New AF helo enters defense testing

EGLIN AFB, Fla. - The Air Force’s newest combat rescue helicopter, the HH-60W, hung suspended here in a soundproof chamber for defense system testing in December. The 413th Flight Test Squadron’s “Whiskey” helo went into the Joint Preflight Integration of Munitions and Electronic Systems facility in mid-November for about seven weeks of defensive systems testing. Those systems are a significant upgrade from the legacy HH-60G flown by Air Combat Command. The JPRIMES facility has the unique capability to capture high quality data on those defensive systems by isolating the electromagnetic radiation inside the facility’s anechoic chamber. The chamber is a room designed to stop reflections of either sound or electromagnetic waves and insulated from exterior sources of noise. Testing the HH-60W in J-PRIMES will characterize the performance of the helicopter’s systems prior to electronic warfare flight-testing. Tests ensure it is capable of defeating hostile threats while performing its designated combat SAR mission. The new aircraft arrived to the 96th Test Wing in November. The AF is contracted to purchase 113 helos to replace the HH-60G. (Source: Eglin AFB 01/07/20) https://www.eglin.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2051759/hang-in-there-hh-60w-enters-chamber-for-defense-systems-testing/