepower each, giving the aircraft a top speed of 193 mph, a range of 220 miles, and a service ceiling of 20,000 feet. Two pilots sit side by side on a slim body with a very advanced design.

On the side of the fuselage are the portholes for the retractable legs of the main landing gear (the rear tail wheel does not retract). Short wings were added to the sides of the portholes, and these provided trailing edge brakes that would aid maneuverability and allow for quick turns and braking. Inside, the cockpit has been modernized with a large moving map display, standard night vision (to be added later in the program) and enhanced attack capabilities. All in all, the S-67 could have fired then-standard TOW wire-guided anti-tank missiles through four underwing hardpoints (the wingtips would have been reserved for carrying AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles for self-defense). The arsenal can be made more balanced by integrating a 70mm rocket pod.

Up to 16 x TOW rockets can be transported in groups of four launchers via the four underwing stations provided. Standard armament includes a 30mm cannon mounted in the Advanced Tactical Arms turret (TAT-140).

The passenger compartment is buried in the main lower part of the fuselage and is insulated/soundproofed from the elements and engine noise.

The Sikorsky S-67 continued to be featured through marketing campaigns for a short period of time. It managed to set a world speed record in late December 1970, and in 1974 the US Army requested a design review of the ducted rear fan unit. This gave the Black Hawk a top speed of 230 mph at the time of judgment, although the helicopter was later restored to its original form. However, the Black Hawk's flying career ended tragically during an acrobatic flight at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow when the only S-67 prototype crashed to the ground.

Pilot Stucraig was killed in the impact, while pilot Kurt Cannon died nine days later. This paints an ignominious end to the promising S-67 design.

The Black Hawk name reappeared after the U.S. Army adopted the Sikorsky S-70 design as the UH-60 "Black Hawk" in 1979.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes