Photo courtesy U.S. Navy.
The MH-60R multi-mission helicopter combines the capabilities of the U.S. Navy’s legacy SH-60B and SH-60F helicopters into a single sensor-rich platform operated by a three-person crew.
Key to the Romeo’s success detecting and tracking targets is the effectiveness of the mission computers to analyze and process the sensor data to U.S. Navy’s certification against modern threats.
Building the battle picture
Fully integrated mission systems with smart automation set the Romeo apart from other maritime helicopters.
The highly integrated flight and mission computers aboard the aircraft process the incoming radar and acoustic data, combine it with information other on and off-board sensors, and compile a situational picture of the surface and underwater domains.
With smart automation analyzing and prioritizing the raw sensor data, and presenting it as actionable knowledge, the pilot, co-pilot and sensor operator spend less time interpreting information and more time prosecuting the target.
Sharing the workload
Integration also enables sharing of workload. Three functionally equivalent work stations in the Common Cockpit™ avionics suite and sensor workstation allow any crew member to readily switch between mission roles, such as operating the radar, sonobuoys, or dipping sonar.
The high level of crew coordination and efficiency coupled with an extremely high level of situational awareness renders the MH-60R an exceptionally effective air weapons system. The ability to locate, track and prosecute surface and subsurface threats gives a navy an extremely flexible capability with which to protect its fleet and control the maritime domain — whether in the littoral or open ocean environments.
