cannonfoddertfc
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Ever wonder what the U in UH-60 means? The military dumbed it down in the early 1960's even though some have gotten weird over the years. UH-60M is a (U)tility mission (H)elicopter type (60)design (L)series or model. Here is the common mission list for helicopters with some examples:
A=attack AH-64 Apache, AH-1 Cobra,
C=cargo CH-46 SeaKnight, CH-47 Chinook, CH-53 Sea Stallion(or Super Stallion)
E=electronic special mission EH-60 (Blackhawk with command and control console)
H=search/rescue or MEDEVAC HH-60 Pavehawk or Jayhawk (note: most Army MEDEVAC aircraft use a UH designation)
M=multi-mission MH-60 Knighthawk (160th SOAR Direct Action Penetrator(DAP) aircraft use this designation), MH-6 Little Bird
O=observation OH-58 Kiowa
R=reconnaissance RAH-66 Comanche (mothballed project) (note the dual designation recon/attack)
S=anti submarine SH-3 Sea King, SH-60 Oceanhawk (the Seahawk also uses this designation but is a multi-mission platform so it should technically be a MH-60)
T=trainer TH-67 Creek
U=utility UH-1 Iroquois, UH-60 Blackhawk, LUH-72 Lakota (note the modified designation of "light utility")
V=VIP transport VH-60 Whitehawk (think Marine One), VH-3 Sea King (white top version of SH-3)
X=experimental XH-17 Flying Crane, XH-20 Little Henry (note: most military aircraft started life as a XH but once testing was done they receive their mission designation, the exceptions are aircraft that were already available on the civilian market such like the TH-67 which is just a Bell 206B Jet Ranger with an orange and white paint job)
Fixed wing have a longer list for "mission" and don't get a "vehicle type" letter. I might get around to posting this list later...my typing skills are expended for the day.
A=attack AH-64 Apache, AH-1 Cobra,
C=cargo CH-46 SeaKnight, CH-47 Chinook, CH-53 Sea Stallion(or Super Stallion)
E=electronic special mission EH-60 (Blackhawk with command and control console)
H=search/rescue or MEDEVAC HH-60 Pavehawk or Jayhawk (note: most Army MEDEVAC aircraft use a UH designation)
M=multi-mission MH-60 Knighthawk (160th SOAR Direct Action Penetrator(DAP) aircraft use this designation), MH-6 Little Bird
O=observation OH-58 Kiowa
R=reconnaissance RAH-66 Comanche (mothballed project) (note the dual designation recon/attack)
S=anti submarine SH-3 Sea King, SH-60 Oceanhawk (the Seahawk also uses this designation but is a multi-mission platform so it should technically be a MH-60)
T=trainer TH-67 Creek
U=utility UH-1 Iroquois, UH-60 Blackhawk, LUH-72 Lakota (note the modified designation of "light utility")
V=VIP transport VH-60 Whitehawk (think Marine One), VH-3 Sea King (white top version of SH-3)
X=experimental XH-17 Flying Crane, XH-20 Little Henry (note: most military aircraft started life as a XH but once testing was done they receive their mission designation, the exceptions are aircraft that were already available on the civilian market such like the TH-67 which is just a Bell 206B Jet Ranger with an orange and white paint job)
Fixed wing have a longer list for "mission" and don't get a "vehicle type" letter. I might get around to posting this list later...my typing skills are expended for the day.
