Kittyhawk gives us our "Romeo" - the MH-60R is on the way...
MH-60R "Seahawk"
From Kittyhawk
1/35th scale
Kit No# KH50008
4 marking choices inside the box
4 marking choices inside the box
Plastic injection moulded, clear & photo etch parts
The Subject: MH-60R Seahawk Helicopter - The world’s most advanced maritime helicopter.
The MH-60R Seahawk is the Navy's next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter and will form a very important part of its operations for years to come.
MH-60R Seahawk is a multi-mission helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It is considered to be the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter. The rotorcraft replaces the SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters in the US Navy’s fleet and combines the capabilities of these aircraft. The MH-60R is also referred to as ‘Romeo’.
The helicopter is equipped for a range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), search-and-rescue (SAR), naval gunfire support (NGFS), surveillance, communications relay, logistics support and personnel transfer, and vertical replenishment (VERTREP).
The helicopter is fitted with a 2,721.55kg (6,000lb) cargo hook for vertical replenishment missions. Lockheed Martin, Owego, is the mission system’s integrator.
The MH-60R is equipped with a highly sophisticated combat systems designed to employ Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and the Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedo. The primary missions of the 'Romeo' helicopter is anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. Secondary missions include search and rescue, logistics support, personnel transport and medical evacuation. For self-defence, the MH-60R is equipped with pintle-mounted 7.62mm machine gun.
The MH-60R avionics includes dual controls and instead of the complex array of dials and gauges in Bravo and Foxtrot aircraft, 4 fully integrated 8" x 10" night vision goggle-compatible and sunlight-readable colour multi-function displays, all part of glass cockpit produced by Owego Helo Systems division of Lockheed Martin.
The view of an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter over Sydney Harbour during a photography exercise on the 18th September 2019.
Onboard sensors include: AN/AAR-47 Missile Approach Warning System by ATK, Raytheon AN/AAS-44 electro-optical system that integrates FLIR and laser rangefinder AN/ALE-39 decoy dispenser and AN/ALQ-144 infrared jammer by BAE Systems, AN/ALQ-210 electronic support measures system by Lockheed Martin, AN/APS-147 multi-mode radar/IFF interrogator, which during a mid-life technology insertion project is subsequently replaced by AN/APS-153 Multi-Mode Radar with Automatic Radar Periscope Detection and Discrimination (ARPDD) capability.
Both radars were developed by Telephonics, a more advanced AN/AQS-22 advanced airborne low-frequency sonar (ALFS) jointly developed by Raytheon & Thales, AN/ARC-210 voice radio by Rockwell Collins, an advanced airborne fleet data link AN/SRQ-4 Hawklink with radio terminal set AN/ARQ-59 radio terminal, both by L3Harris, and LN-100G dual-embedded global positioning system and inertial navigation system by Northrop Grumman Litton division.
The MH-60R Seahawk console in the rear of the aircraft during a photography exercise on the 18th September 2019
Foreign Operators:
International Operations for the U.S. Navy, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Australian Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces. Australia received its first MH-60R in 2013, and since then it’s expanded to 24 helicopters. Primarily, MH-60R serves as its next-generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter. Denmark became the third country to operate the MH-60R after Australia, receiving its first aircraft of nine in 2016.
Saudi Arabia was the latest nation to join the MH-60R family. With its first delivery in 2018, the Royal Saudi Navy will receive 10 MH-60R helicopters in total. In February 2020, India and the US have signed a deal for the procurement of MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopters for the Indian Navy.
A Danish "Romeo" 723rd Squadron MH-60R helicopter strapped down in heavy seas
MH-60R helicopter is powered by two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines rated at 1,425kW. It has a maximum and cruise speed of 267 km/h and 168 km/h respectively, with a maximum flying range of 834 km. It weighs around 6,895 kg and has a maximum take-off weight of 10,659 kg.
This new kit from Kittyhawk:
Another addition to the "Hawk" series of popular choppers from Kittyhawk in 1/35th scale, this kit is a multi-part assembly of plastic injection moulding, clear parts and of course some photo etch thrown in there.
Markings included in this boxing:
There are four marking choices included in this boxing, with them all being from the largest operator, the US Navy:
HSM-49: HSL-49 "Scorpions" no #100 - this unit was re-designated HSM-49 on April 1, 2015, Their home base is NAS North Island, San Diego, California.
MH-60R Seahawk (HSM-49) aboard USS Momsen (DDG 92) - October 2016
HSM-41 'Seahawks' - US Navy - Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41 - this is aircraft no "425" that was painted in a throwback to WWII scheme of several attractive blues.
MH-60R "425" (#166524) from HSM41 is also one of the subjects in this boxing...
HSM-35 Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 35 'Magicians' "35" (No#167050). HSM-35 was established on May 2, 2013 and its home base is NAS North Island, San Diego, California, it deploys to warships as it is an expeditionary unit.
Image taken of "35" at the Miramar Air Show 2014
HSM-78 Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 78 'Blue Hawks' "700".
Pictured is the fourth version included in this kit - MH-60R Seahawk (HSM-78 / CVW-2) which was embarked on USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - March 2017
That is all we know about this kit so far, check out the Kittyhawk Facebook for more info on all of their kits...
