The HH-60W Jolly Green II is the successor to the HH-60G Pave Hawk in the U.S. Air Force’s combat rescue fleet. Both are designed to recover isolated personnel in hostile environments; the W modernizes that work with a new fuel system, updated avionics and data integration, improved defensive systems, and an added GAU-21 .50-caliber machine-gun capability. Air Force sources describe the W as having improved range, but published specifications do not provide a controlled, like-for-like test proving a precise performance advantage over the G.
What is the relationship between the Pave Hawk and Jolly Green II?
The HH-60G Pave Hawk is a highly modified Black Hawk used by the Air Force for day-and-night personnel recovery in hostile conditions. Its core combat-search-and-rescue role is to reach isolated personnel, locate them, and bring them back. The Air Force also lists civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, NASA support, and rescue command and control among the G’s other duties.
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The HH-60W Jolly Green II is the newer aircraft in that combat rescue family. Air Force reporting identifies it as the HH-60G’s replacement and describes it as a combat rescue helicopter for hostile or denied territory. It retains collateral rescue and response roles, including civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster and humanitarian response, and rescue command and control.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute“Replacement” describes the intended transition of the fleet, not proof that every HH-60G has already left service. The Air Force received the first two Ws at Moody Air Force Base on November 5, 2020, and the Air Force marked the W’s initial operational capability in September 2022. Air Force Materiel Command reported combat-ready status on October 4, 2022. A 2024 Air Force Reserve Command report documented the first W for a Reserve group, showing that fielding continued after those milestones.
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What does each helicopter do on a rescue mission?
Both aircraft combine the airframe’s transport function with equipment intended for a contested recovery. The Pave Hawk’s listed systems include navigation and satellite communications, secure voice, night-vision and forward-looking infrared support, weather radar, anti-ice equipment, an in-flight refueling probe, auxiliary fuel, crew-served weapons, a hoist, and a personnel-locating system. Those features support a crew working at night, in poor weather, or near an adversary rather than a simple peacetime transport sortie.
The Jolly Green II keeps that mission architecture while adding a tactical data receiver, modernized fuel and warning systems, a rescue hoist, personnel locating, a refueling probe, and an 8,000-pound cargo hook. In practical terms, the W is intended to share information more quickly with other aircraft and command nodes while approaching, recovering, and departing from a dangerous location.
What changed in the HH-60W?
Fuel system and range
Air Force sources describe a new fuel system and improved range as central upgrades. The manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, says the W doubles internal fuel capacity compared with a UH-60M baseline without auxiliary tanks. That is a manufacturer’s comparison to the UH-60M, not evidence that the W carries twice as much internal fuel as the HH-60G or flies twice as far as it.
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Published range figures also require care. The Air Force HH-60G fact sheet lists 504 nautical miles, while a Davis-Monthan Air Force Base HH-60W fact sheet lists 599 nautical miles. The pages do not establish matching loading, range definitions, or test conditions. Those figures show what each fact sheet reports; they are not a controlled head-to-head measurement of the two aircraft.
Avionics and information flow
The W brings updated digital avionics and a stronger emphasis on moving and integrating information. Air Force reporting describes faster data movement and better integration with other platforms and command capabilities. An Air Force Reserve Command account describes the W’s flight management system combined with a flight director, weather radar, and over-the-horizon tactical data receivers. The Air Combat Command fact sheet also lists a tactical data receiver.
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The G was not without modern navigation or communications equipment. Its Air Force fact sheet lists navigation and satellite communications, secure voice, weather radar, and night-vision and forward-looking infrared support. The difference is best understood as an updated system and data-integration package on the W, rather than a contrast between an equipped aircraft and an unequipped one.
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Survivability and defensive systems
Air Force descriptions characterize the W’s defenses and vulnerability reduction as improved. The Air Combat Command fact sheet identifies missile, radar, and laser warning receivers connected to countermeasure dispensing, including flare and chaff. The W also has a refueling probe and an upgraded main fuel tank listed among its systems.
Warning receivers give the crew indications that an emitter or missile threat may be present, while countermeasures provide a response intended to complicate an attack. The official descriptions do not supply a single survivability percentage or a universal threat envelope, so “improved survivability” should be read as the service’s capability description rather than a guarantee in every environment.
The G fact sheet lists an in-flight refueling probe, auxiliary fuel, and crew-served weapons. That equipment matters when comparing generations: the Pave Hawk was already configured for demanding recovery missions, while the W’s stated changes refine its fuel, warning, and countermeasure capabilities.
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Weapons
Air Force Materiel Command says the W adds the ability to fire the GAU-21 .50-caliber machine gun, a weapon capability it says was not present on the HH-60G. This does not mean the G was unarmed: the Air Force HH-60G fact sheet lists two 7.62 mm or .50-caliber machine guns. The specific change cited for the W is the GAU-21 capability, not the arrival of weapons on an otherwise unarmed helicopter.
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Cabin and crew
An Air Force Reserve Command report describes the W cabin as longer, with a faster top speed and increased allowed takeoff weight compared with the earlier platform. It identifies a crew of two pilots and two special missions aviators. These are reported design and crew details, not a full set of matched measurements for both aircraft. A longer cabin can provide additional working room for rescue personnel and equipment, but the cited account does not establish a universal passenger or stretcher-capacity increase.
How do the published specifications compare?
