Air Warriors (2014–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - UH-60 Black Hawk - full transcript
The UH-60 Black Hawk transformed from an underdog prototype to one of military history's greatest choppers.
Narrator: IT CARRIES ONE OF THE
MOST ICONIC NAMES IN AVIATION--
BLACK HAWK.
Man: IT DID EVERYTHING
WE WANTED IT TO DO.
Narrator:
INFAMOUS FOR A TRAGEDY...
Soldier: MEDIC!
Narrator: ...AND REVERED
AS A LIFESAVER.
Man: HAD THIS BEEN ANOTHER
TYPE OF HELICOPTER,
PROBABLY NONE OF THE CREWS
WOULD HAVE SURVIVED.
Narrator: THE UH-60 BLACK HAWK
IS ARMY TOUGH.
Woman: IT JUST CAN GIVE YOU
EVERYTHING IN THAT SPLIT SECOND
WHEN YOU NEED IT.
Narrator:
THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY
OF HOW A MILITARY WORKHORSE
GOT OFF THE GROUND
AND SET A NEW STANDARD
FOR GETTING IN...
AND GETTING OUT
THROUGH THE HEAT OF BATTLE.
[GUNFIRE]
2011.
AMERICA'S WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
BARRELS INTO ITS 10th YEAR.
ONE OF ITS DEADLIEST PLACES--
KUNAR PROVINCE.
U.S. ATTENTION FOCUSES ON
ITS REMOTE WATAPUR VALLEY.
Julia Stalker: IT WAS A VERY
ACTIVE INSURGENT AREA,
ESPECIALLY WITH IT BEING NEAR
THE BORDER OF PAKISTAN.
Narrator: U.S. ARMY STAFF
SERGEANT JULIA STALKER
WAS IN KUNAR AS A FLIGHT MEDIC.
Stalker: IT WAS A VERY EASY
PLACE FOR THEM TO HIDE OUT
AND OPERATE
BECAUSE OF THE TERRAIN.
Narrator: U.S. COMMANDERS HATCH
A DANGEROUS PLAN
TO ATTACK THE TALIBAN
ON THEIR HOME TURF.
THEY MUST PREPARE FOR
U.S. CASUALTIES.
MEDICAL TEAMS READY TWO
BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS
FOR AIRLIFTING WOUNDED
FROM THE HEAT OF BATTLE.
Stalker: WE WERE GOING TO BE
VERY, VERY BUSY.
Narrator: JUNE 25th.
HIGH ON A RIDGELINE
OPERATION HAMMER DOWN OPENS
AND MEETS INTENSE ENEMY FIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
Soldier: GO!
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON!
Narrator: TROOPS PUSH TOWARD
THE VALLEY BELOW,
BUT TALIBAN BULLETS
PIN THEM DOWN.
Soldier: WE GOT DISRUPTED.
WE SET UP A DEFENSIVE POSITION,
AND WE'VE JUST BEEN
IN THE DEFENSE.
Narrator: ALREADY,
SOLDIERS ARE DOWN
AND IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP.
THE BLACK HAWKS SWOOP
INTO ACTION.
THE BLACK HAWK IS
THE GO-TO HELICOPTER
FOR MEDICS ON A MISSION,
AND FOR GOOD REASON.
Stalker: THIS HELICOPTER
THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE
IS OUR MEDEVAC HELICOPTER.
IT'S AN HH-60, IT'S SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED FOR MEDEVAC MISSIONS.
Narrator: IT FITS UP TO SIX
STRETCHERS FOR THE WOUNDED,
TWO CREWMEMBERS,
AND LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT,
ALL IN A CABIN OF
88 SQUARE FEET.
Stalker: SO, EVEN WITH
OUR SPACE CONSTRAINTS,
I AM ABLE TO PROVIDE CARE,
JUST LIKE ALMOST ANY
EMERGENCY ROOM WOULD.
Narrator: MEDEVAC BLACK HAWKS
CAN SAVE LIVES--
IF THEY CAN GET TO THE PATIENTS.
IN THE WATAPUR VALLEY,
TWO BLACK HAWKS RACE
TOWARDS THE INJURED.
ONE SHOT SOLDIER'S CONDITION
IS CRITICAL.
THE LONGER TROOPS STAY PUT
WITH THE WOUNDED,
THE BIGGER TARGET
THEY ALL BECOME.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
THE TWO HELICOPTERS ARRIVE
OVER A HOT BATTLEFIELD.
Stalker: THERE WAS SMALL ARMS
FIRE, RPGs.
IT WAS A VERY, VERY ACTIVE
BATTLEFIELD.
IT'S A VISION IN MY MIND
THAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
Narrator: INSURGENTS HIT
THE FIRST BLACK HAWK.
THEY SERIOUSLY DAMAGE HYDRAULICS
CRITICAL TO FLIGHT PERFORMANCE.
PILOT MUSCLE ALONE
ISN'T ENOUGH POWER
TO CONTROL A BLACK HAWK'S
MAIN ROTOR OR TAIL ROTOR.
TWO HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS,
PLUS A THIRD BACKUP SYSTEM,
RUN FROM NOSE TO TAIL FOR
THE HEAVY LIFTING.
HYDRAULIC FLUID FLOWS THROUGH
PUMPS, VALVES AND LINES
TO SUPPLY 3,050 POUNDS PER
SQUARE INCH OF PRESSURE.
IF ONE SYSTEM GOES DOWN,
THE BACKUPS KICK IN,
BUT IT'S ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX
FOR A POTENTIALLY
LETHAL PROBLEM.
WITH CRUCIAL SYSTEMS GONE,
THE FIRST BLACK HAWK
MUST RETURN TO BASE.
STALKER'S MEDEVAC HELICOPTER
NOW OPERATES SOLO.
Stalker: WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH
MY MIND WAS,
OH, MAN,
WE'RE THE ONLY ONES LEFT.
Narrator: STALKER'S CREW MUST
GET THE INJURED SOLDIERS
ON BOARD.
BUT GUNFIRE BELOW
MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE.
THEY HOVER OUT OF RANGE,
AROUND 11,000 FEET,
AND SIT TIGHT.
Stalker: SO WE HAD TO WAIT.
WE BURNED FUEL, AND WE WAITED
AND WAITED FOR THAT CALL
THAT WE WERE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO GET IN
AND PULL OUR PATIENTS OUT.
Narrator: THE HIGH ALTITUDE
WOULD MAKE THIS WAITING GAME
IMPOSSIBLE FOR
MANY HELICOPTERS--
BUT NOT THE BLACK HAWK.
TWO G.E. TURBOSHAFT ENGINES
PUT OUT
MORE THAN 1,800 HORSEPOWER EACH.
THEY SPIN FOUR BLADES.
EACH PAIR MEASURES A WHOPPING
54 FEET FROM TIP TO TIP.
THIS POWER KEEPS
THE BLACK HAWK FLYING,
EVEN AT DIZZYING HEIGHTS.
THAT'S COMFORT IN THE SKY,
BUT STALKER'S BLACK HAWK NEEDS
TO GET ON THE GROUND.
CASUALTIES MOUNT.
Stalker: ALL WE NEEDED WAS ABOUT
TWO MINUTES.
WE NEEDED TWO MINUTES
OF IT BEING QUIET.
Narrator: IT'S BAD WEATHER,
AND AS DUSK TURNS TO DARKNESS,
THE DANGER GROWS.
FINALLY,
U.S. ATTACK AIRCRAFT STRIKE.
ENEMY FIRE CONTINUES,
BUT IT'S COVER ENOUGH FOR
STALKER'S BLACK HAWK
TO ATTEMPT A SECOND RESCUE.
Stalker: IT WAS A VERY
PRECISION LANDING
IN A VERY UNPRECISE PLACE.
Narrator: THEY FIND A NARROW
OPENING BETWEEN TREES
ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN
AND HOVER WITH ONE WHEEL ON
THE ROOF OF A HOUSE,
JUST LONG ENOUGH TO LOAD
A CRITICALLY WOUNDED SOLDIER.
STALKER'S TEAM STABILIZES HIM
AND GETS HIM TO SURGERY IN TIME
TO SAVE HIS LIFE.
Stalker: IT IS THE COOLEST
AIRCRAFT OUT THERE
FOR THIS PARTICULAR MISSION.
