Uh-60m Deliveries To Aus

[Tim D]

There was a thread on Reddit /ausmilitary today which had 2 x pics of a UH-60M being unloaded from a C-17. It has since been deleted (assuming the photos were unofficial?). Unfortunately I didn't think to save the photos separately or note the serial, but the picture definitely had a kangaroo on the main door.

One of the comments noted that one of the aircraft was flown from Richmond to Holsworthy and it had an ADS-B code of A60002.

Looking at this further, it seems three UH-60Ms have been delivered based on historical data for 5/6 August on Aussie ADS-B - each with a callsign A60001/A60002/A60003.

I cannot verify any imagery at this time as images.defence.gov.au is offline for maintenance - but I guess the new Black Hawks are here!

[Tim D]

ADS-B data attached (click for larger size) & link to report.
(IMG:https://i.imgur.com/HcNoFCQ.png)

[Shep]

I found this image with a google search, credited to "reddit" (I couldn't see a photographers name for credit - so I suppose its "public domain"?).

(More to follow)..

Attached Image

[Shep]

It linked to a second image of the same airframe ...

Looks like a RAAF Photographer on scene to record the event.

I was somewhat confused with these two images though. It was my understanding that the "M" models being bought by Australia were supposed to be equipped with WX RADAR and MX-10D IRDS. The nose area of this machine is devoid of this type of kit - is this stuff to be mounted on some other part of the airframe?

I know the IRDS turret wouldn't be on for this sort of transportation, but if it were to be mounted under the nose, a fitting shoe (or similar) should be visible - and where else would a WX RADAR be mounted if not on the tip of the nose?

Anyway ...

Unusual place for the 'roo.

"A60-" visible on the vertical stab, but individual numbers obscured.

Edit: Put a word back in its proper place.

This post has been edited by Shep on Aug 7 2023, 06:40 AM

Attached Image

[Shep]

This is an MX-10D on a UH-60M (L3Harris image from 2020)


Edit: Here is the link to the US Defense [sic] Security Cooperation Agency News Release from August 2022.
https://www.dsca.mil/sites/default/files/ma...022-51%20CN.pdf

This post has been edited by Shep on Aug 7 2023, 07:29 AM

Attached Image

[Shep]

As of 0745 this morning, ABC has posted a news item "4 hours ago":

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-08-07/new-...inues/102695564

The ABC report has this image (attached below "A UH-60M Black Hawk in flight. (Supplied: Lockheed Martin)".

Given the positioning of the "United States Army" titles and serial number and comparing them with the word "Army" and the "A60-" titles on the machine pictured a few posts earlier (above), plus the very odd position of the kangaroo marking - is it possible that the machines delivered on the weekend are perhaps not from our official order but might be interim American machines being loaned to us as a short term measure until our "official" machines commence delivery? Wild speculation (and with very little foundation) I know, but for the three to be delivered immediately after the Tiapan accident and devoid of the bells and whistles that ours are supposed to have leads me to think that maybe these aren't ours but loaners. I know the referenced article says that these are the first of our 40 - and "on schedule", but if that is correct then why are they in non-standard markings and with without any of the stuff we specifically ordered?

Just an observation ...

Attached Image

[Tim D]

Excellent work Shep! Those are the two images I saw - thank you for finding them after my fruitless search.

Very interesting speculation but has sound reasoning. To add more credence, the ADS-B hex codes were American “AExxxx”. From memory, machines (eg RAAF or RNZAF P8s) were delivered with the correct hex code.

Time will tell what these 3 machines really are!

[Brenden S]

There was a good discussion on the facebook page about this. A60-001 was one machine that had been posted as flying.

[Shep]

No worries, Tim. Cheers.

Excellent supporting info.

With the RAAF Photographer in one of the shots, I wonder if/when that imagery will appear in the defence image gallery?

Edit: (Didn't see Brendens post)

I can only usually see the image section of facebook. Not a member.

This post has been edited by Shep on Aug 7 2023, 10:05 AM

[Shep]

Attached (below) is a screen shot from an Erik Johnston youtube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPc578CV-78

The pilot providing the walkaround commentary of this HH-60W (yes, I know, it is NOT a UH-60M) identifies the radar as being a Primus 701A colour weather radar and the IRDS turret (underneath) as being an MX-10. The grill on top of the nose extension is one of two that provides airflow for the cooling of the additional electronic equipment in the nose compartment and the instrument panel. Of the two circular protuberances visible between the nose extension and the left-hand chin bubble, the grey one is a RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) and the “gold” one is part of the missile defence system.

Acknowledging that this screen shot shows the WX RADAR and MX-10 (he didn’t call it an MX10D, just “MX10”) on a HH-60W and not a UH-60M, I’ve included it here to illustrate the type of nose fit that I would have expected given the “option list” quoted in the US DSCV news release linked previously. The arrangement on "our" UH-60Ms might be a bit different, but I think this serves as a reasonably good comparison with look of the helicopter being unload (pictured several posts ago, above).

Attached Image

[Shep]

A further "report" by Andrew McLaughlin here:
https://the-riotact.com/first-new-black-haw...ontinues/690297

Doesn't add much, but it does have an extra photo (no serial though).

[Shep]

Some images are now on the defence images (and army images) galleries.

This is A60-001

Attached Image

[Warhawk]

Seems per last count of known in country UH-60Ms, are, per civy released Pictures up to this week,..being A60-001/002/003/005/006 that are in country, with four of these drilling holes over Canberra last week. All are standard US Army UH-60M slicks without our originally ordered specs, including Radar and Flir etc.

It remains to be seen if contract airframe #13 supplied in 2026 will be a factory direct built one with the original Aus Army specs installed. That aside if that happens, then whether these redirected US Army airframes A60-001 to 012 will be rebuilt to that original spec or traded back to replacements as such. Doubtful given the current political will (Budgets for renewables etc). <_<

[Shep]

Thanks for the update, Gordy. Good stuff.

Good to see that the early withdrawal of the Taipan fleet and the "on schedule" deliveries of the new Blackhawks as ordered by Australia hasn't resulted in any loss of army aviation capability - especially with regard to the air mobility of SF's ..

Be back up to speed in no time.