Sikorsky MH-60L DAP (Direct-Action Penetrator)

Special Forces Gunship Helicopter

United States | 1990

"The Sikorsky MH-60L DAP serves as a gunship counterpart to the base, troop-carrying MH-60L special forces helicopter."

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Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/20/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The skilled operators of United States Special Operations COMmand (US SOCOM) currently (2021) rely on a modestly-sized fleet of Sikorsky MH-60L DAP ("Direct Action Penetrator") support helicopters to fulfill their armed rotary-lift requirements. The MH-60L DAP is a parallel evolution of the base troop-carrying MH-60L with both developed specifically for the rigors of special forces operations. The MH-60L is currently in service with the United State Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ("SOAR") through both of the available troop-carrying and supporting gunship models - the DAP variant being the latter, essentially the well-armed model doing away with the inherent troop-carrying capability of the baseline MH-60L.

The most obvious feature of the DAP mark is its wingstubs which are used to mount various air-to-surface weaponry, extensively broadening tactical flexibility for special operatives on the ground. Gunships provide critical fire suppression overhead as well as on-call firepower when needed by these forward-operating ground allies. In this way, the DAP can be outfitted with the 30mm M230 Chain Gun weapon system as well as Hydra 70 series rocket pods, GAU-19 gun pods, and M134 Gatling-style minigun pods - all capable of defeating light- / soft-skinned targets at range. In addition to this, the doors can be equipped with trainable (pintle-mounted) M134D miniguns for point-defense work as well as additional suppression of enemy forces. More hefty options the proven AGM-114 "Hellfire" Anti-Tank Guided-Missile (ATGM) to combat armored targets and the AIM-92 "Stinger" to counter short-ranged aerial threats.

On the whole, the DAP offering maintains the excellent qualities of the Sikorsky UH-60 "Black Hawk" transport helicopter design: a piloting crew of two are situated in the usual side-by-side seating arrangement at the cockpit aft of a short, glazed, radar-equipped nose section. Entry to this area is by hinged, automobile-style doors. Aft of this is the crew cabin with sliding access doors. Wingstubs are mounted high along the sides of the fuselage. The UH-60's twin, side-by-side turboshaft engine arrangement is retained and this drives a four-bladed main rotor system (capable of folding for ease-of-transport) and a four-bladed tail rotor unit facing starboard. The undercarriage remains a three-point, fixed, wheeled landing gear system of tail-dragger arrangement. An in-flight refueling boom is easily identified along the lower starboard side of the aircraft - increasing operating ranges of the helicopter considerably.

Used in conjunction with the troop-carrying counterpart, the MH-60 DAP is a lethal rotary-wing system that has served SOCOM forces well for decades. Its value, and age, are such that a direct successor is actively being sought - and this might come from the in-process "Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft" (FARA) helicopter competition being undertaken by the U.S. Army.

Entrants include high-profile solutions from long-time industry players Bell and Sikorsky.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the MH-60L DAP Special Forces Gunship Helicopter.

2 x General Electric T700-GE-701C turboshaft engines developing 1,890 horsepower driving four-bladed main rotor and four-bladed tail rotor unit (starboard side).
Propulsion

103 mph
165 kph | 89 kts
Max Speed

20,013 ft
6,100 m | 4 miles
Service Ceiling

1,398 miles
2,250 km | 1,215 nm
Operational Range

1,450 ft/min
442 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the MH-60L DAP Special Forces Gunship Helicopter.

5
(MANNED)
Crew

66.4 ft
20.25 m
O/A Length

53.6 ft
(16.35 m)
O/A Width

16.9 ft
(5.15 m)
O/A Height

12,346 lb
(5,600 kg)
Empty Weight

26,896 lb
(12,200 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Sikorsky MH-60L DAP (Direct-Action Penetrator) Special Forces Gunship Helicopter provided across 4 hardpoints.

Supported types:
30mm M230 Chain Gun automatic cannons.
19-shot Hydra 70 rocket pods.
GAU-19 gun pods.
M134 minigun gun pods.

Specific Threats:
AGM-114 "Hellfire" Anti-Tank, Guided-Missiles (ATGMs).
AIM-92 "Stinger" short-ranged air-to-air missiles.

Also:
M134D miniguns at each fuselage side door opening (trainable).

Also any personal weapons carried by the crew.

X

Hardpoints Key:

Centerline

Wingroot(L)

Wingroot(R)

Wing

Wingtip

Internal

Not Used

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Sikorsky MH-60L DAP (Direct-Action Penetrator) family line.

MH-60L DAP - Direct-Action Penetrator variant.

MH-60L - Troop-carrying variant.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Sikorsky MH-60L DAP (Direct-Action Penetrator). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 100 Units
Contractor(s): Sikorsky - USA

[ United States (SOCOM) ]

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Going Further...
The Sikorsky MH-60L DAP (Direct-Action Penetrator) Special Forces Gunship Helicopter appears in the following collections:

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