Narrator: STALKER CREDITS THE
BLACK HAWK FOR THEIR SUCCESS.
THE ARMY CREDITS HER
AND HER CREW.
THEY EACH RECEIVE
THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS.
SINCE THE BLACK HAWK
WAS INTRODUCED,
BATTLEFIELD SURVIVAL
HAS RISEN 75%.
THE ARMY'S SURGEON GENERAL
IDENTIFIED THE NEED
FOR SUCH AN AERIAL LIFESAVER
IN WORLD WAR II.
IN THE KOREAN WAR,
HELICOPTER EVACUATIONS SAVED
SOME 40,000 LIVES.
THEY NOT ONLY SERVED
AS AIR AMBULANCES,
THEY DOUBLED AS
AERIAL TROOP CARRIERS.
Roger Connor:
AIR MOBILITY IS A CONCEPT
THAT COMES OUT OF THE 1950s.
Narrator: ROGER CONNOR IS
ROTARY WING CURATOR
AT THE NATIONAL
AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.
Connor: EARLY ON IT WAS CALLED
SKY CAVALRY,
AND THE IDEA WAS JUST LIKE THE
HORSE TROOPS OF THE OLD WEST,
THE ARMY WAS GOING TO GET OUT
THERE AND INTERCEPT THE ENEMY
BEFORE THEY COULD GET INTO
THE CITIES AND CAUSE TROUBLE.
AND TO DO THAT, THEY NEEDED THE
HELICOPTER INSTEAD OF HORSES.
Narrator: THE NEED FOR
HELICOPTER SUPPORT HITS HOME
MORE THAN EVER
IN THE VIETNAM WAR.
1971.
AMERICA HAS BEEN CAUGHT UP IN
THE BLOODY WAR IN VIETNAM
FOR SEVEN YEARS.
[GUNFIRE]
THE ARMY HAS 165,000 TROOPS
ON THE GROUND
AND THE LATEST IN AIR TRANSPORT
TO GET THEM AROUND.
THE ARMY'S GO-TO HELICOPTER IS
THE BELL UH-1 IROQUOIS,
COMMONLY CALLED THE HUEY.
Connor: THE HUEY HAD A NUMBER OF
ADVANTAGES GOING FOR IT.
IT WAS A SIMPLE AIRCRAFT,
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS
CHEAP AND EASY TO BUILD.
Narrator: THE HUEY IS
FRONT AND CENTER
DURING ALMOST EVERY
BATTLE OF THE WAR,
MAKING IT A PRIME TARGET.
Connor: ABOUT 2,500 HUEYS,
OR ABOUT HALF THE TOTAL
THAT SERVED IN VIETNAM,
WERE ACTUALLY SHOT DOWN
AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
AND SO IF THE AIRCRAFT
WENT DOWN, ON IMPACT,
IT WAS NOT AS SURVIVABLE
AS IT MIGHT BE.
Narrator: THE HUEY'S PERFORMANCE
FALLS SHORT IN OTHER WAYS, TOO.
ITS ENGINE CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT.
Connor: VIETNAM WAS AN EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT
FOR HELICOPTERS.
TEMPERATURES WERE VERY HIGH,
THE HUMIDITY WAS OFTEN OVER 95%.
TO OPERATE IN THOSE CONDITIONS
REALLY REQUIRED AN ENGINE
THAT WAS GOING TO GENERATE
A LOT OF EXCESS THRUST
TO CARRY IT THROUGH THAT
DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator:
AS THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP,
THE HUEY'S ABILITY TO TRANSPORT
TROOPS GOES DOWN.
Connor: IF IT WAS HOT AND HUMID,
YOU COULDN'T CARRY AS MANY
TROOPS ON AN INDIVIDUAL SORTIE.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO FLY MORE
RUNS TO BRING MORE TROOPS IN,
AND THAT GREATLY COMPLICATED
THE MISSIONS.
Narrator: WITHOUT A WAY TO
RAPIDLY MOVE TROOPS,
THE ARMY QUICKLY LOSES GROUND.
Connor: TOWARDS THE END
OF THE VIETNAM WAR,
THE ARMY REALIZED THE HUEY WAS
NOT GOING TO BE ADEQUATE
FOR ITS NEXT GENERATION
OF OPERATIONS.
Narrator: JANUARY 5, 1972.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
THE ARMY ANNOUNCES
A COMPETITION--
TO BUILD A NEW GENERATION
UTILITY AND MEDEVAC HELICOPTER.
IT NEEDS TO HAVE LONG RANGE
ABILITY, LIFT HEAVY CARGO,
CARRY 11 OR MORE FULLY EQUIPPED
TROOPS IN THE BACK,
AND SERVE AS
AN AERIAL AMBULANCE.
IT MUST BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF
THAT IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE,
AND SURVIVE.
THE NEW HELICOPTER WILL
EVENTUALLY REPLACE
MORE THAN A THOUSAND HUEYS
IN THE ARMY INVENTORY.
Connor: THE LIMITATIONS
OF THE HUEY
FORCED THE ARMY TO ISSUE
NEW REQUIREMENTS--
ONES THAT WOULD DEAL WITH THE
SHORTCOMINGS IN SURVIVABILITY,
WITH THE SHORTCOMINGS IN
CABIN SPACE AND PAYLOAD,
AND IN SPEED, AND IN RANGE.
Narrator: THREE WELL-KNOWN NAMES
IN AVIATION VIE FOR THE PRIZE--
BELL, BOEING-VERTOL,
AND SIKORSKY.
SIKORSKY IS THE LONG SHOT.
Connor: THE U.S. ARMY HAD BEEN
BUYING THOUSANDS OF HELICOPTERS
FROM BELL AND FROM BOEING
DURING THE VIETNAM WAR,
BUT IT ONLY BOUGHT VERY SMALL
NUMBERS FROM SIKORSKY
DURING THAT TIME.
SO MOST OF THE ARMY PROGRAM
MANAGERS AT THE PENTAGON
AT THE TIME DID NOT SEE SIKORSKY
AS A REALISTIC CONTENDER
FOR THEIR NEW MAJOR COMPETITION.
Narrator: EIGHT MONTHS LATER,
THE ARMY NARROWS THE FIELD
TO TWO DESIGNS--
BOEING-VERTOL AND SIKORSKY.
TO DETERMINE THE WINNER,
A FLY-OFF.
Connor: THE TWO MAJOR CONTENDERS
HAD TO PRODUCE
A PROTOTYPE AIRCRAFT,
AND THEY WOULD FLY OFF.
THE AIRCRAFT THAT FLEW BEST
WOULD BE THE ONE
THAT USUALLY WON.
Narrator: THIS STRATEGY LEADS TO
A MOST EXTRAORDINARY
GAME CHANGER--
A CRASH LANDING LIKE
NONE BEFORE IT.
Narrator: THE ARMY GIVES
BOEING-VERTOL AND SIKORSKY
FOUR YEARS FOR EACH OF THEM
TO MANUFACTURE A HELICOPTER.
THE BEST ONE WILL WIN A CONTRACT
WORTH TENS OF MILLIONS.
Ray Leoni: THE ARMY'S PHILOSOPHY
WAS THEY WOULD FUND THE DESIGN
AND DEVELOPMENT OF
TWO DIFFERENT HELICOPTERS,
FLY THOSE AGAINST EACH OTHER AND
PICK THE WINNER FOR PRODUCTION.
Narrator: RAY LEONI WAS
CHIEF OF ADVANCED CONCEPTS
AT SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT.
THEIR NEW HELICOPTER
WAS HIS BABY.
Leoni: SIKORSKY SAW IT AS TRULY
A MATTER OF SURVIVAL.
WE HAD TO WIN OR WE WERE FACED
WITH GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.
Narrator: SIKORSKY IS
A COMPANY IN TROUBLE.
THEIR PRODUCTION LINES ONLY
OPERATE AT 22% CAPACITY.
THEIR VERY EXISTENCE DEPENDS ON
THEM WINNING THE FINAL CONTRACT.
SIKORSKY'S STRATEGY IS
TO RIGOROUSLY TEST
EACH INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT
FOR SURVIVABILITY
BEFORE THEY ASSEMBLE.
THEY TEST AND IMPROVE, STRAINING
PARTS TO THE BREAKING POINT,
AND SHOOTING BULLETS INTO ALMOST
EVERY SECTION OF THE AIRFRAME.
