This captivating image, featured prominently at the outset and below in an enhanced rendition, is believed to have ties to Fort Eustis in Virginia. Home to the 128th Aviation Brigade, formerly known as the U.S. Army Aviation Logistics School, Fort Eustis also houses the Felker Army Airfield and hosts a unit commonly recognized as the Flight Concepts Division (FCD), now rebranded as the Aviation Technology Office (ATO). The ATO is reputed to spearhead the development of the stealth Black Hawks employed during the Bin Laden raid and numerous other cutting-edge and classified rotary-wing capabilities within the U.S. Army’s arsenal.
As we delve into the intricacies of this revelation, it becomes apparent that Fort Eustis, with its rich history and the covert activities of the Aviation Technology Office, plays a pivotal role in shaping the evolution of military aviation technology. The disclosed image serves as a tangible thread connecting past and present, unraveling the mysteries surrounding these enigmatic aircraft and offering a glimpse into the veiled corridors of advanced military capabilities.
The recently updated image provides a tantalizing glimpse into the unknown, leaving us with a myriad of unanswered questions about the helicopter’s associated programs and the enigmatic location of its capture. Although the geographical origin remains elusive, the arid desert backdrop suggests a probable setting in the American Southwest, renowned for hosting various aviation test facilities, including classified bases like Area 51 and the Tonopah Test Range Airport—both reputed for their clandestine operations.
Diverging from the MH-60 airframe associated with the Black Hawks in the Bin Laden raid, the helicopter featured in the photo unmistakably belongs to the Sikorsky EH-60 variant, although the precise model, be it an EH-60A or EH-60L, remains ambiguous. Both versions were equipped with iterations of the AN/ALQ-151 Quick Fix system, demonstrating capabilities ranging from intercepting hostile electronic emissions to providing direction-finding information for pinpointing sources, coupled with electronic warfare jamming. While the EH-60A boasted the AN/ALQ-151(V)2 Quick Fix II system, the EH-60L featured the more advanced AN/ALQ-151(V)3 Advanced Quick Fix suite.
Examining the helicopter’s configuration, four dipole antennas, two on each side of the tail boom, mirror the design found on both the EH-60A and EH-60L. Below the fuselage, a conspicuous long, retractable whip antenna aligns with the EH-60A, distinguishing it from the sturdier antenna system on the EH-60L. This ventral antenna is associated with the AN/ALQ-17A(V)2 Trafficjam communications jamming system, an integral component of the comprehensive Quick Fix II suite.
As we delve deeper into the intricacies of this clandestine capture, the details surrounding the helicopter’s modifications and its potential role in classified programs continue to elude us, adding another layer of mystery to the narrative of these stealthy Black Hawks and their connection to the military’s covert endeavors.
Additionally, the helicopter showcases a pair of sizable Missile Approach Warning Sensors, strategically positioned on either side beneath the nose, just below the main cockpit doors. These sensors are integral components of the AN/ALQ-156A Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS), a feature shared by both EH-60As and EH-60Ls. Two identical sensors are ingeniously mounted further aft behind the fuselage doors, ensuring a comprehensive 360-degree coverage for the Black Hawk. This sophisticated MAWS not only enhances the helicopter’s defensive capabilities but also exemplifies the meticulous engineering behind the EH-60 series.
Furthermore, as the EH-60s evolved, they were outfitted with a variant of the AN/APR-39 radar warning system, a technological upgrade also extended to other Black Hawk models. This enhanced system includes smaller receivers strategically positioned on both the nose and tail of the helicopter. These advancements, meticulously integrated into the aircraft’s design, not only signify a commitment to bolstering the Black Hawk’s situational awareness but also underscore the adaptability of these helicopters within the ever-changing landscape of radar and missile technologies.
In unraveling the intricacies of this stealthy Black Hawk variant, each component tells a story of innovation and strategic foresight, contributing to the evolution of a helicopter that goes beyond conventional expectations. The amalgamation of these cutting-edge systems underscores the commitment to ensuring the Black Hawk’s prowess in the face of evolving threats, solidifying its role as a cornerstone in the realm of advanced military rotary-wing capabilities.
Furthermore, noteworthy visual parallels can be drawn between the modified nose, doghouse, and rotor hub of the stealthy Black Hawk and a kit developed by Bell for the OH-58X Kiowa in the 1980s. Our previous War Zone feature delves into the intriguing realm of Kiowa stealth upgrades, shedding light on this lesser-known aspect of military aviation history. While the Army conducted evaluations of the OH-58X, it did not adopt the platform on a large scale. Nevertheless, a number of these stealthy kits were acquired for use with its OH-58D Kiowa Warrior armed scout helicopters, marking a chapter in the military’s exploration of enhanced stealth capabilities.
Sikorsky had proposed υsiпg advaпced radar-absorbiпg composite materials as part of its stealthy Black Hawk desigп stυdies iп the late 1970s aпd Bell iпcorporated similar coпcepts iпto its OH-58X. Sikorsky also experimeпted with its S-75 techпology demoпstrator dυriпg the mid-1980s, which made heavy υse of composites aпd iпformed the developmeпt of the abortive Boeiпg-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comaпche. The Comaпche also featυred a complex shroυded rotor hυb desigп similar to this particυlar Black Hawk. It is almost certaiп that maпy, if пot most of the additioпs to this EH-60 were also made of composites to help improve with radar sigпatυre redυctioп aпd limit the additioпal weight added to the helicopter wheп iпstalled.
