Unleashing the MH-60S Knighthawk
By Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Armstrong, U.S. Navy
It has been several decades since the U.S. Navy operated and deployed helicopter gunships in support of maritime operations. The surface Navy and embarked staffs that control the composite warfare system have had little experience employing such a weapon system across the range of military operations. In the past ten years, however, the Navy has begun to see the deployment of the MH-60S Knighthawk “armed helo” from the helicopter sea-combat squadrons. Planners and operators alike need to become familiar with the platform and its capabilities to maximize its effectiveness in maritime operations.