BUT HOW WILL IT COMPARE
TO ITS COMPETITOR?
MARCH 1976.
BOEING-VERTOL DELIVERS
ITS PROTOTYPE, THE YUH-61A.
ITS MODULAR DESIGN MEETS ALL
THE ARMY'S REQUIREMENTS,
AND IT HAS A SMALLER ROTOR.
THIS MAY MAKE IT CHEAPER AND
MORE VERSATILE IN TIGHT SPACES.
Leoni: WE KNEW
THE BOEING-VERTOL MACHINE
WAS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN OURS,
SO WE WORRIED THAT THEY MAY
HAVE A LEG UP ON US.
BUT THERE WAS NO QUESTION
IN OUR MINDS
THAT WE DID THE BEST POSSIBLE
JOB IN DELIVERING TO THE ARMY
WHAT THEY TRULY WANTED
AND NEEDED.
Narrator: FIVE MONTHS LATER,
AT FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY,
THE OPERATIONAL STAGE OF
THE FLY-OFF BEGINS--
THAT MEANS LIVE CARGO.
Leoni: THE OPERATIONAL TESTING
CONSISTED OF
FLYING SIMULATED TROOP ASSAULT
MISSIONS GOING DURING THE DAY,
FLYING AT NIGHT.
AND IT WAS TO PUT
THE HELICOPTER IN
AS CLOSE TO AN OPERATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE,
USING REAL TROOPS, REAL PILOTS,
AND JUST SEEING HOW
THE AIRCRAFT BEHAVED.
Narrator: AUGUST 19, 1976.
IN ITS CRITICAL TEST,
THE HELICOPTER TAKES OFF,
LOADED WITH 14 ARMY PERSONNEL.
SUDDENLY, IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE FLIGHT,
IT BEGINS TO VIBRATE
UNCONTROLLABLY.
Leoni: IT WAS WHAT WAS CALLED
A ONCE-PER-REVOLUTION,
ONE-PER-REV VIBRATION,
LOW FREQUENCY, BUT VERY STRONG.
THEY FELT THAT SINCE THEY DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING IT
AND IT SEEMED TO BE
GETTING WORSE,
THEY BETTER LAND AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
Narrator:
PILOTS SPOT A CORNFIELD.
IT LOOKS IDEAL FOR
AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
BUT IN THE DARK,
THEY GET IT WRONG.
Leoni: BETWEEN THE MIST
AND THE DARKNESS,
THEY MISTOOK THE PINE TREES
FOR CORNSTALKS.
Narrator: THE HELICOPTER CRASHES
HARD INTO THE TREES.
ABOARD--TWO PILOTS AND
TWELVE SOLDIERS.
Leoni: I ANSWERED THE PHONE,
ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING
AT HOME,
AND THEY SAID, "ONE OF YOUR
HELICOPTERS JUST CRASHED
IN THE WOODS,
AND IT WAS FULL OF ARMY TROOPS."
AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT WERE
THE, WHAT WERE THE INJURIES?
WERE THERE ANY FATALITIES?"
AND THEY SAID, "SORRY,
WE CAN'T TELL YOU THAT.
YOU BETTER GET DOWN
TO FORT CAMPBELL
JUST AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN."
Narrator: LEONI, RESCUE TEAMS
AND ARMY INVESTIGATORS
RACE TO THE SCENE.
IT'S NOT WHAT ANYONE EXPECTED.
Leoni: THERE WERE NO FATALITIES.
IN FACT, THERE WERE
NO INJURIES.
Narrator: MORE THAN THAT, THE
HELICOPTER SHOWS LITTLE DAMAGE.
Leoni: THERE WERE SOME DENTS AND
NICKS AND TEARS ON THE AIRFRAME,
BUT NOTHING SUBSTANTIALLY WRONG.
Narrator: THE CAUSE OF
THE VIBRATION IS AN EASY FIX,
AND THREE DAYS LATER,
THE CRASHED HELICOPTER FLIES OUT
OF THE FOREST AND BACK TO BASE.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN ITS DEMISE
BECOMES A MOMENT OF TRIUMPH.
Connor: THE AUGUST 1976 CRASH
WAS ONE OF THE FEW MOMENTS
IN AVIATION HISTORY WHERE
A CRASH HAS BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.
IN THIS CASE,
THE CRASH DEMONSTRATED
THE REAL SURVIVABILITY
TO AN EXTENT THAT NO OTHER
DEMONSTRATION COULD HAVE DONE.
Narrator: TWO LATER
CRASH LANDINGS
PROVE THE POINT EVEN FURTHER.
THIS IS A HUEY, THE HELICOPTER
TO BE REPLACED.
AND THIS IS SIKORSKY'S
NEW HELICOPTER,
ALSO HITTING TAIL-FIRST.
THE STRENGTH OF THE NEW
AIRFRAME IS HARD TO BEAT.
Man: I'M RATHER PLEASED
TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU
THAT THE ARMY HAS SELECTED
SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT
AS THE WINNER OF
THE UTTAS COMPETITION.
Narrator:
SIKORSKY WINS THE DEAL.
THEY INK A THREE-YEAR
$83.4 MILLION
PRODUCTION CONTRACT
TO BUILD 368 HELICOPTERS.
ON HALLOWEEN 1978,
THE ARMY GETS A TREAT.
THE FIRST SIKORSKY PRODUCTION
MODEL ARRIVES ON ITS DOORSTEP.
THEY UPHOLD A TRADITION OF
CHRISTENING THE HELICOPTERS
WITH NATIVE AMERICAN NAMES.
THEY CALL IT THE BLACK HAWK.
THE ARMY IMMEDIATELY STARTS
TRANSITIONING HUEY PILOTS
TO FLY THE LATEST IN
COMBAT UTILITY HELICOPTERS.
BUT EACH PILOT WONDERS,
WILL THE BLACK HAWK LIVE UP
TO EXPECTATIONS
WHEN IT MATTERS MOST...
IN COMBAT?
Narrator: OCTOBER 1983.
GRENADA.
A MARXIST POWER STRUGGLE
EXPLODES
IN THE TINY CARIBBEAN NATION.
THE UNITED STATES FEARS GRENADA
COULD BECOME
A COMMUNIST STRONGHOLD.
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
REACTS WITH FORCE.
Ronald Reagan:
EARLY THIS MORNING,
FORCES FROM SIX CARIBBEAN
DEMOCRACIES
AND THE UNITED STATES BEGAN
A LANDING, OR LANDINGS,
ON THE ISLAND OF GRENADA
IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN.
Narrator: IT'S THE FIRST
CONFLICT SINCE VIETNAM,
AND THE PRESSURE IS ON
FOR A QUICK VICTORY.
TO GET TROOPS THERE FAST,
THE ARMY SELECTS ITS NEWEST
AIR ASSET--THE BLACK HAWK.
OCTOBER 25th.
NINE FULLY LOADED BLACK HAWKS
TAKE OFF
FROM NEIGHBORING BARBADOS.
COMMANDERS TASK TWO OF THEM WITH
A HIGH-LEVEL RESCUE MISSION.
Bob Johnson: THE MISSION WAS TO
INSERT 15 NAVY SEALS
TO THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S
MANSION AND TO SECURE HIM THERE.
Narrator: MAJOR BOB JOHNSON WAS
A COMPANY COMMANDER
AND BLACK HAWK PILOT IN GRENADA.
Johnson: THERE HAD BEEN MURDERS
AND KILLINGS,
AND THE GOVERNOR GENERAL
AND HIS WIFE
WERE PRETTY MUCH TRAPPED
IN HIS MANSION.
Narrator: THE AMERICAN ARMY
DOESN'T EXPECT MUCH RESISTANCE.
Johnson: WE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT
THEY WOULD LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS
AND GIVE UP WHEN
THEY SAW US COMING.
Narrator: NOT LONG AFTER
THE BLACK HAWKS REACH GRENADA,
THEY DISCOVER THEIR INTELLIGENCE
IS WRONG.
Johnson: WELL, AS WE FLEW
ONTO LANDFALL,
WE STARTED PICKING UP
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF GROUND FIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
Man on radio: ARE YOU MEETING
STIFF RESISTANCE? OVER.
Johnson: WE WERE PRETTY MUCH
TAKING IT FROM EVERY DIRECTION
WITH PRETTY MUCH
EVERYTHING THEY HAD.
