How Many Blackhawk Helicopters Are In Service Today

Existing and Planned Helicopters in the Army'south Fleet

The Army's helicopter armada consists mainly of utility, cargo, and assault/reconnaissance helicopters. Utility and cargo helicopters are used primarily for ship. Their missions can range from inserting soldiers into battle to retrieving damaged equipment for repair in rear areas. (Box 1-1 presents a short summary of mutual Army helicopter missions.) Although there is not a hard distinction between utility helicopters (which have designations outset with UH-, such as the UH-threescore Blackhawk) and cargo helicopters (which have designations first with CH-, such every bit the CH-47 Chinook), utility helicopters tend to be smaller and more than broadly distributed across the Ground forces'southward force structure. Cargo helicopters tend to be larger, and their squadrons assigned to college echelon units within the Army.¹ (Figure one-1 illustrates the relative sizes of existing and conceptual Army rotorcraft, the appendix provides a description of the forcefulness structure for helicopter-equipped units, and the within forepart encompass lists the terms used in this report.)

Figure 1-1.

Electric current and Proposed Army Rotorcraft

Source: Congressional Upkeep Office and the Department of the Ground forces.

Attack and reconnaissance helicopters are designed to attack enemy forces and to gather information about the disposition of forces on the battlefield. They primarily behave sensors and weapons instead of cargo, and considering they are faster and more than agile, they can operate over unfriendly territory for prolonged periods. (Pilots of utility and cargo helicopters that operate over hostile territory generally attempt to go far and go out with minimal exposure.) Attack and reconnaissance helicopter designations usually begin with an AH- or OH- prefix.

Until 2019, Army'southward modernization programme involves a combination of upgrades to some helicopters in the existing fleet and replacement of others with military versions of commercial helicopters. After 2020, the Army foresees ii new types of rotary-wing aircraft—the Joint Multi-Function rotorcraft (JMR) and the Articulation Heavy Lift rotorcraft (JHL)—which volition be developed with other service branches to offer greater capabilities than are possible with today'south technology. The upgrade and replacement plans are scheduled to ensure that the age of helicopters in the Army's armada does not exceed their useful service lives. (Although Ground forces planning documents indicate that a helicopter should be replaced afterwards 20 years in service, armada data show that set on/reconnaissance and cargo helicopters are regularly replaced after 27 years and utility helicopters are regularly replaced later on 33 years. The alternatives examined past the Congressional Upkeep Office [CBO] adhere to those higher limits.)

Utility Helicopters

The Regular army'southward approximately 1,800 utility helicopters found slightly more than half of its full inventory of rotary-wing aircraft. More than than 1,600 of that grouping are UH-60A and UH-60L Blackhawks; the residuum are versions of the Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey. Well-nigh-term modernization plans for utility helicopters include upgrades to the UH-60s to ameliorate functioning and extend their service lives to well beyond 2030. The Hueys are currently being replaced with UH-72A Lakotas.

After 2038, the Ground forces plans to replace the Lakotas and the upgraded Blackhawks with the JMR. (The JMR concept envisions attack/reconnaissance and utility versions based on a common design; the initial JMR variant is to exist an attack aircraft. The JMR is discussed with attack/reconnaissance helicopters later in this chapter.)

UH-60 Blackhawk and Upgrades

The unmarried-rotor, twin-turbine-engine UH-60 Blackhawk is the Ground forces'south second-largest helicopter. (Table i-1 lists the chief characteristics of helicopters in the Army'southward current fleet.) The Army has two Blackhawk versions, the UH-60A and UH-60L, the newer L-model has more powerful engines and a strengthened transmission that gives it improved operation in a variety of operating weather condition. The UH-60L's MTOGW (maximum takeoff gross weight) is 22,000 pounds; for the UH-60A it is 20,250 pounds.ⁱⁱ Cargo can be carried inside the aircraft or on external cargo hooks. The Blackhawk'due south coiffure consists of a airplane pilot, a copilot, and a coiffure principal/gunner. The helicopter tin suit 14 additional passengers, and information technology has infinite for 4 litters to send casualties.

Table ane-ane.

Characteristics of Ground forces Helicopters

Source: Congressional Upkeep Role based on information from the Department of the Army.

