Service: Navy and Marine Corps
Description: Utility helicopter, used for search and rescue, command and control, and maritime special operations missions.
Mission: The HH-1N Iroquois helicopter is used by the Navy for shore-based search and rescue duties. The UH-1N Iroquois is used by the Marine Corps to provide all-weather, day-or-night airborne command, control and coordination for assault support operations. Additionally, it is used for assault transport and maritime special operations, forward air control, aeromedical evacuation of casualties from the field and tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel missions.
Background
The H-1 family of helicopters, popularly known as the Huey, is the most successful military helicopter ever produced — more than 16,000 have been produced since 1956. Originating from a 1955 U.S. Army contract for a medical evacuation helicopter, the first Navy/Marine Corps Iroquois variant, the UH-1E, was first procured in 1964. Deliveries of the current version, the HH/UH-1N, began in 1971. The last, and newest, UH-1N was delivered in January 1979. Both the Navy HH-1N fleet and the UH-1N fleet are scheduled to start being replaced by the UH-1Y in March 2008. The UH-1N could be in the fleet until 2014 when the last UH-1Y is delivered.
UH-1N Iroquois are fielded in Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadrons, or HMLAs, along with the AH-1W SuperCobra. Detachments from the HMLAs are deployed as part of Marine Expeditionary Units to support ship-based amphibious exercises and operations.
General Characteristics
Technical Specifications
Variant Overview
- XH-40 — The initial Bell 204 prototype. Three prototypes were built.
- YH-40 — Six pre-production aircraft.
- HU-1A — Initial Bell 204 production model, redesignated UH-1A in 1962.
- HU-1B — Upgraded HU-1A, various external and rotor improvements. Redesignated UH-1B in 1962.
- UH-1C — UH-1B with improved engine for better performance in the gunship role.
- YUH-1D — Seven pre-production prototypes of the UH-1D.
- UH-1D — Initial Bell 205 production model (long fuselage version). Designed as a troop carrier to replace the CH-34.
- HH-1D — Search Air Rescue (SAR) variant of UH-1D.
- UH-1E — UH-1B/C for USMC with different avionics and equipment.
- TH-1E — Trainer based on the HH-1N for USMC.
- UH-1F — UH-1B/C for USAF with different engine.
- TH-1F — Trainer based on the UH-1F for the USAF.
- UH-1H — Improved UH-1D with the same engine as the UH-1C.
- CUH-1H — Canadian Armed Forces designation. Redesignated CH-118.
- EH-1H — Experimental Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) configuration.
- HH-1H — SAR variant to USAF with rescue hoist, based on MEDEVAC conversions of the UH-1H.
- JUH-1H — Four UH-1Hs converted to SOTAS battlefield surveillance configuration.
- TH-1H — Modified UH-1H troop carriers for use as basic helicopter flight trainers by the USAF.
- UH-1J — Improved Japanese version built under licence by Fuji.
- HH-1K — Purpose-built SAR variant for the US Navy.
- UH-1L — Utility variant of the HH-1K.
- TH-1L — Helicopter flight trainer for the USN.
- UH-1M — Gunship-specific UH-1C upgrade with new engine.
- UH-1N — Initial Bell 212 production model, the Bell "Twin Pac" twin-engined Huey.
- VH-1N — VIP transport configuration.
- HH-1N — SAR variant.
- CUH-1N — Canadian Armed Forces designation. Redesignated CH-135 Twin Huey.
- UH-1P — UH-1F variant for USAF special operations.
- UH-1V — Aeromedical evacuation version for the US Army.
- UH-1Y — Major UH-1N upgrade for the USMC.
Credits: US Navy