SO, IT WAS, IT MADE THINGS
A LITTLE TENSE.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWKS
MANEUVER THROUGH THE GUNFIRE.
FINALLY THEY ARRIVE OVER
THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
Johnson: WE KICKED OUT
THE FAST ROPES,
AND THE SEALS WENT
DOWN THE FAST ROPES.
Narrator: BUT AS THE SEALS
UNLOAD, SO DOES THE ENEMY.
Johnson: SOMEBODY OPENED UP
ON OUR AIRCRAFT
FROM, FROM DIRECTLY BELOW
WITH AN AK-47.
Narrator: A BLAST OF BULLETS
HITS THE BLACK HAWK.
BUT WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN FATAL TO
ANOTHER HELICOPTER IS NOT HERE.
SEATS MADE FROM BORON CARBIDE
ARMOR SAVE THE PILOT.
BUT IT'S NOT OVER.
Johnson: THE AIRCRAFT IS
DESIGNED TO SURVIVE
SMALL ARMS FIRE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
IT CAN'T BE PENETRATED.
Narrator: AS JOHNSON
MANEUVERS AWAY,
AN ENEMY FIGHTER
HITS HIS TARGET.
Johnson: ONE ROUND CAME UP JUST
BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE SEAT,
MY LEG FLEW UP OFF THE FLOOR,
AND IT LOOKED LIKE YOU TOOK
A HUNK OF HAMBURGER
ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL,
PUT A FIRECRACKER IN IT,
AND SET IT OFF
INSIDE THE COCKPIT.
AT THAT POINT I KNEW THAT THINGS
WEREN'T GOING REAL WELL.
Narrator: THE BULLETS
KEEP FLYING,
BUT SO DOES THE BLACK HAWK.
WHEN ONE OF THE BLACK HAWK'S
TWO FUEL TANKS TAKES A HIT,
INSTEAD OF EXPLODING OR LEAKING,
IT EMPLOYS A TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPED FOR AIRCRAFT
BEFORE WORLD WAR II.
LAYERS OF RUBBER AND SEALANT
COVER THE INSIDE WALL
OF THE BLACK HAWK'S TWO
CONNECTING FUEL CELLS.
WHEN BULLETS PIERCE THEM, THE
RUBBER INSTANTANEOUSLY RETURNS
TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION
AND FILLS THE HOLES.
THE BLACK HAWK TAKES
THIS TECHNOLOGY
A STEP BEYOND THE TANKS.
IT ALSO HAS
SELF-SEALING FITTINGS
THAT CONNECT
SELF-SEALING FUEL LINES.
THESE FITTINGS ARE
A WORLD FIRST.
JOHNSON DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THE FUEL LEAKS.
BUT NOTHING ABOARD WILL PLUG
THE HOLE IN HIS LEG.
Johnson: WE HAD BEEN BRIEFED
THAT IF ANYBODY
NEEDED MEDICAL EVACUATION
THAT THE NAVY WAS IN THE AREA,
THE U.S.S. GUAM WAS AVAILABLE.
SO THE OTHER PILOT DECIDED WE
WERE GOING TO FLY TO THE GUAM,
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WENT.
Narrator: THE BEAT UP BLACK HAWK
FLIES FAST
TOWARD THE U.S.S. GUAM.
15 MINUTES LATER,
IT LANDS ON DECK,
WHERE EMERGENCY CREWS,
SEEN HERE, ACT FAST.
BEFORE THE BLACK HAWK,
POST-CRASH FIRES WERE A
NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF CREW DEATH--
BUT NO MORE.
Johnson: THEY TOOK ME DOWN
TO THE SICK BAY,
PUMPED ME FULL OF MORPHINE,
PREPPED ME FOR SURGERY.
Narrator: MAINTAINERS TALLY THE
BATTLE DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.
Johnson: DEPENDING ON HOW
YOU COUNT THE BULLET HOLES,
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 42 AND 48
BULLET HOLES IN MY BLACK HAWK.
Narrator:
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE TALLY.
THE BLACK HAWK PROVES IT'S
A TOUGH BIRD TO KILL IN COMBAT.
IN JUST FOUR DAYS BLACK HAWKS
FLY DOZENS OF COMBAT MISSIONS.
THEY WHISK AWAY THE GOVERNOR,
HELP RESCUE MORE THAN
700 AMERICAN CITIZENS,
AND TRANSPORT TROOPS
TO SECURE THE ISLAND.
Johnson: AFTER GRENADA, I THINK
EVERYONE VIEWED THE BLACK HAWK
AS AN AIRCRAFT THAT GETS TO TAKE
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF PUNISHMENT,
THAT CAN BE COUNTED ON TO
GET YOU WHERE YOU'RE GOING
TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR MISSION AND
BRING YOU BACK HOME SAFELY.
Narrator: IT'S A BAPTISM OF FIRE
AND A SWIFT VICTORY.
BUT A FOUR-DAY INVASION IN THE
TROPICS SOUNDS LIKE A VACATION
COMPARED TO WHAT COMES
SEVEN YEARS LATER.
FEBRUARY 1991.
IRAQ.
AFTER FIVE WEEKS OF AIR STRIKES,
COALITION FORCES GEAR UP
FOR THE NEXT PHASE
OF OPERATION DESERT STORM--
A HARD-HITTING RESPONSE
TO DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN'S
INVASION OF KUWAIT.
U.S. GENERAL NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF
READIES HIS FORCES
FOR A BOLD MOVE.
James Hill: THE MISSION WAS
TO GET AS DEEP INTO IRAQ
AS WE COULD AND
AS FAST AS WE COULD
IN ORDER TO BLOCK POSSIBLE
REINFORCEMENTS COMING DOWN
FROM THE BAGHDAD AREA INTO THE
BATTLE SPACE DOWN NEAR KUWAIT.
Narrator: U.S. ARMY GENERAL
JAMES HILL WAS A COMMANDER
DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM.
Hill: IN ORDER TO DO THAT,
YOU HAD TO GET ABOUT
250 MILES INSIDE IRAQ.
Narrator: COMMANDERS NEED
U.S. ATTACK HELICOPTERS
TO BLOCK ENEMY MOVEMENT
DEEP INSIDE IRAQ,
BUT THERE'S A HITCH.
Hill: IT WAS A REFUELING ISSUE.
YOU NEEDED A GAS STATION
HALFWAY BETWEEN
TO REFUEL THE HELICOPTERS.
BECAUSE, SIMPLY PUT,
THE HELICOPTER COULDN'T DO
THE OPERATION
WITHOUT THE REFUEL POINT.
SO IT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
Narrator: THERE ARE NO
DESERT GAS STATIONS
TO SERVICE AN AMERICAN
INVASION FORCE,
SO MISSION PLANNERS
DECIDE TO BUILD ONE
93 MILES BEHIND ENEMY LINES.
THEY CALL IT FORWARD
OPERATING BASE COBRA.
Hill: THE WHOLE PURPOSE
OF F.O.B. COBRA
WAS TO SEIZE A PIECE OF GROUND,
BRING ABOUT 450,000 GALLONS
OF FUEL INTO THE DESERT,
AND PUT IT OUT THERE
SO THAT WE COULD THEN
LOGISTICALLY RESUPPLY
THE OTHER ASSETS OF THE DIVISION
AS IT HAD TO GO FORWARD
AND OUT INTO,
INTO THE BATTLE SPACE.
Narrator: IRAQ HAS THE FOURTH
LARGEST ARMY IN THE WORLD.
SNEAKING INTO THE COUNTRY
TO BUILD A GAS STATION
WON'T BE EASY.
COMMANDERS CALL ON
THE BLACK HAWK.
BUT THE HELICOPTER IS UNPROVEN
IN A DESERT ENVIRONMENT.
THE NEW ENEMY--SAND.
Hill: SAND IN GENERAL
WAS ALWAYS AN ISSUE,
BECAUSE YOU GET SAND
INGESTED INTO THE TURBINE PARTS,
INTO THE ROTOR PARTS.
SAND WAS ALWAYS A MAJOR CONCERN.
Narrator: THE ENTIRE OUTCOME
OF DESERT STORM
COULD HINGE ON
THIS REFUELING BASE
BEING READY FOR
THE INVASION FORCE.
AND IT'S COUNTING ON THE
BLACK HAWK TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
FEBRUARY 24, 1991, 7:30 A.M.