Notes: MTOGW = maximum takeoff gross weight; n.a. = non applicable; UH-60A, UH-60L = Blackhawk utility helicopters; UH-72A = Lakota light utility helicopter; CH-47D/F = Chinook cargo helicopter; OH-58C = Kiowa observation helicopter; OH-58D = Kiowa Warrior helicopter; ARH = Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter; AH-64A/D = Apache/Longbow Apache set on helicopter.

a. Measurements are in feet.

b. 2.75-inch diameter Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets fired from seven-tube launchers (OH-58D and ARH) and nineteen-tube launchers (AH-64).

c. Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation-guided Hellfire (OH-58D, ARH, AH-64A/D) or radar-guided Longbow Hellfire (AH-64D simply).

The Army is developing a new Blackhawk, the UH-60M, with a more than powerful engine, enhanced rotor organisation, and digital avionics based on the Common Avionics Compages Arrangement (CAAS, a flexible software architecture the Ground forces is using for avionics upgrades throughout its helicopter armada). New equipment aboard the UH-60M will provide more protection against infrared-guided missiles and other threats. The new configuration also will include integrated vehicle management systems, which increase an aircraft's reliability and make it simpler to maintain. The MTOGW of the One thousand-model Blackhawk volition be the same as that of the UH-60L, but its external hauling capacity will exist 9,000 pounds, 1,000 pounds more than the L-models. The UH-60M as well volition be able to carry heavier payloads over longer distances.

The Ground forces'south modernization programme calls for procurement of 1,227 UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, all of them newly built (rather than rebuilt A- or L-model Blackhawks). Development of the UH-60M began in 2000 and is planned for completion in 2010. The Army projects the total cost for research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&Eastward) at about $820 meg (meet Table 1-2). Procurement of the UH-60M began with the purchase of five aircraft in 2005 (with some advance funding from 2004). Final procurement is scheduled for 2025. The full toll of procurement is projected at simply under $19 billion, with a unit of measurement price of about $15.5 million. By comparison, the unit cost for the UH-60A was about $nine.4 million; the unit toll for the UH-60L was about $9.v meg.

Tabular array 1-2.

Cost Estimates for Past and Planned Ground forces Helicopter Programs

(Millions of 2007 dollars)

Source: Congressional Upkeep Role based on data from the Section of the Regular army.

Notes: Estimates in italic type are based on CBO's analysis of coordinating systems and on work published by RAND (see Jon Grossman and others, Vertical Envelopment and the Futurity Transport Rotorcraft: Operational Considerations for the Objective Force [Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Arroyo Center, 2003]). Estimates in roman type are based on the Army's acquisition data.

RDT&Due east = research, development, testing, and evaluation.

a. RDT&Due east appropriations pay for scientific enquiry, design, development, and testing of systems and the manufacturing engineering necessary to produce them.

b. Procurement appropriations pay for aircraft manufacturing and for back up and training equipment, technical information, and maintenance publications.

c. Quantities are notional: The Joint Multi-Role quantity would supersede, i-for-ane, all Longbow Apache Block III, Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters, and UH-60M helicopters. The Joint Heavy Elevator quantity could equip fifteen aviation battalions (i for each planned Future Combat Systems brigade) including training and spare aircraft. Data reflect Army purchases merely. Under electric current plans, most of the aircraft would exist purchased later on 2030. Purchases for the other programs in this table would exist completed by 2030.

UH-72A Lakota

The UH-72A single-rotor, twin-turbine-engine light utility helicopter is a version of the Eurocopter EC-145 built to military standards and designed to send troops, supplies, and equipment. The UH-72A entered into service in 2007. It is much smaller than the Blackhawk (its MTOGW is vii,900 pounds), and it is not intended to operate in boxing zones. In add-on to its crew of a pilot and copilot, the UH-72A can acquit eight passengers.

The Army initiated the light utility helicopter program in 2004 to replace the UH-ane Huey general support helicopter and the OH-53C Kiowa ascertainment helicopter, both of which are beingness retired. The full RDT&E toll for the light utility helicopter was $3.iii million. The Army began procuring the aircraft in 2006 (with some advance funding from 2005) with an initial purchase of xvi Lakotas. It anticipates a total armada of 322, the last of which will exist procured in 2016. The full procurement cost is projected at simply over $ane.7 billion; the average cost per aircraft is about $five.4 million.

Cargo Helicopters

The Army'due south only cargo helicopter is the CH-47 Chinook, early versions of which were first introduced in 1962. Currently, in that location are more than 400 in Regular army service. The current CH-47D entered service in 1984. Over the long term, the Ground forces hopes to develop the JHL aircraft for carrying much heavier loads longer distances and at higher speeds than is possible with the CH-47.

