History: MH-53 Pave Low
Preview of version: 14
Role | Heavy-lift helicopter | ||
Manufacturer : | Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation | ||
First flight : | 15 March 1967 | ||
Retired: | 30 September 2008 | ||
Status : | retired | ||
Primary users : | United States Air Force | ||
Produced : | 1967-1970 | ||
Number built : | 72 | ||
Unit cost : | US$ 40 million | ||
Developed from : | Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion |
The Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low is a long-range combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopter developed by The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for the United States Air Force. The helicopter was developed from the HH-53B/C variants of the the Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion. The HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant" was meant to be the successor of the HH-3 "Jolly Green Giant". The MH-53 is also used for Special Operations missions. In September 2008 the U.S. Air Force retired the MH-53J/M and was replaced by the CV-22B Osprey
Table of contents
Development
Background
Production
Design
Technology
Operational Service
Variants
- TH-53A - a training version used by US Air Force (USAF)
- HH-53B - CH-53A type for USAF search and rescue (SAR)
- CH-53C - heavy-lift version for USAF, 22 built
- HH-53C - "Super Jolly Green Giant", improved HH-53B for USAF
- S-65C-2 (S-65o) - export version for Austria, later to Israel
- S-65-C3 - export version for Israel
- YHH-53H - prototype Pave Low I aircraft
- HH-53H - Pave Low II night infiltrator
- MH-53H - redesignation of HH-53H
- MH-53J - "Pave Low III" - a special operations conversion of HH-53B, HH-53C, and HH-53H.
- MH-53M - "Pave Low IV" further upgraded MH-53Js
For other H-53 variants, see CH-53 Sea Stallion and CH-53E Super Stallion.
Competitors
Deliveries
Accidents
Specifications
Similar helicopters
CH-53 Sea Stallion
CH-53E Super Stallion
HH-3E Jolly Green Giant
Boeing MH-47 Chinook
Further reading
More info on helicopters: Helicopters
More info on Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
List of active military aircraft of the United States
Aviation pages
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History
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