The terrible power of the US Air Force’s MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter

The U.S. Navy’s principal aerial mine countermeasures aircraft is the MH-53E Sea Dragon. The MH-53E, an offshoot of the CH-53 Sea Stallion, is more capacious with fuel and weighs more heavily than its progenitor. The MH-53 is capable of towing a variety of mine hunting/sweeping countermeasures systems, including the Mk 103 mechanical minesweeping system, the AQS-14A side-scan sonar, and the Mk 105 magnetic minesweeping launcher. It can operate from carriers and other warships. The аssаult support mission can be executed with the ramp-mounted GAU-21.50-caliber mаchine gun armament system affixed to the MH-53E.

The MH-53E Sea Dragon is equipped without weaponry but features Approach/Hover/Tow Coupler, GPS, and Doppler radar. IFF, UHF/VHF/HF radios, and secure communications capability. Communications consist of IFF, UHF/VHF/HF radios, and secure communications capability. As the MH-53E is presently discontinued from production, concerns regarding its service life are currently being investigated. The AMCM mission will be carried out by the MH-53E Sea Dragon until at least 2017. Beyond 2017, the Navy is currently assessing its requirements for both AMCM and Heavy Lift Vertical Onboard Delivery. It is anticipated that decisions will be rendered by late 2009.

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