CH-47 Chinook and Upgrades

The tandem-rotor, twin-turbine-engine CH-47 Chinook is used to ship cargo, troops, and weapons. With a 50,000 pound MTOGW, the CH-47D is the largest of the Army's helicopters. Its flight crew includes a pilot, copilot, flight engineer, and crew master, and information technology tin carry upwards to 33 passengers or 24 medevac litters. The CH-47D carries cargo internally or externally on cargo hooks (with a maximum external load of 26,000 pounds).

The Army is upgrading all of its Chinooks from the CH-47D to the CH-47F configuration, with a more powerful engine and an improved transmission. The F-model began to enter service in 2007. The MTOGW for the CH-47F is the aforementioned as for the CH-47D, only the engine upgrade allows the CH-47F to send the aforementioned payload over longer distances. Additional upgrades include a new cockpit with a digital avionics suite based on the CAAS, structural improvements, improvements to increase reliability and maintainability, improvements for survivability, and airframe modifications to reduce the time needed to detach and reassemble the helicopters before and after deployment on Air Forcefulness C-5 or C-17 aircraft.

Current plans call for procurement of 510 CH-47F aircraft—119 of them new and 391 remanufactured CH-47Ds. Development of the CH-47F began in 1995 and was completed in 2007. The Army projects a full cost for RDT&E at just under $200 million. The first fourteen of the F-model Chinooks were purchased in 2003, and the final purchases are scheduled for 2018. The Ground forces projects that total procurement will cost slightly more than $12.iii billion. The unit of measurement cost for the CH-47F is close to $24.1 one thousand thousand; the CH-47D's unit cost was almost $ten.half-dozen million.

Joint Heavy Lift Rotorcraft

The Army hopes to develop a much larger rotorcraft to support aerial maneuver tactics for units in the Future Combat Systems (FCS).³ The JHL would replace the Chinook, which CBO estimates would begin retiring around 2030. Initial JHL goals call for an aircraft that tin send up to 29 tons—the currently anticipated weight of a vehicle in the FCS—to a radius of about 500 nautical miles at speeds greater than 250 knots. (For comparison, preliminary designs for the CH-53K heavy-elevator helicopter that the Marine Corps plans to put in service around 2016 show the ability to carry cargo of virtually fourteen tons at speeds of slightly more than 100 knots to a radius of 100 nautical miles.^four)

Because such a large increase in performance over that of current systems is probable to carry high evolution and procurement costs, the Regular army's aviation plan calls for collaborating with the Air Force on the JHL plan. The assumption is that the Air Force will pursue an aircraft with similar capabilities to replace its fleet of C-130 theater ship shipping. The Regular army is currently evaluating the technical feasibility of the JHL concept.

A 2003 RAND study analyzed the costs and capabilities of alternative concepts for a JHL. ⁵ On the basis of data in that written report, CBO estimates that the development costs for the JHL will exist almost $14 billion over a menses of 17 years. Procurement costs will depend on the number of aircraft purchased and on the production rate. (The Army and Air Force accept non yet established inventory objectives for the JHL.) To produce 500 aircraft at a charge per unit of 32 per year, for example, CBO estimates the unit toll would average about $170 1000000 and total procurement would come to $85 billion.

Those costs can be compared with costs for electric current Department of Defense force rotorcraft, such as the Marine Corps's CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter and the 5-22 Osprey tilt-rotor, although both have far less capability than is envisioned for the JHL. According to projection of the Naval Air Systems Command, it will cost $4 billion to develop and about $12 billion to put a armada of 152 CH-53K aircraft into service, at a unit toll of about $77 million. Current estimates indicate that development will cost about $12 billion; procurement will cost nearly $41 billion; and the 456 V-22s for the Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force will take a unit cost of $90 million.

Assail/Reconnaissance Helicopters

The Army currently operates over 1,200 assail/reconnaissance helicopters; about 700 AH-64 Apache set on helicopters and over 500 OH-58C Kiowa and OH-58D Kiowa Warrior observation helicopters. In the near term, the Ground forces plans to complete conversion of its Apaches from the original A-model to the upgradedD-model, the Longbow Apache. Current plans phone call for that upgrade to be followed past the and then-chosen Longbow Apache Block Three (AB3) configuration. Likewise in the well-nigh term, the Army plans to replace the OH-58D with the new Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH). The unarmed OH-58C helicopters are beingness replaced by UH-72A Lakotas. In the long term, the Army hopes to replace its entire attack/reconnaissance fleet with an assail version of the JMR.