TACTICAL ASSEMBLY POINT
CAMPBELL, SAUDI ARABIA.
60 TROOP-LADEN BLACK HAWKS FROM
THE 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION
TAKE OFF FOR THEIR 93-MILE
FLIGHT INTO IRAQ.
IT'S THE FIRST WAVE OF
THE LARGEST AIR ASSAULT
IN MILITARY HISTORY.
Hill: WE HAD TO DO THE REFUELING
POINT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO PUT
ATTACK ASSETS
VERY QUICKLY OUT BEYOND WHERE
WE WERE AT F.O.B. COBRA.
THE BIGGEST THREAT
THAT WE FEARED
WAS ENEMY AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
ALONG THE ROUTE.
AND WE'D DONE A LOT OF LOOKING
FROM SATELLITES
AND THAT KIND OF STUFF,
BUT YOU NEVER KNOW FOR SURE
WHAT'S THERE.
IT IS A BIG PIECE OF DESERT,
AND WE HAD NEVER FLOWN IT THE
WHOLE WAY, SO WE DIDN'T KNOW.
SO WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
Narrator: BLACK HAWK PILOTS
SPEED ACROSS 90-PLUS MILES
OF DESERT IN 40 MINUTES AT JUST
10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
AS THEY PREPARE TO LAND,
A SHOCK DISCOVERY.
AN ENTIRE ENEMY BATTALION
IS LOCATED
RIGHT WHERE BLACK HAWK PILOTS
PLAN TO ESTABLISH
THE CRUCIAL REFUELING BASE.
Hill: 400-PLUS IRAQI SOLDIERS
WHO STARTED,
AND THEY WERE IN
DUG-IN POSITIONS,
AND THEY STARTED FIRING AT US.
[GUNFIRE]
Narrator: 400 ARMED
IRAQI SOLDIERS FIRING
IS TOO MUCH FOR
THE AVERAGE BLACK HAWK.
THE HELICOPTERS HAVE DOOR
GUNNERS, BUT NOT MUCH MORE.
THE ARMY SENDS IN
REINFORCEMENTS.
Hill: WE ROLLED IN SOME
AIR FORCE 500-POUND BOMBS
ON THEM, AND WITH THE FIRST OR
SECOND BOMB THEY SAID, AH!
WAVED THE WHITE FLAG AND SAID
WE'RE OUT, WE QUIT, WE'RE DONE.
Narrator: THE AREA CLEAR,
THE BLACK HAWKS SWOOP IN
WITH MORE THAN 500 TROOPS
AND EQUIPMENT TO ESTABLISH
THE REFUELING DEPOT.
Hill: ALMOST THE VERY FIRST
THING WE PUT ON THE GROUND
BUNCH OF FUEL PUMPS,
BECAUSE WE KNEW WE HAD TO HAVE
GAS PRETTY QUICKLY.
Narrator: WITHIN AN HOUR,
THE NEW BASE IS PUMPING GAS.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS
CAN NOW REFUEL HERE
AND FLY DEEPER INTO IRAQ.
THE BLACK HAWKS CONTINUE TO HELP
BUILD AND SUPPLY THE BASE.
Hill: THE GAS STATION WAS
COMPLETED WITHIN 24 HOURS,
WELL WITHIN 24 HOURS.
AND THE BLACK HAWK WAS ESSENTIAL
TO THE SUCCESS OF THAT MISSION.
SIMPLY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE
WITHOUT THE BLACK HAWK.
Narrator: THE U.S. INVASION
FORCE REFUELS AT THIS BASE
AND GOES ON TO POUND THE ENEMY
ON THEIR OWN TURF.
100 HOURS LATER,
DESERT STORM IS OVER.
George H.W. Bush:
KUWAIT IS LIBERATED.
IRAQ'S ARMY IS DEFEATED.
OUR MILITARY OBJECTIVES ARE MET.
Narrator: THE EVER-PRESENT
THREAT OF SAND,
THWARTED BY BLACK HAWK
GROUND CREWS.
Hill: IT IS NOT AN UNCOMPLICATED
PIECE OF MACHINERY,
THE BLACK HAWK.
IT, IT HAS TO BE CARED FOR
AND, AND MAINTAINED WELL.
THE DEDICATION OF BOTH
THE CREW CHIEFS AND THE SOLDIERS
AND THE MAINTAINERS OF THEM
WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
Narrator: TO KEEP IT FLYING
IN TOP SHAPE,
ARMY MAINTAINERS MUST KNOW THE
BLACK HAWK DOWN TO THE BOLTS.
Martin Baltazar:
THIS AIRCRAFT IS PROBABLY
ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
AIR TROOP TRANSPORT HELICOPTERS
THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS.
JUST OUR PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST
ALONE
JUST HAS OVER 100
DIFFERENT THINGS.
POWER-ON CHECKS AS WELL AS
MAINTENANCE CHECKS,
AND THAT'S BEFORE YOU START
CRANKING THE ENGINES.
IT'S VERY THOROUGH.
Narrator: EVEN IN THE TOUGHEST
COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS,
COMMANDERS EXPECT BLACK HAWKS
TO BE READY TO GO
AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
Baltazar: USUALLY WHEN SAND GETS
SUCKED UP INTO THE ENGINES,
IT'LL, IT'LL DEGRADE
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ENGINES.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
TO MAINTAIN THOSE ENGINES,
SO YOU HAVE MAX CAPABILITY
OF A MISSION.
Hill: THE BLACK HAWK PERFORMANCE
IN DESERT STORM
FROM THE COVERING FORCE
OPERATION
WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE UNTIL
THE DAY WE, THE WAR ENDED
IS A REMARKABLE STORY.
IT DID EVERYTHING
WE WANTED IT TO DO
UNDER SOME INCREDIBLE
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWK BASKS
IN GLOWING REVIEWS
FROM DESERT STORM
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS.
THEN, A TRAGIC MISADVENTURE
IT'LL NEVER LIVE DOWN.
1993, SOMALIA.
A TWO-YEAR-LONG CIVIL WAR
ESCALATES
IN A NATION SEIZED BY WARLORDS.
SEVERE FAMINE AND VIOLENCE
CLAIM THE LIVES OF 500,000
AND DISPLACE 1.5 MILLION MORE.
Reporter: SOMALIS HAVE BEEN
CONDEMNED TO WANDER
IN SEARCH OF FOOD
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS,
SOME BECAUSE SUPPLIES
SIMPLY RAN OUT.
FRANTIC CROWDS OF PEOPLE
DESPERATE TO GET
WHAT LITTLE FOOD IS AVAILABLE.
Narrator: U.N. AND U.S.
RELIEF EFFORTS DO LITTLE
TO CURB RAMPANT CORRUPTION
AND STARVATION.
Connor: THE RELIEF SUPPLIES
THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE
GOING TO THE POPULATION
WERE ACTUALLY WINDING UP IN
THE HANDS OF THE WARLORDS,
WHO WERE USING THEM TO BUY
NARCOTICS AND WEAPONS
AND FUELING THE CIVIL WAR
THAT HAD TOTALLY TORN APART
THIS COUNTRY.
Narrator: THE CAPITAL CITY
OF MOGADISHU
IS THE CONFLICT'S EPICENTER.
UNRULY GANGS TAKE OVER THE TOWN.
Connor: BY THE SUMMER OF 1993,
THE SITUATION IN MOGADISHU
HAD BECOME CRITICAL.
ATTEMPTS TO REIN IN
THE WARLORDS
AND INSTILL A SENSE OF PEACE
IN THE CAPITAL
HAD BEGUN TO FALL APART.
Narrator: SOMALIA'S TOP WARLORD
BREAKS A CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT.
HIS CLAN STAGES VIOLENT ATTACKS
ON U.N. PEACEKEEPERS.
THE U.S. SENDS IN
AN ELITE MILITARY GROUP
TO BRING DOWN THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
400 SPECIAL FORCES TROOPS
ARRIVE IN SOMALIA.
THEY'RE CALLED
TASK FORCE RANGER.
OCTOBER 3rd.
FOUR SPECIAL OPS BLACK HAWKS
DEPART FOR MOGADISHU.
ON BOARD--TASK FORCE RANGER
COMMANDOS.
THEIR AIM--TO CAPTURE A SOMALI
WARLORD'S TOP LIEUTENANTS.