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It’s also worth пotiпg that the modified eпgiпe iпtakes oп this Black Hawk appear to help coпceal the faп faces of its two tυrbiпe eпgiпes aпd dramatically cleaп υp the area aroυпd the eпgiпe пacelles aпd forward doghoυse area. These are all featυres that traditioпally have a high degree of radar reflectivity.
Later model UH-60As aпd UH-60Ls, as well as other H-60 variaпts based oп those versioпs, also have iпfrared redυctioп fairiпgs over their exhaυsts that have aп opeпiпg at the froпt that allows cool air to pass throυgh. Oп the aircraft iп qυestioп, this area has beeп screeпed-over likely with a radar atteпυatiпg mesh.
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Uпlike the helicopters υsed iп the Biп Ladeп raid, this particυlar example has пo modificatioпs to its tail rotor, which woυld have пegatively impacted its all-aspect radar reflectivity aпd especially its acoυstic sigпatυre. However, the radar reflectivity of the helicopter’s froпt aspect woυld have beeп the most pressiпg coпcerп wheп it comes to RF stealth, especially wheп peпetratiпg iпto heavily defeпded areas. We also doп’t kпow whether additioпal stealthy add-oпs, especially for the tail, were developed later for this project or were otherwise пot fitted iп this particυlar iпstaпce.
Determining the precise date of the photograph becomes a particularly challenging endeavor without insight into the specific variant of the EH-60. Sikorsky initiated the development of the EH-60A for the Army in 1980, following the decision not to deploy the Quick Fix II system on a variant of the venerable Bell Huey helicopter known as the EH-1X. The EH-60As were intended to replace older EH-1H helicopters equipped with the AN/ALQ-151 and AN/ALQ-151(V)1 Quick Fix suites. This historical context underscores the complexity of dating the photograph accurately, as it encompasses a period when the EH-60A was making its debut as a technological advancement for the Army’s aviation capabilities.
Between 1989 and 1990, efforts commenced on the Advanced Quick Fix system, originally slated for installation on another UH-60A variant known as the EH-60C. However, the Army eventually opted to integrate it into a modified UH-60L, capitalizing on the variant’s more potent engines, giving rise to the EH-60L. It’s crucial to distinguish the EH-60L from EUH-60L helicopters configured as airborne command posts. Despite initial plans, the Army did not pursue the Advanced Quick Fix system and its accompanying helicopter on a widespread basis—a fate shared by numerous U.S. military programs during the tumultuous period surrounding the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Given the available information, it seems plausible that the photograph was captured in the late 1980s or, more likely, the 1990s. This timeframe aligns with Sikorsky’s collaboration with Boeing during that period, working on what would later materialize as the RAH-66 Comanche. The connection between these endeavors remains unclear, but the EH-60’s appearance in this context might be attributed to its availability for participation in specific tests. The limited EH-60 fleet is known for its involvement in various tests and modification trials.
It’s noteworthy that the utilization of an EH-60 in this case could be linked to its availability for testing purposes. Additionally, historical reports have indicated that the stealth Black Hawks used during the Bin Laden raid featured a “snap-on”-type kit. However, the tail of the crashed helicopter appeared too intricate for such a temporary modification, adding further intrigue to the story.
The level of progress in the stealthy modifications to the Black Hawk at the time of the historic raid remains uncertain, possibly leading to some confusion within Pentagon circles. The helicopters were an exceptionally well-kept secret, a revelation that might not have surfaced if not for the unfortunate crash. It’s plausible that Pentagon officials misinterpreted older tests involving more rudimentary kits with the more intricate configuration ultimately used in the raid.
Another possibility lies in the Army’s interest in developing a stealthy kit for broader use on its Black Hawks, with the EH-60 variants being a specific focus. Enhancing these platforms with a reduced radar signature could facilitate covert approaches and subsequent jamming, creating opportunities for non-stealthy helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft to follow through undetected.
Introducing a kit adaptable to any Black Hawk variant as needed could effectively prevent unnecessary exposure of the capability during routine operations. Performance degradation would not be permanent, allowing helicopters to operate in a standard configuration most of the time.
Addressing the lingering question – could these modifications be the same as those used on the Stealth Hawks during the Bin Laden raid? The dissimilarity in tail treatment suggests otherwise. It’s conceivable that a kit using similar forward elements, along with a more elaborate tail assembly to reduce acoustic signature, might exist. However, at this point, it remains speculative, and the consensus is that this represents an evolutionary or earlier iteration of what would eventually lead to the now-famous, but never publicly seen, ‘Stealth Hawks.’ Confirmation remains elusive.
In the past, The War Zone has received reports that the Stealth Hawks used an MH-60 as their base platform. An outer composite body, specially constructed by Sikorsky, accommodated this platform, making it a more intricate and permanent application. However, these claims are yet to be corroborated. Additionally, newer and even more complex generations of Stealth Hawks are reported to have been built following the Bin Laden raid and are currently in service.
It’s remarkable to consider that almost a decade has passed since the daring mission into Abbottabad, and official information about the helicopters used, or even sightings of a similar platform, remains scant. Robert O’Neil, often controversially referred to as ‘the man who killed Osama Bin Laden,’ provided a vivid description, recounting his reaction upon seeing the helicopters used in the training model for Operation Neptune Spear.
Now, thanks to this image, we finally have concrete evidence of at least one version of a ‘Stealth Hawk,’ and the comparison to Decepticons seems fitting indeed.
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