Sikorsky UH-3 Sea King

SH-3 Sea King
Several UH-3 Sea Kings taking off
Description
Role	Multi-role helicopter
Crew	4 (2 pilots, 2 ASW systems operators)
Dimensions
Length	54 ft 9 in (fuselage)	16.7 m
Width
Height	16 ft 10 in	5.13 m
Rotor diameter	62 ft	19 m
Weights
Empty	11,865 lb	5,382 kg
Loaded
Maximum take-off	18,626 lb	8,449 kg
Powerplant
Engines	2 General Electric T58-GE-10 turboshaft
Power	1,400 shp (each)
Performance
Maximum speed	166 mph	267 km/h
Combat range
Ferry range	621 mi	1,000 km
Service ceiling	14,700 ft	4,481 m
Rate of climb	1,310-2,220 ft/min	400-670 m/min
Armament
Guns	None
Torpedoes	2 Mk 46 torpedoes (on SH-3H)

The Sikorsky UH-3 Sea King (also known as Sikorsky S-61) is a twin-engined multi-purpose helicopter. It served with the United States Navy and other forces, and in many countries around the world.

Contents

1 Overview

2 Canadian Experience

5.1 Accommodation
5.2 Armament
5.3 Performance
5.4 Powerplant

Overview

Designed by Sikorsky, the Sea King first flew in 1959, and was operational with the United States Navy in June 1961 as the HSS-2. The designation for the aircraft was changed with the introduction of the unified aircraft designation system in 1962 to the H-3.It was intended from the start to be used for shipboard operations (e.g., the five-bladed rotors can be folded for easy stowage). It was used primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also served in anti-ship, search and rescue, transport, communications, executive transport and Airborne Early Warning roles. In the US Navy it was replaced in the ASW and S&R roles by the SH-60 Sea Hawk during the 1990s, but continues in service for other roles, for ASW in the reserves, and around the world. All H-3 aircraft still in U.S. Navy service are used in the logistics support, range support, Search and Rescue, test, and VIP transport roles.

The Westland Sea King variant was manufactured under license by Westland Helicopters, Ltd. in the United Kingdom, who developed a specially modified version for the Royal Navy. It is powered by a pair of British Rolls-Royce Bristol Gnome turbines, and has British avionics and ASW equipment. This variant first flew in 1969, and entered service the next year. It was also used by the Royal Air Force and has been sold round the world. Aircraft were also manufactured under license in Japan.

Countries to which the Sea King has been exported include Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, Germany, India, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Pakistan, Qatar, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Armaments and equipment of Sea Kings vary widely with their role. Typical armaments can be four torpedoes, four depth charges or two anti-ship missiles (Sea Eagle or Exocet). In the Search and Rescue role the cabin can accommodate 22 survivors or nine stretchers and two medical officers. In the troop transport role 28 soldiers can be accommodated.

A "Sea King" is used as the official helicopter of the President of the United States, operated by the United States Marines. It is known as "Marine One" when The Chief is actually aboard.

Canadian Experience

Missing image
Ap17-S72-55974.jpg

An H-3 Sea King during Apollo 17 recovering operations, with the USS Ticonderoga in the background

The Royal Canadian Navy was authorized to purchase 41 Sea King models in 1963, designating them CH-124. The helicopters at that time were state of the art and served well, being well liked by crews. The RCN developed a technique for landing the huge helicopters on small ship decks, using a 'hauldown' winch (called a "bear trap"), earning aircrews the nickname of 'Crazy Canucks'. In 1968, the RCN, RCAF and army unified to form the Canadian Armed Forces; air units were dispersed throughout the new force structure until Air Command (AIRCOM) was created in 1975.

As the Sea Kings' air frames, engines and avionics systems aged over their years of service in the RCN, and later AIRCOM, they became increasingly unreliable and harder to maintain. Twelve have crashed, killing ten personnel. Each Sea King now requires over 30 hours of maintenance for every hour of flying time, a figure described by the Canadian Naval Officers Association as "grossly disproportionate" [1] (http://www.naval.ca/article/myrhaugen/seakingreplacement_byleemyrhaugen.html). The helicopters are unavailable for operations 40% of the time and due to the fact that the airframes are 10-15 years older than other Sea Kings flying in allied air forces, AIRCOM is frequently forced to have spare parts custom-made as Sikorsky's supplies are either overly expensive or no longer exist. AIRCOM's Sea Kings are now widely perceived as unreliable, outdated and expensive to maintain, by observers both inside and outside the Canadian Forces. In late 2003 the entire fleet was grounded (except for essential operations) for several weeks after two aircraft coincidentally lost power within a few days of each other.