Connor: THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT
THIS WAS GOING TO BE
A SNATCH-AND-GRAB OPERATION.
THEY WOULD BE IN AND OUT WITHIN
A FAIRLY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,
BEFORE ANY EFFECTIVE RESPONSE
COULD BE GENERATED.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWK PILOTS
FLY TOWARDS
THE HEART OF MOGADISHU.
ALL GOING TO PLAN,
THE MISSION WILL BE OVER
AND DONE WITHIN AN HOUR.
Connor: TASK FORCE RANGER
THOUGHT
IT HAD THE ELEMENT
OF A SURPRISE.
THEY WERE EXPECTING
SMALL NUMBERS OF FORCES,
LIGHTLY ARMED.
Narrator: MOMENTS AFTER
THE BLACK HAWKS
REACH THEIR TARGET LOCATION,
THE MISSION GOES TERRIBLY WRONG.
Connor: AS THE BLACK HAWKS
ARRIVED
AND BEGAN FAST ROPING IN
THE DELTA FORCE OPERATORS,
ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS
STRUCK BY AN RPG,
WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED
SEVERAL BLOCKS NEARBY.
Narrator: THE ATTACK KILLS
BOTH PILOTS.
THE TWO CREW CHIEFS AND THE TWO
DELTA SNIPERS ON BOARD
LAY INJURED, BUT ALIVE.
Connor: ONCE THE FIRST
BLACK HAWK GOES DOWN,
THE MISSION IS TOTALLY CHANGED.
IT BECOMES NOW
A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION.
THIS MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF JUST
SNATCHING THE COUPLE LIEUTENANTS
AND GETTING BACK OUT,
THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEND
IN A RESPONSE TEAM ON THE GROUND
TO TRY AND RECOVER
THE INJURED PERSONNEL.
Narrator: TWO MORE BLACK HAWKS
HOVER NEARBY AND AWAIT ORDERS.
BUT BEFORE THEY KNOW IT,
THE SITUATION GETS EVEN WORSE.
Narrator: ONE BLACK HAWK
ALREADY SMOLDERS
IN THE STREETS OF MOGADISHU--
TWO DEAD, FOUR INJURED
SURVIVORS.
THEN ONE OF THE REMAINING
BLACK HAWKS ALSO TAKES A HIT.
Connor: ONE OF THE BLACK HAWKS
IS ALSO STRUCK BY AN RPG,
LOSES ITS TAIL RUDDER AND
CRASHES INTO THE STREET.
BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT
WAS SO SURVIVABLE,
REMARKABLY, SOME OF THE CREW
SURVIVED THE IMPACT.
Narrator: NOW, TWO BLACK HAWKS
ARE DOWN A MILE APART.
THREE CREW MEMBERS LAY DEAD,
SEVEN OTHERS ARE BADLY WOUNDED
AND TRAPPED.
Connor: THEY WERE WOUNDED,
THEY WERE ALONE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE STREET,
AND HUNDREDS OF SOMALIS WERE NOW
CONVERGING ON THEIR POSITION.
[GUNFIRE]
THE PILOT,
CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER DURANT,
HAS BROKEN HIS BACK,
AND HE IS ATTEMPTING
TO FIGHT OFF,
ALMOST SINGLE HANDEDLY,
THIS FORCE.
AND IN A REMARKABLE
ACT OF HEROISM,
ONE OF THE MH6 LITTLE BIRDS
THAT'S SUPPORTING THE OPERATION
DROPS A DELTA SNIPER TEAM
IN THERE.
THESE GUYS KNOW THAT
THERE IS ALMOST NO WAY
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET OUT,
YET THAT THEY GO IN AND
ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THE CREW.
Narrator: DELTA SNIPERS
GARY GORDON AND RANDY SHUGHART
FIGHT TO PROTECT
THE SECOND DOWNED CREW.
Connor: AFTER HOLDING OUT
AS LONG AS THEY COULD,
SHUGHART AND GORDON WERE WOUNDED
AND THEN KILLED
DEFENDING THE AIRCRAFT.
DURANT HAD ATTEMPTED TO RESIST
AS LONG AS HIS AMMUNITION
HELD OUT,
BUT HE, TOO, WAS QUICKLY
OVERWHELMED AND TAKEN PRISONER.
Narrator: U.S. FORCES
ON THE GROUND FIGHT
TO REACH BOTH THE FALLEN CREWS
AND START A GUN BATTLE
WITH SOMALI MOBS
THAT RAGES THROUGH THE NIGHT.
NETWORKS FLASH HORRIFIC IMAGES
OF THE AFTERMATH
AROUND THE WORLD.
Larry King: A UNITED STATES
HUMANITARIAN MISSION
HAS GONE HORRIBLY WRONG.
12 AMERICAN SERVICEMEN DEAD
IN FIGHTING SUNDAY.
SOME OF THEIR BODIES
DRAGGED THROUGH THE STREETS.
ONE U.S. HELICOPTER PILOT WAS
TAKEN CAPTIVE AND VIDEOTAPED
AS HE LAY BADLY INJURED.
Narrator: FOR THE BLACK HAWK,
IT'S A PUBLIC RELATIONS
DISASTER.
AND WORSE, IT'S THE DEADLIEST
COMBAT OPERATION FOR THE U.S.
SINCE THE VIETNAM WAR.
AMERICAN FORCES RECOVER THE
REMAINING DEAD THREE DAYS LATER.
EIGHT DAYS AFTER THAT,
COMMANDERS SECURE THE RELEASE
OF CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER
MICHAEL DURANT.
BUT ARMY MORALE HITS A LOW.
Connor: UNFORTUNATELY,
THIS EPISODE BECAME KNOWN
AS THE BLACK HAWK DOWN EPISODE.
THIS WAS THE BIGGEST BLACK EYE
TO THE AMERICAN MILITARY
SINCE THE FAILED OPERATION
TO RESCUE TO THE HOSTAGES
IN IRAN IN 1980.
Narrator: IT'S AN UGLY SCAR
ON THE BLACK HAWK NAME.
THE CHANCE TO REBUILD
ITS REPUTATION
FINALLY COMES WITH
A NEW CONFLICT,
WHERE IT MUST COUNTER
A MORE PERVASIVE
AND FAR MORE LETHAL ENEMY.
JANUARY 2007, IRAQ.
168,000 ALLIED TROOPS
PATROL THE COUNTRY.
[EXPLOSION]
IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES,
OR IEDs,
WREAK LETHAL HAVOC
ON U.S. CONVOYS.
THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID THE THREAT
IS TO STAY OFF THE ROADS.
ONE MACHINE IN PARTICULAR IS
VERY GOOD AT DOING JUST THAT--
THE BLACK HAWK.
Jennifer Johnston: PEOPLE WANTED
TO FLY WITH US IN THE BLACK HAWK
BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT WAS SAFER
TO BE TRANSPORTED IN THE AIR
THAN ON THE GROUND.
Narrator:
CAPTAIN JENNIFER JOHNSTON
WAS A BLACK HAWK MISSION LEADER
DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
Johnston: EVERYBODY THAT ASKED
FOR A RIDE,
WE TRIED TO GIVE THEM A RIDE.
Narrator: THE TROOPS CATCH ON
THAT THEY ARE SAFER IN AIR
TRANSPORT THAN GROUND TRANSPORT.
KEEPING UP WITH DEMAND
EXHAUSTS THE PILOTS.
Johnston: WE WENT TO GREAT,
GREAT LENGTHS
TO KEEP AS MANY PEOPLE OFF THE
ROADS AT THAT TIME AS POSSIBLE,
AND THAT MEANT MORE HOURS
FOR OUR PILOTS.
SOMETIMES THEY WERE FLYING
12, 13-HOUR DAYS.
Narrator: DURING
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM,
U.S. BLACK HAWKS LOG
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS
CARRYING PASSENGERS HIGH ABOVE
THE IED THREAT.
THE NUMBER OF LIVES SAVED
IS TOO MANY TO COUNT.
SINCE ITS DEBUT 35 YEARS AGO,
THE BLACK HAWK HAS PLAYED A ROLE
IN NEARLY EVERY
AMERICAN CONFLICT.
FOUR OUT OF FIVE
U.S. MILITARY BRANCHES
FLY BLACK HAWK VARIATIONS.
