Glad to hear the crew are all out and OK.
I see a few of you complaining about the flotation. Interesting.
Flotation was problematic when the B was introduced (Early 80's). (And don't get me started on the blade fold system
)
Vague memory of discussions regarding the float interfering with the window removal.
Takeaway: make sure windows jettisoned before floats are deployed ... I'd need to go and find a B NATOPS manual to refresh that memory.
By the early 90's, word on the street in the LAMPS community was that the floats were not reliable. (Not sure when they got pulled off, memory does not serve).
The typical discussion in our ready rooms was
"If you need to ditch and you go to inflate, and only one inflates, there you are, HEEDS bottle time all over again. Don't be surprised if that's what happens to you!"
(@helopat, if you can add anything to that from memory it would be great).
@Golder: MH-60R was lost in this incident, but MH-60R is
not (as regards the USN recent loss) an MH-60S (which grew from the CH-60S replacement for the Phrog/CH-46) and is based off of the Blackhawk (L model) not the Seahawk (B/F model).
Two substantial differences (among numerous others):
a. R (Originally SH-60R, re-designated MH-60R due to USN internal issues) has the Small deck landing gear + RAST (Tail wheel much farther forward); S has that all-the-way-in-the-ass tail wheel as a Blackhawk does, and no RAST.
b. R has the Radar, and a substantial mission and avionics suite internally whereas the S has a lot less stuff internalyl. S went from cargo to Combat SAR Mission during its early introduction.
A third point: as I look through my S model notes, you see the lack of the four ESM antennae (B and R have them, F did not, H did not, S does not).
Question for the Aussies: did your Navy buy the data link (
AN/SRQ-4) that USN Seahawks/ships/LAMPS system use as a part of the kit, or, was that one of those bits that didn't make the final export sell?
I remember in the early 90's there was some question as to which version of the ESM antennae was supposed to be loaded onto the RAAN export version but it's been years and memory is a bit foggy.