Unusual Danish Navy MH-60R Stores Question

[Uncle Dick]

Came across this photo of a Danish Romeo (image from aircraft slides.com): 

 

I am familiar with most stores carried by the Romeo but this has me guessing, my best guess is that it is that it is a new ECM pod that the US Navy had in the works but I am only guessing... Anyone able to identify????

 

 

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

Could it be a dinghy pack for its SAR role?

The yellow things look like grab rails rather than aerials ?

 

https://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/952176/n-973-denmark-air-force-sikorsky-mh-60r-seahawk/

[Phantom726]

It's an Emergency Life Raft Pod (ELRP) for the crew in case they are forced to ditch. Unlike its predecessor, the Westland Lynx, the Romeo has no flotation gear installed to keep it afloat after ditching so the crew have very little time to get out - let alone get out with a dinghy. Since the Romeos are flying a lot in the North Atlantic region, it was deemed necessary for crew safety.

Edited October 24, 2018 by Phantom726

[Uncle Dick]

Outstanding detective work Scimitar & Phantom726! Thank you! That is most interesting, so the MH-60R has no floatation bags??? I did not know that! So another thing learnt! How they managed to certify a modern naval military helicopter without float bags in this day and age is beyond me?  So one drawback with ELRP pod is that it takes up a stores station on the Romeo!

 

did some more digging following info from the manufacturer http://www.mapcorp.com/life-raft-pods/

 

Quote

Sikorsky was tasked by an international naval customer [I guess we have identified that customer now as Denmark] to provide an External Life Raft Pod (ELRP) for its MH-60R helicopters that could manually or automatically deploy under the toughest weather conditions, and to be easily operated with limited dexterity in a thick survival suit and gloves in cold water conditions. Maritime Applied Physics Corporation (MAPC) designed and manufactured the ELRPs to meet those engineering challenges. 

After a rigorous testing program, Sikorsky’s ELRP is now available as an option for the international customer’s MH-60R and can be qualified for other H-60 helicopters. The ELRP can be jettisoned from up to 50 feet altitude at 60 knots of forward velocity, and deploys a TSO C70a Type 1 compliant cold weather six-person life raft and survival kit. In an aircraft ditching scenario, the ELRP automatically deploys and floats to the surface for access by survivors. The pod remains sealed until manual actuation of large orange manual release handles, and is buoyant both before and after deployment. Automatically activated LED strobe locator lights are visible for over three miles and are designed to strobe continuously for 12 hours.

To perform in this aerospace program, MAPC’s Brunswick, Maine office became AS9100 compliant. 

Much larger images and info in the brochure http://www.mapcorp.com/wp-content/uploads/ELRP.pdf

 

Another excellent image of MH-60R with ELRP pod fitted https://www.airplane-pictures.net/photo/952176/n-973-denmark-air-force-sikorsky-mh-60r-seahawk/

 

Another difference with the Danish Romeo to that of US NAVY and the Australian Navy examples is the long aerial along fuselage

Edited October 25, 2018 by Uncle Dick

[Jens]

There are a number of differences between the standard USN and the RDAF MH-60Rs, one of them being the lack of sonar buyo equipment. Instead we have an extra seat in the cabin.
The pod is an ELRP as mentioned earlier. It is for the crew (even though they have individual dinghies) and passengers. 
 

Jens

[Uncle Dick]

 

Thanks for that info Jens, I was under the impression the sonobuoy rack and associated equipment was removable as is the dipping sonar, to create space in the cabin as can be seen here the window is fitted in place of the sonobuoy rack, the Danish Romeos also appear to have sonobuoy racks when needed as can be seen in the attached video walk around link (the sonobuoy blanking panel is fitted instead of the window on one machine while on another machine the extra seat and window are fitted, also the pilot talks about the ELRP  - I only wish I knew how to speak Danish!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 27, 2018 by Uncle Dick

[Jens]

12 hours ago, Uncle Dick said:

 

Thanks for that info Jens, I was under the impression the sonobuoy rack and associated equipment was removable as is the dipping sonar, to create space in the cabin as can be seen here the window is fitted in place of the sonobuoy rack, the Danish Romeos also appear to have sonobuoy racks when needed as can be seen in the attached video walk around link (the sonobuoy blanking panel is fitted instead of the window on one machine while on another machine the extra seat and window are fitted, also the pilot talks about the ELRP  - I only wish I knew how to speak Danish!

 

I am not sure whether the rack is removable on a standard USN Romeo. Our were delivered without it, and without the dipping sonar too. I believe there are political intentions to fit some of our Romeos with the anti-submarine gear some time in the future.
We do have a deck lock harpoon system á la the NH90 fitted in order to operate to/from the Danish Navy vessels.
Our Romeos were delivered without the extra window but have been retrofitted since.

 

That video was shot in our old hangar. My office was right up there in the background.

 

Jens

[Uncle Dick]

Thanks Jens most informative, for external stores you obviously have fuel tanks and the ELRP as per images.

 

As far as you are aware do Danish Romeos have: 

 

Hellfire missiles ?

APKWS 2.75 inch Hydra Rockets ?

Torpedoes ? I realise Danish Romeos have no underwater submarine hunting capability as per lack of sonobuoy and dipping sonar however do they still fly with torpedoes directed to drop by ships or other aircraft with appropriate sensors?

[Jens]

We don't have any weapons yet except for 12.7 mm GAU-21 and a 7.62 machine gun for the cabin door.

 

You can see some awesome pictures from the shooting range here: 

 

Jens

[Uncle Dick]

Thanks Jens, never would have realised the Danish Romeo's were not equipped for sub hunting and no external armament unless pointed out to me, come to think of it I have not seen a single image of a Danish Lynx helicopter with any external armament either (Torpedo / depth charge / Sea skua missile)?

 

Anyway, good to see Denmark operate the Romeo with some unique features as (aside from the US Navy 290+) the international operators of the Romeo are a fairly small club at the moment: Australia 24, Denmark 12, Saudi 10 (The Germans are looking at Romeo as their replacement but we shall see what happens).

 

We are fairly fortunate here in Australia as our government acquired the full set of armament for our Romeos although we could not shake off the boring haze grey camouflage everyone seems to have adopted including the Danish and Saudis, I much prefer your previous Lynx blue hi viz colours with full size national roundels, but such is life!

 

Hopefully some kit manufacturer will come out with an MH-60R with all the options

 

Cheers 

[Phantom726]

The Danish Lynx fleet could be equipped with door mounted .50 cal machine gun only. 

 

The aerial running along the lower part of the tail boom is a good oldfashioned HF antenna! 🙂 

[Sydhuey]

Good to see Danish got the Romeo, I know mates in Norway are jealous (and other countries in Europe as well), unlike the Norwegian NH-90 the Danish Romeo's were supplied on time on budget and are in service , Australia is down one Romeo it broke loose in its hangar on the Frigate HMAS  Warramunga a year ago and beat itself to death is severe weather.

[Uncle Dick]

Could not resist sharing this recent image - what a formation! Image courtesy Danish airforce via https://twitter.com/CombatAir