Hill: THE ARMY'S EXPECTATION
WHEN IT BOUGHT THE BLACK HAWK
IN THE EARLY '80s
WAS VERY GREAT.
AND IT'S BEEN MET IN SPADES.
PERIOD.
I DON'T THINK WE EVER COULD
HAVE ASKED ANYTHING MORE
OF A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT
THAT WE BOUGHT.
Narrator: OTHER COUNTRIES
USE THE BLACK HAWK, TOO.
THEY FLY IN EVERY CORNER
OF THE WORLD,
SERVING MILITARY AND
HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS
FROM COLOMBIA TO JAPAN.
Leoni: 30 COUNTRIES AROUND
THE WORLD USE BLACK HAWKS
IN THEIR INVENTORY.
SO IT'S BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARILY
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
Narrator: FOR THE U.S., THE
BLACK HAWK CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
SIKORSKY HAS FITTED OUT
BLACK HAWKS FOR ATTACK.
SOME MODELS CAN DEPLOY
A RETRACTABLE PROBE,
HOOK UP TO A FIXED-WING TANKER,
AND REFUEL MID-FLIGHT,
DRAMATICALLY INCREASING
THE HELICOPTER'S RANGE
FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
AND IN MAY 2011, SPECIAL FORCES
RAID THIS COMPOUND
AND KILL OSAMA BIN LADEN.
THEY LEAVE BEHIND CLUES
TO THE FIRST OPERATIONAL
STEALTH HELICOPTER.
REPORTS SAY A MODIFIED
BLACK HAWK.
Connor: THIS IS GOING TO BE
THE MOST SPECIALIZED TOOL
THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX.
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE ONLY
GOING TO TAKE OUT
ONCE IN A WHILE UNDER VERY
EXTRAORDINARY SCENARIOS.
Narrator:
AFTER NUMEROUS UPGRADES,
THE BLACK HAWK STANDS AS ONE OF
THE SAFEST HELICOPTERS
IN THE U.S. ARSENAL.
NOW, ENGINEERS WORK TO TAKE
PILOTS OUT OF THE EQUATION
ALTOGETHER WITH THE FIRST
UNMANNED BLACK HAWK.
Connor: IN FUTURE CONFLICTS,
AUTOMATION WILL PLAY
A MUCH GREATER ROLE.
THIS INCLUDES
UNMANNED HELICOPTERS,
BUT ALSO HELICOPTERS THAT ARE
WHAT ARE CALLED
OPTIONALLY MANNED.
THIS MEANS HELICOPTERS THAT
YOU COULD FLY IN WITH A PILOT,
BUT IF THINGS ARE TOO HAZARDOUS,
YOU COULD SEND IT IN AS A ROBOT,
JUST SIMPLY BY
FLICKING A SWITCH.
Narrator: THE 4,000th
BLACK HAWK MODEL
JUST ROLLED OFF
THE ASSEMBLY LINE,
AND THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT.
THE ARMY EXPECTS THE UH-60
BLACK HAWK TO REMAIN IN SERVICE
FOR DECADES TO COME.
Johnson: EVERY COMBAT OPERATION
THAT WE HAVE
YIELDS A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED.
AND IT'S MUCH MORE
SURVIVABLE NOW
THAN IT WAS INITIALLY IN 1983,
AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS AS THEY LEARN.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWK
IS ONE OF
THE HARDEST WORKING HELICOPTERS
IN THE U.S. INVENTORY.
MISSION AFTER MISSION,
SOLDIERS AND ENGINEERS HAVE
LEARNED FROM TRAGEDIES
AND EXPANDED ITS CAPABILITIES.
DARING, POWERFUL,
SHOCKINGLY RESILIENT.
THE UH-60 BLACK HAWK IS
THE BEST IN ITS CLASS,
GETTING AMERICA INTO
AND OUT OF THE FIGHT,
SAVING TIME AND LIVES.
MOST ICONIC NAMES IN AVIATION--
BLACK HAWK.
Man: IT DID EVERYTHING
WE WANTED IT TO DO.
Narrator:
INFAMOUS FOR A TRAGEDY...
Soldier: MEDIC!
Narrator: ...AND REVERED
AS A LIFESAVER.
Man: HAD THIS BEEN ANOTHER
TYPE OF HELICOPTER,
PROBABLY NONE OF THE CREWS
WOULD HAVE SURVIVED.
Narrator: THE UH-60 BLACK HAWK
IS ARMY TOUGH.
Woman: IT JUST CAN GIVE YOU
EVERYTHING IN THAT SPLIT SECOND
WHEN YOU NEED IT.
Narrator:
THIS IS THE INSIDE STORY
OF HOW A MILITARY WORKHORSE
GOT OFF THE GROUND
AND SET A NEW STANDARD
FOR GETTING IN...
AND GETTING OUT
THROUGH THE HEAT OF BATTLE.
[GUNFIRE]
2011.
AMERICA'S WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
BARRELS INTO ITS 10th YEAR.
ONE OF ITS DEADLIEST PLACES--
KUNAR PROVINCE.
U.S. ATTENTION FOCUSES ON
ITS REMOTE WATAPUR VALLEY.
Julia Stalker: IT WAS A VERY
ACTIVE INSURGENT AREA,
ESPECIALLY WITH IT BEING NEAR
THE BORDER OF PAKISTAN.
Narrator: U.S. ARMY STAFF
SERGEANT JULIA STALKER
WAS IN KUNAR AS A FLIGHT MEDIC.
Stalker: IT WAS A VERY EASY
PLACE FOR THEM TO HIDE OUT
AND OPERATE
BECAUSE OF THE TERRAIN.
Narrator: U.S. COMMANDERS HATCH
A DANGEROUS PLAN
TO ATTACK THE TALIBAN
ON THEIR HOME TURF.
THEY MUST PREPARE FOR
U.S. CASUALTIES.
MEDICAL TEAMS READY TWO
BLACK HAWK HELICOPTERS
FOR AIRLIFTING WOUNDED
FROM THE HEAT OF BATTLE.
Stalker: WE WERE GOING TO BE
VERY, VERY BUSY.
Narrator: JUNE 25th.
HIGH ON A RIDGELINE
OPERATION HAMMER DOWN OPENS
AND MEETS INTENSE ENEMY FIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
Soldier: GO!
COME ON, COME ON, COME ON!
Narrator: TROOPS PUSH TOWARD
THE VALLEY BELOW,
BUT TALIBAN BULLETS
PIN THEM DOWN.
Soldier: WE GOT DISRUPTED.
WE SET UP A DEFENSIVE POSITION,
AND WE'VE JUST BEEN
IN THE DEFENSE.
Narrator: ALREADY,
SOLDIERS ARE DOWN
AND IN DESPERATE NEED OF HELP.
THE BLACK HAWKS SWOOP
INTO ACTION.
THE BLACK HAWK IS
THE GO-TO HELICOPTER
FOR MEDICS ON A MISSION,
AND FOR GOOD REASON.
Stalker: THIS HELICOPTER
THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE
IS OUR MEDEVAC HELICOPTER.
IT'S AN HH-60, IT'S SPECIFICALLY
DESIGNED FOR MEDEVAC MISSIONS.
Narrator: IT FITS UP TO SIX
STRETCHERS FOR THE WOUNDED,
TWO CREWMEMBERS,
AND LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT,
ALL IN A CABIN OF
88 SQUARE FEET.
Stalker: SO, EVEN WITH
OUR SPACE CONSTRAINTS,
I AM ABLE TO PROVIDE CARE,
JUST LIKE ALMOST ANY
EMERGENCY ROOM WOULD.
Narrator: MEDEVAC BLACK HAWKS
CAN SAVE LIVES--
IF THEY CAN GET TO THE PATIENTS.
IN THE WATAPUR VALLEY,
TWO BLACK HAWKS RACE
TOWARDS THE INJURED.
ONE SHOT SOLDIER'S CONDITION
IS CRITICAL.
THE LONGER TROOPS STAY PUT
WITH THE WOUNDED,
THE BIGGER TARGET
THEY ALL BECOME.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
THE TWO HELICOPTERS ARRIVE
OVER A HOT BATTLEFIELD.
Stalker: THERE WAS SMALL ARMS
FIRE, RPGs.
IT WAS A VERY, VERY ACTIVE
BATTLEFIELD.
IT'S A VISION IN MY MIND
THAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY.
