Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk

Sikorsky Aircraft · United States · first flew 2000 · helicopter

The MH-60S Knighthawk is the US Navy multi-mission utility version of the Seahawk, built to replace the CH-46 Sea Knight.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	19.71 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Large sliding doors on both sides of the cabin
Single aft-mounted tail wheel, unlike the forward twin tail gear of the SH-60B
Folding tail pylon and rotors; optional nose FLIR turret and 'batwing' armed helo kit

Look for a Seahawk with big sliding doors on both sides of the cabin and a single tail wheel at the rear. Its unofficial name Knighthawk refers to the Sea Knight.

Specifications

The Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk has a length of 19.71 m (65 ft).
It has a wingspan of 16.36 m (54 ft).
Its maximum speed is 270 km/h (168 mph).
Typical crew: 3-4.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The Navy awarded a production contract for the CH-60S in 1998. It first flew on 27 January 2000 and was redesignated MH-60S in February 2001.

Variants

It is a hybrid, using the UH-60 main fuselage with the folding tail pylon, engines, drivetrain and rotors of the SH-60. It has a glass cockpit shared with the MH-60R. Specifications are the Seahawk family figures and apply to this version.

Where you'll see it

It flies from carriers, amphibious assault ships and Military Sealift Command ships. Its roles include vertical replenishment, medevac, combat search and rescue and mine detection.

Related aircraft

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