{"id":20042,"date":"2021-04-15T22:00:30","date_gmt":"2021-04-15T22:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/04\/15\/new-combat-rescue-helicopter-for-air-force-finishes-key-tests\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T20:35:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T20:35:38","slug":"new-combat-rescue-helicopter-for-air-force-finishes-key-tests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/training-sim\/2021\/04\/15\/new-combat-rescue-helicopter-for-air-force-finishes-key-tests\/","title":{"rendered":"New combat rescue helicopter for Air Force finishes key tests"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Air Force wrapped up the latest round of tests on its new combat rescue helicopter<\/a> Tuesday, moving the Sikorsky-built HH-60W Jolly Green II a step closer to full-time operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last step of developmental testing checked whether the helicopter\u2019s weapons worked in flight and were properly configured, the Air Force said in a release<\/a> Thursday. HH-60Ws wield a 7.62 mm Gatling gun that fires 3,000 rounds per minute, a .50 caliber machine gun that can fire 1,100 rounds per minute, and a .50 caliber machine gun that can reach 800 rounds per minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search-and-rescue forces will fly the Jolly Green II<\/a>, named after the green Vietnam War-era rescue helicopters, into remote and dangerous areas to find downed airmen who could be in peril or need medical evacuation. It replaces the HH-60G Pave Hawk, an earlier version of the Army\u2019s Black Hawk that the Air Force has flown since the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, welcomed the Air Force\u2019s first two new combat rescue helicopters in November.<\/p>\n\n\n\t