 |
 | |
|
| |
 The MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter is built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation of Stratford, Connecticut. The Sea Dragon is the first helicopter specifically designed for the mission of Airborne Mine Countermeasures, or AMCM. The MH-53E's AMCM objective includes, but is not limited to, providing precursor, breakthrough, and clearance mine countermeasures operations utilizing mine hunting, mine sweeping, and mine neutralization equipment from an airborne platform. The concept of AMCM was initiated by the Bureau of Aeronautics in 1951 and the MH-53E is the culmination of the Sikorsky H-53E series uniquely configured for the AMCM mission.The existence of the H-53 series can be attributed to the United States Marine Corps. The Corps had pushed to purchase a heavy lift helicopter since 1959, with requirements that included day/night adverse weather capabiliy, rear ramp door for loading equipment and vehicles, and a sealed fuselage for water landings. Sikorsky speeded development of the H-53 by using the six-bladed rotor and transmission from the United States Army CH-54 (S-64) Tarhe heavy lift crane helicopter, incorporating a new powerplant and watertight hull, stabilized by two lateral sponsons holding the retractable main landing gear. The result was the CH-53A (S-65) Sea Stallion assault transport helicopter. After years of operating the RH-53D Sea Stallion, basically a modified CH-53D (S-65) Sea Stallion, the United States Navy chose the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon as the successor to the RH-53D . The MH-53E is designed to increase time on station and improve mission reliability, as well as to provide the increased tow capability required by new AMCM devices. Improvements incorporated in the MH-53E over the RH-53D include a third T64-GE-416 turboshaft engine, new main gearbox, seventh main rotor blade, canted tail rotor, larger sponsons, improved avionics, digital automatic flight control systems, doppler, dual radar altimeters, improved mirrors, a dedicated fourth hydraulic system for AMCM systems, as well as various AMCM equipment provisions. The MH-53E has improved navigational capabilities, increased time on station, increased external and internal load capabilities, increased tow tension capability, and enhanced hover capability over the RH-53D. The first RH-53A was flown in 1972. The first prototype MH-53E was a CH-53E (S-80) Super Stallion conversion which initially flew at Sikorsky Dec. 23, 1981. It underwent evaluation and tesing at the Naval Coastal Systems Center in Panama City, Florida. The first pre-production MH-53E flew Sep. 1, 1983, while the first production aircraft flew in June 1986. The last of 48 MH-53E's was delivered to the U.S. Navy in October 1994. MH-53E's assigned to United States Navy Helicopter Mine Countermeasures (HM) squadrons used mechanical, magnetic and acoustic mine sweeping gear as well as a mine hunting sonar to clear shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf. Six MH-53E's were deployed to the Middle East during Desert Shield/Desert Storm and logged 3,300 hours while participating in the extensive coalition mine-clearing campaign. Some Sea Dragons have been converted and assigned the Vertical Onboard Delivery (VOD) mission to resupply aircraft carriers and large ships with oversized cargo. Although most MH-53E's now fly with three 4,380 shp General Electric T64-GE-416A turboshaft engines, the more powerful 4,750 shp T64-GE-419 turboshafts are currently being installed. One MH-53E has received a cockpit upgrade for the Navigation/Communication System (NCS). The NCS incorporates the Global Positioning System (GPS) and unifies the navigation and communication systems enhancing navigational capability and reducing pilot workload. Disappointingly, funding for the NCS program has been cancelled, and the NCS configured aircraft will be deconfigured. The U.S. Navy has received 48 MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters, amassing well over 65,000 flight hours with over 12,000 hours conducting tow operations during AMCM. The Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force has been delivered 11 MH-53E's which have amassed over 11,000 flight hours with over 750 hours conducting AMCM. |