Efforts by AIRCOM to find a replacement for the helicopters have been hampered by political considerations. In 1987 the Progressive Conservative government announced the purchase of 48 EH-101 helicopters to replace both the CH-124 Sea King and CH-113 Labrador fleets at a cost of $4.4 billion (CAD). Two variants of the EH-101 were being considered, with 33 CH-148 Petrel ship-borne anti-submarine models and 15 CH-149 Chimo variants for maritime and Arctic search and rescue. In 1992, just as the contract was to be finalised, the same government announced that the actual order was being reduced to 28 Petrels and 15 Chimos.

However, following a change of government in October 1993 the incoming Liberals ordered AIRCOM to immediately cancel the entire order, forcing the payment of cancellation fees of $500 million (CAD). When it subsequently became clear that new helicopters were still desperately needed to replace AIRCOM's CH-124 Sea King fleet, the Liberal government began a tortured procurement process that critics have accused of being deliberately tailored to prevent the EH-101 from being chosen as a candidate. The Liberal leader, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien had disparagingly referred to the EH-101 as a "Cadillac" during a time of government restraint and deficit fighting.

It was only after Chrétien's retirement in December 2003 that the competition was finally re-opened. In July of 2004 it was announced that the Sea Kings will be replaced by the new Sikorsky H-92, carrying a General Dynamics mission package, with the first of 28 models designated the CH-148 Cyclone scheduled for delivery in 2008.

There has been some controversy with the choice of the H-92. After the original EH-101 order was cancelled, AIRCOM was still desperate for a replacement for the CH-113 Labrador as a maritime/Arctic search-and-rescue helicopter, as these airframes were of a similar age to the CH-124 Sea King fleet and there had been several high-profile fatalities among aircrew. As search and rescue aircraft were much more palatable to the peaceable ideological leanings of Chrétien's administration during a time of zealous budget cuts to the Department of National Defence, the government authorized AIRCOM to acquire 15 civilian EH-101s that lacked the warfighting capability of the ship-borne anti-submarine version of the EH-101; in other words a very similar model to the original CH-149 Chimo proposal from 1987 and 1992 respectively, however these 15 EH-101s have been carefully renamed the CH-149 Cormorant to avoid reference to the original EH-101 controversy.

The fact that the EH-101 air frame won this much smaller competition for replacing the CH-113 Labrador caused considerable embarrassment for the Liberal government because AIRCOM had selected the very aircraft which the government had claimed was too extravagant while an opposition party, and which they had cancelled at a cost of $0.5 billion CAD shortly after assuming power as the government.

Critics have also claimed that by selecting the smaller two-engine H-92 to replace the CH-124 Sea King, as opposed to the supposedly more capable three-engine EH-101, for its ship-borne anti-submarine helicopters, Canada has lost the opportunity to have a single air frame, engine model and avionics package for land-based search and rescue and shipborne anti-submarine operations. Advantages would have included elimination of duplicate aircrew and maintenance training for multiple airframe models, as well as standardising parts supplies.

External links

US Navy Factfile (http://www.chinfo.navy.mil/navpalib/factfile/aircraft/air-sh3.html)
UK Defence Industries Site (http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/seaking/)
Combat Aircraft (http://www.combataircraft.com/aircraft/hseaking.asp)
Download Sea King for Flight Simulator (http://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads-file-720-details.html)

H-3 Variants

SH-3D -- anti-submarine warfare
SH-3H -- anti-submarine warfare
UH-3H -- cargo
SH-3H -- cargo
VH-3A -- executive transport missions

H-3 Stats

Accommodation

SH-3H/D -- Crew of four (two pilots, two sensor operators) and three passengers
UH-3H/SH-3G -- Up to 15 passengers

Armament

2 x MK-46/44 anti-submarine torpedoes
Various sonobouys and pyrotechnic devices
B-57 Nuclear depth charge

Performance

SH-3D/H helicopters are capable of airspeeds up to 120 KIAS for 3.5-5.5 hours

Powerplant

SH-3H/UH-3H: 2 x General Electric T-58-GE-402 turboshaft engines -- 1,500 shaft horsepower (1100 kW) each.
SH-3D: 2 x General Electric T58-GE-10 turboshaft engines -- 1,400 shaft horsepower (1000 kW) each.
SH-3G: 2 x General Electric T58-GE-8F turboshaft engines -- 1,250 shaft horsepower (900 kW) each.
Westland: two Rolls Royce Gnome (Mks. 1 & 2 H1400-1, Mk. 4 onwards H1400-2) free power turbines - 1200 kW (1,600 shaft horsepower each).

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