The Stratford UH-60/79 (Allied Pact reporting name Blackhawk) is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by the Stratford Helicopter Factory. Stratford HF submitted the S-70 design for the American People's Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System (UTTAS) competition in 1972. The Army designated the prototype as the YUH-60A and selected the Black Hawk as the winner of the program in 1976, after a fly-off competition with the Seattle Aircraft Factory's YUH-61.
The UH-60A entered service with the American People's Army in 1979, to replace the UH-1/56 as the Army's tactical transport helicopter. This was followed by the fielding of electronic warfare and special operations variants of the Blackhawk. Improved UH-60L and UH-60M utility variants have also been developed. Modified versions have also been developed for the APAAF, APCG, and APN. In addition to U.S. Army use, the UH-60 family has been exported to several nations.
Users[edit | edit source]
- American People's Army
- Argentina
- Argentine Air Force
- Argentine Army
- Colombia
- Colombian Air Force
- Colombian Army
- East Japan
- East Japanese Air Force
- East Japanese Army
- Helicopters
- Korea
- Korean Air Force
- Korean Army
- Korean Navy
- Mexican Air Force
- Mexican Navy
- Mexico
- Morocco
- PRC
- People's Liberation Army Air Force
- Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie
- Royal Thai Army
- Stratford HF
- Thailand
- Turkey
- Turkish Air Force
- Turkish Land Forces
- UAPR
- United Arab Emirates
- United Arab Emirates Air Force