OH-58C Kiowa and OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

The OH-58C Kiowa is a single-rotor, single-turbine-engine light observation helicopter. With a iii,200-pound MTOGW, the OH-58C is the smallest of the Regular army's helicopters. It tin acquit 3 people other than the pilot (a copilot or observer and up to 2 other passengers) or small amounts of cargo (up to 950 pounds). More than 200 Kiowas are currently assigned to National Guard Aviation Service and Support Battalions.

The OH-58D is similar to the OH-58C, simply its engine is more than powerful and information technology has a redesigned rotor system. It as well has a slightly larger MTOGW of five,200 pounds. The additional capacity is needed to accommodate its reconnaissance sensors and upward to 4 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, four Stinger air-to-air missiles, two seven-round 2.75-inch rocket pods, or 2 0.50-caliber machine guns mounted on pylons on either side of its fuselage. The OH-58D has a mast-mounted sight (over the main rotor) that carries a tv sensor, a thermal imaging sensor, a laser rangefinder–designator, and an optical bore sight.

AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter and Upgrades

The Army has ii models of the unmarried-rotor, twin-turbine-engine Apache attack helicopter: the AH-64A and the AH-64D Longbow. Each carries a crew consisting of a pilot and a copilot/gunner.

The older AH-64A is armed with a xxx-millimeter chain gun, and it tin can deport upward to 16 laser-guided Hellfire missiles and 76 ii.75-inch rockets (in pods of 19 rockets each), in diverse combinations. (Four Hellfire missiles can be interchanged with ane rocket pod.) The AH-64A is equipped with a target acquisition and designation sight that consists of a direct-view optical telescope, a day idiot box sensor, a night vision sensor, and a forward-looking infrared sensor. Most of the 700 AH-64A aircraft purchased past the Ground forces have been upgraded to the D-model configuration. Eventually, about 115 will be retired as A-models. The remainder volition exist upgraded to the D-model configuration.

The most significant improvements in the D-model are its ability to employ radar-guided Longbow Hellfire missiles and its ability to deport the mast-mounted Longbow fire control radar (FCR), which allows the helicopter to discover and attack targets when rain, fog, or smoke would compromise the A-model's sensors and laser designator. Other modifications include enhancements to the cockpit, navigation systems, and communications systems that allow a unmarried FCR-equipped Longbow Apache to control Longbow Hellfire missiles carried by AH-64D aircraft that are non equipped with the radar sensor. The Army plans to procure 666 AH-64D helicopters. (The planned AH-64D inventory is 634 aircraft, just 32 boosted helicopters volition exist procured to supplant state of war losses.) The Army plans to install FCR kits on 227 of its Longbow Apaches.

Evolution of the AH-64D shipping upgrades began in 1988 and was completed in 2005 at a total RDT&Eastward cost of about $941 million. Procurement began in 1996 (with some advance funding from 1995) with the initial purchase of 24 shipping. The Army plans to procure the final of its Longbow Apaches in 2010. According to the Ground forces's projections, the total procurement cost for the portion of the program to upgrade the aircraft is just over $11 billion; the average cost is nearly $16.5 million. With the cost of the FCR kits included, the unit cost for the D-model upgrade is most $eighteen million. By comparison, the unit cost for the AH-64A was near $xx million.

Although upgrades to the Longbow configuration are not consummate, the Regular army is pursuing plans to upgrade the D-model Apache to the AB3 configuration, which will enter service in 2011. The AB3 will comprise some systems and associated capabilities that were planned for the Comanche helicopter, which was canceled in 2004. New communications and processing systems will allow that Apache to ameliorate collaborate with Ground forces ground units, such equally Stryker brigades and FCS-equipped brigades. The AB3 also will include an improved manual and an extended-range FCR to complement the Articulation Air Ground Missile, a longer range replacement for the Longbow Hellfire missile.

In all, the Regular army plans to purchase 634 AB3 helicopters. Development began in 2005 and is to be completed in 2016. The total RDT&E price is projected at a niggling less than $1.i billion. The initial purchase of eight AB3 aircraft is scheduled for 2010 (with some advance funding from 2009); the last one is expected to be procured in 2024. Total procurement costs are projected to be nearly $vi.four billion, and the unit cost is estimated at $x million.

Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

The ARH program was initiated in 2004 to replace the retiring OH-58D Kiowa Warrior shipping. The ARH is a single-rotor, single-turbine-engine helicopter designed for reconnaissance and light attack. At v,250 pounds, its MTOGW is close to that of the OH-58D. The Kiowas were built with the Bell 406 commercial fuselage; the ARH is expected to take the Bong 407 fuselage.

The ARH coiffure volition consist of a pilot and a copilot/gunner. The helicopter can carry up to four Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, one or two 7-round two.75-inch rocket pods or 0.fifty-caliber or seven.62-millimeter automobile guns. In lieu of the mast-mounted sensor on the OH-58D, the ARH will have a olfactory organ turret with a color television sensor, a forrad-looking infrared sensor, a laser rangefinder, and a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation designator and spot tracker. The digital cockpit of the ARH is based on the CAAS.

The Ground forces'south latest published program for the ARH projects full RDT&Eastward costs of $749 1000000 through completion in 2009. Procurement is scheduled to begin with 16 shipping in 2008 and to end in 2017. Total procurement costs for 512 aircraft were projected by the Army at just over $five.iii billion, with a unit cost of $8.9 million. By comparison, the unit toll for the OH-58D was $x.9 million.

Joint Multi-Role Rotorcraft

Starting in 2023, the Ground forces'due south aviation modernization plan calls for the JMR to exist developed jointly with the Marine Corps. The JMR will replace the fleet of Longbow AB3 set on helicopters as they are retired outset around 2030. Subsequently, a utility version of the JMR volition supersede the Blackhawk as it begins to be retired effectually 2038, CBO estimates. Under the electric current concept, the various versions of the JMR will have all of the capabilities of the Blackhawk, Apache, and ARH, with some new capabilities based on improvements in technology that may be achieved in the coming decade.

CBO based its approximate of the cost, in the absence of definitive plans for the JMR, on the costs for the aircraft it would supercede: the Apache, Longbow Apache, and AB3; and the Blackhawk. CBO used historical costs for those programs as a starting point to go far at an estimate for RDT&Eastward of $iii.7 billion from 2019 to 2026. For 2,400 JMRs—enough for a 1-for-one replacement of the Army'due south Apaches and Blackhawks—and a full production charge per unit of most 200 JMRs per twelvemonth, CBO estimates a unit cost for the JMR at $24 million and a total procurement cost of nearly $57 billion. For purposes of comparison, CBO estimates that the total cost of developing and purchasing the AH-64A, AH-64D, AB3, and ARH (beginning in 1973 and ending in 2024) will come to $46 billion and that the figure for the UH-60A, UH-60L, and UH-60M helicopters will exist $37 billion (from 1968 to 2025).

At that place is pregnant dubiousness nearly the capabilities, technology, and costs associated with the JMR. Every bit is the instance for other programs that are either mostly conceptual or in the early stages of development, there is a greater risk of cost and schedule overruns than would attend more definite designs based on proven technologies. Although the cost estimates for the JMR consider risk to some extent, CBO expects that its estimates will change, peradventure significantly, as the JMR is more clearly defined.

The ambivalence near what distinguishes utility helicopters from cargo helicopters is illustrated past another category, special operations helicopters (designated by the MH- prefix), which carry specialized systems for supporting special operations forces deep behind enemy lines. The MH- designation supersedes the UH- and CH- designations for the Army's MH-lx Blackhawks and MH-47 Chinooks. Inventory quantities quoted in this report include special operations helicopters, but they are not discussed in detail because they are operated outside the general strength structure. (See the appendix.)

MTOGW is the weight of the helicopter along with all equipment, stores, fuel, munitions, cargo, crew, and passengers.

The FCS is proposed as a unmarried program that would include manned and unmanned aeriform and footing vehicles, missile launchers, and communications links. See Congressional Budget Office, The Regular army's Future Combat Systems Program and Alternatives (August 2006).

The JHL initially was planned as a joint program of the Army and the Marine Corps. However, the two service branches' dissimilar requirements did not allow for the cost-effective design of a single aircraft. In detail, an aircraft that would satisfy the Army's performance goals would probably be far too large for operation aboard amphibious ships. Although it is currently developing the CH-53K, the Marine Corps is expected to remain interested in the JHL and could join the program in the time to come.

Come across Jon Grossman and others, Vertical Envelopment and the Time to come Transport Rotorcraft: Operational Considerations for the Objective Force (Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Arroyo Center, 2003), available from world wide web.rand.org/ard.