The table presents the figures as their respective Air Force sources state them. The source pages do not establish that every metric uses the same definition or operating conditions, so the entries should not be treated as results from a single comparison trial.
| Metric | HH-60G Pave Hawk | HH-60W Jolly Green II |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | 184 mph (159 knots), U.S. Air Force HH-60G fact sheet; publication date not shown | 176 mph (153 knots indicated airspeed at sea level), Davis-Monthan Air Force Base HH-60W fact sheet |
| Range | 504 nautical miles, U.S. Air Force HH-60G fact sheet; publication date not shown | 599 nautical miles, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base HH-60W fact sheet |
| Ceiling | 14,000 feet, U.S. Air Force HH-60G fact sheet | 20,000 feet, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base HH-60W fact sheet |
| Rotor diameter | 53 feet 7 inches, U.S. Air Force HH-60G fact sheet | 53.6 feet, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base HH-60W fact sheet |
| Weight figure listed | Maximum takeoff weight: 22,000 pounds, U.S. Air Force HH-60G fact sheet | Operating weight: 22,500 pounds, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base HH-60W fact sheet |
The weight entries are different measures: the G page gives maximum takeoff weight, while the W page gives operating weight. They are not directly comparable. Likewise, the speed figures differ in how the W figure is qualified, and the fact sheets do not supply equivalent conditions for the range numbers. The Air Force’s qualitative description of improved range is therefore more defensible than claiming an exact percentage advantage from these two pages.
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The rescue mission remains visible in the equipment lists for both aircraft. Each source description gives a hoist rated for 600 pounds, and both aircraft are listed with an 8,000-pound cargo hook. The W report specifies 250 feet of hoist cable; the G fact sheet gives a 600-pound hoist from a 200-foot hover but does not state the cable length. A 200-foot hover is not a stated cable length, so it should not be used as one.
Both aircraft also have personnel-locating capability. Air Combat Command lists a personnel-locating system on the W, and the Reserve report says its system is compatible with modern radios. The G’s Air Force fact sheet likewise includes personnel locating among its systems. These tools support the same basic sequence: find the isolated person, establish a safe hover or approach, lower and recover the survivor, and transport that person to care.
When did the transition begin, and does it mean all Pave Hawks are retired?
The dated milestones establish that the W entered Air Force operations and that conversion continued; they do not establish a fleetwide retirement date for the G.
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- November 5, 2020: The Air Force received its first two HH-60Ws at Moody Air Force Base, beginning the transition from the HH-60G.
- September 2022: The Air Force declared initial operational capability for the HH-60W.
- October 4, 2022: Air Force Materiel Command reported that the W was combat-ready.
- 2024: An Air Force Reserve Command report documented delivery of a first HH-60W to a Reserve group.
Program quantities have also been reported in different ways. An Air Combat Command article published February 25, 2022, described a program of record of up to 113 helicopters. The Department of Defense FY2026 Program Acquisition Costs by Weapon System lists a 100-aircraft program of record that includes four engineering and manufacturing development aircraft. These are distinct figures from different documents and program framings; neither should be presented as a timeless total without its source and date.
Which helicopter is better for combat search and rescue?
They are successive generations of the same Air Force combat rescue role, not aircraft with unrelated missions. Both are intended to recover isolated personnel, and both carry rescue equipment and systems relevant to operating in hostile conditions. The W’s value lies in updating the tools available for that mission: its fuel and data systems, stated range and survivability improvements, and the GAU-21 capability.
For a strict numerical winner, the published fact sheets are not enough. Their range, speed, weight, and ceiling entries are not presented as a matched trial under common conditions. The useful conclusion is narrower: official Air Force sources call the W a replacement with improved range and survivability, while the available specifications should be read as individual source claims rather than a definitive scorecard.
Optional products for enthusiasts and modelers
Readers interested in the aircraft as a hobby subject have a few documented options separate from operational information. Scale Hobbyist lists a Kitty Hawk 1/35 HH-60G Pave Hawk plastic kit. CAVU Publications lists an HH-60W Jolly Green II walkaround reference book featuring aircraft photographs, as well as a combined HH-60W book and HH-60G decals item; the combined item was marked sold out when checked. A useful search phrase for retailers is “1/35 HH-60G Pave Hawk model kit.” Availability can change, and an HH-60G kit should not be described as an HH-60W kit.
These products are optional references for scale-model builders and aviation enthusiasts. They do not establish aircraft performance, fleet status, or an endorsement by the Air Force.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the HH-60W Jolly Green II replacing the HH-60G Pave Hawk?
Yes. Air Force sources identify the HH-60W as the HH-60G’s replacement, with transition beginning when the first two W aircraft arrived at Moody Air Force Base on November 5, 2020. Initial operational capability came in September 2022, but those milestones do not prove that every HH-60G has already been retired.
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Which helicopter has longer range?
Air Force reporting describes the HH-60W as having improved range. The HH-60G fact sheet lists 504 nautical miles and a Davis-Monthan HH-60W fact sheet lists 599 nautical miles, but the pages do not document identical loading or test conditions. They should not be treated as a controlled percentage comparison.
Can both helicopters perform combat search and rescue?
Yes. Combat search and rescue and personnel recovery are the central mission of both aircraft. Each also supports roles such as civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, and rescue command and control.
What is the most visible weapons change?
Air Force Materiel Command says the HH-60W adds the ability to fire the GAU-21 .50-caliber machine gun, which was not present on the HH-60G. The G was still armed: its fact sheet lists two 7.62 mm or .50-caliber machine guns.
How long is the Jolly Green II hoist cable?
An Air Force Reserve Command report specifies 250 feet of cable for the HH-60W hoist. The HH-60G fact sheet specifies a 600-pound hoist from a 200-foot hover but does not provide a cable length, so the hover figure should not be treated as one.
The Bottom Line
The HH-60W Jolly Green II is a modernized successor, not a different mission concept: it retains the Pave Hawk’s combat-rescue purpose while adding updated fuel, avionics, data integration, warning and countermeasure systems, and GAU-21 capability. Official sources support improved range and survivability, but unmatched fact-sheet figures cannot produce a precise head-to-head performance score.
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