Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King

The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King (company designation S-61) is an American twin-engined anti-submarine warfare (ASW)helicopter designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft. It was a landmark design, being one of the first ASW helicopter to take advantage of turboshaft engines, as well as being the first amphibious helicopter in the world.^[2]

Introduced in 1961, it served as the United States Navy as a key ASW and utility asset for several decades before being replaced by the non-amphibious Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk in the 1990s. The type also proved popular in civil service and with foreign military customers, as of 2014 many remain in service in a number of nations around the world. The Sea King has been built under license by Agusta in Italy, Mitsubishi in Japan, and by Westland in the United Kingdom (See Westland Sea King). The major civil versions are the S-61L and S-61N.

OPERATIONAL HISTORY

The Sea King became operational with the United States Navy in June 1961 as the HSS-2; the aircraft's designation subsequently changed to SH-3A when the unified aircraft designation system was introduced. It was used primarily for anti-submarine warfare, detecting and tracking Soviet submarines and, in time of war, would be used to attack enemy submarines as well. Nighttime ASW operations were possible with considerable difficulty; in the event of hostilities, Sea Kings could also operate effectively from offshore platforms in order to further their surveillance and strike range

General characteristics

• Crew: four (two pilots, two ASW systems operators)
• Capacity: three passengers
• Length: 54 ft 9 in (16.7 m)
• Rotor diameter: 62 ft (19 m)
• Height: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
• Disc area: ft² (m²)
• Empty weight: 11,865 lb (5,382 kg)
• Loaded weight: 18,626 lb (8,449 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 22,050 lb (10,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T58-GE-10 turboshafts, 1,400 shp (1045 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 166 mph (267 km/h)
• 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

• 2× Mk 46/44 anti-submarine torpedoes (SH-3H)
• Various sonobuoys and pyrotechnic devices
• B-57 Nuclear depth charge