Narrator: INSURGENTS HIT
THE FIRST BLACK HAWK.
THEY SERIOUSLY DAMAGE HYDRAULICS
CRITICAL TO FLIGHT PERFORMANCE.
PILOT MUSCLE ALONE
ISN'T ENOUGH POWER
TO CONTROL A BLACK HAWK'S
MAIN ROTOR OR TAIL ROTOR.
TWO HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS,
PLUS A THIRD BACKUP SYSTEM,
RUN FROM NOSE TO TAIL FOR
THE HEAVY LIFTING.
HYDRAULIC FLUID FLOWS THROUGH
PUMPS, VALVES AND LINES
TO SUPPLY 3,050 POUNDS PER
SQUARE INCH OF PRESSURE.
IF ONE SYSTEM GOES DOWN,
THE BACKUPS KICK IN,
BUT IT'S ONLY A TEMPORARY FIX
FOR A POTENTIALLY
LETHAL PROBLEM.
WITH CRUCIAL SYSTEMS GONE,
THE FIRST BLACK HAWK
MUST RETURN TO BASE.
STALKER'S MEDEVAC HELICOPTER
NOW OPERATES SOLO.
Stalker: WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH
MY MIND WAS,
OH, MAN,
WE'RE THE ONLY ONES LEFT.
Narrator: STALKER'S CREW MUST
GET THE INJURED SOLDIERS
ON BOARD.
BUT GUNFIRE BELOW
MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE.
THEY HOVER OUT OF RANGE,
AROUND 11,000 FEET,
AND SIT TIGHT.
Stalker: SO WE HAD TO WAIT.
WE BURNED FUEL, AND WE WAITED
AND WAITED FOR THAT CALL
THAT WE WERE GOING TO
BE ABLE TO GET IN
AND PULL OUR PATIENTS OUT.
Narrator: THE HIGH ALTITUDE
WOULD MAKE THIS WAITING GAME
IMPOSSIBLE FOR
MANY HELICOPTERS--
BUT NOT THE BLACK HAWK.
TWO G.E. TURBOSHAFT ENGINES
PUT OUT
MORE THAN 1,800 HORSEPOWER EACH.
THEY SPIN FOUR BLADES.
EACH PAIR MEASURES A WHOPPING
54 FEET FROM TIP TO TIP.
THIS POWER KEEPS
THE BLACK HAWK FLYING,
EVEN AT DIZZYING HEIGHTS.
THAT'S COMFORT IN THE SKY,
BUT STALKER'S BLACK HAWK NEEDS
TO GET ON THE GROUND.
CASUALTIES MOUNT.
Stalker: ALL WE NEEDED WAS ABOUT
TWO MINUTES.
WE NEEDED TWO MINUTES
OF IT BEING QUIET.
Narrator: IT'S BAD WEATHER,
AND AS DUSK TURNS TO DARKNESS,
THE DANGER GROWS.
FINALLY,
U.S. ATTACK AIRCRAFT STRIKE.
ENEMY FIRE CONTINUES,
BUT IT'S COVER ENOUGH FOR
STALKER'S BLACK HAWK
TO ATTEMPT A SECOND RESCUE.
Stalker: IT WAS A VERY
PRECISION LANDING
IN A VERY UNPRECISE PLACE.
Narrator: THEY FIND A NARROW
OPENING BETWEEN TREES
ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN
AND HOVER WITH ONE WHEEL ON
THE ROOF OF A HOUSE,
JUST LONG ENOUGH TO LOAD
A CRITICALLY WOUNDED SOLDIER.
STALKER'S TEAM STABILIZES HIM
AND GETS HIM TO SURGERY IN TIME
TO SAVE HIS LIFE.
Stalker: IT IS THE COOLEST
AIRCRAFT OUT THERE
FOR THIS PARTICULAR MISSION.
Narrator: STALKER CREDITS THE
BLACK HAWK FOR THEIR SUCCESS.
THE ARMY CREDITS HER
AND HER CREW.
THEY EACH RECEIVE
THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS.
SINCE THE BLACK HAWK
WAS INTRODUCED,
BATTLEFIELD SURVIVAL
HAS RISEN 75%.
THE ARMY'S SURGEON GENERAL
IDENTIFIED THE NEED
FOR SUCH AN AERIAL LIFESAVER
IN WORLD WAR II.
IN THE KOREAN WAR,
HELICOPTER EVACUATIONS SAVED
SOME 40,000 LIVES.
THEY NOT ONLY SERVED
AS AIR AMBULANCES,
THEY DOUBLED AS
AERIAL TROOP CARRIERS.
Roger Connor:
AIR MOBILITY IS A CONCEPT
THAT COMES OUT OF THE 1950s.
Narrator: ROGER CONNOR IS
ROTARY WING CURATOR
AT THE NATIONAL
AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.
Connor: EARLY ON IT WAS CALLED
SKY CAVALRY,
AND THE IDEA WAS JUST LIKE THE
HORSE TROOPS OF THE OLD WEST,
THE ARMY WAS GOING TO GET OUT
THERE AND INTERCEPT THE ENEMY
BEFORE THEY COULD GET INTO
THE CITIES AND CAUSE TROUBLE.
AND TO DO THAT, THEY NEEDED THE
HELICOPTER INSTEAD OF HORSES.
Narrator: THE NEED FOR
HELICOPTER SUPPORT HITS HOME
MORE THAN EVER
IN THE VIETNAM WAR.
1971.
AMERICA HAS BEEN CAUGHT UP IN
THE BLOODY WAR IN VIETNAM
FOR SEVEN YEARS.
[GUNFIRE]
THE ARMY HAS 165,000 TROOPS
ON THE GROUND
AND THE LATEST IN AIR TRANSPORT
TO GET THEM AROUND.
THE ARMY'S GO-TO HELICOPTER IS
THE BELL UH-1 IROQUOIS,
COMMONLY CALLED THE HUEY.
Connor: THE HUEY HAD A NUMBER OF
ADVANTAGES GOING FOR IT.
IT WAS A SIMPLE AIRCRAFT,
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT WAS
CHEAP AND EASY TO BUILD.
Narrator: THE HUEY IS
FRONT AND CENTER
DURING ALMOST EVERY
BATTLE OF THE WAR,
MAKING IT A PRIME TARGET.
Connor: ABOUT 2,500 HUEYS,
OR ABOUT HALF THE TOTAL
THAT SERVED IN VIETNAM,
WERE ACTUALLY SHOT DOWN
AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.
AND SO IF THE AIRCRAFT
WENT DOWN, ON IMPACT,
IT WAS NOT AS SURVIVABLE
AS IT MIGHT BE.
Narrator: THE HUEY'S PERFORMANCE
FALLS SHORT IN OTHER WAYS, TOO.
ITS ENGINE CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT.
Connor: VIETNAM WAS AN EXTREMELY
DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT
FOR HELICOPTERS.
TEMPERATURES WERE VERY HIGH,
THE HUMIDITY WAS OFTEN OVER 95%.
TO OPERATE IN THOSE CONDITIONS
REALLY REQUIRED AN ENGINE
THAT WAS GOING TO GENERATE
A LOT OF EXCESS THRUST
TO CARRY IT THROUGH THAT
DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT.
Narrator:
AS THE TEMPERATURE GOES UP,
THE HUEY'S ABILITY TO TRANSPORT
TROOPS GOES DOWN.
Connor: IF IT WAS HOT AND HUMID,
YOU COULDN'T CARRY AS MANY
TROOPS ON AN INDIVIDUAL SORTIE.
SO YOU WOULD HAVE TO FLY MORE
RUNS TO BRING MORE TROOPS IN,
AND THAT GREATLY COMPLICATED
THE MISSIONS.
Narrator: WITHOUT A WAY TO
RAPIDLY MOVE TROOPS,
THE ARMY QUICKLY LOSES GROUND.
Connor: TOWARDS THE END
OF THE VIETNAM WAR,
THE ARMY REALIZED THE HUEY WAS
NOT GOING TO BE ADEQUATE
FOR ITS NEXT GENERATION
OF OPERATIONS.
Narrator: JANUARY 5, 1972.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
THE ARMY ANNOUNCES
A COMPETITION--
TO BUILD A NEW GENERATION
UTILITY AND MEDEVAC HELICOPTER.
IT NEEDS TO HAVE LONG RANGE
ABILITY, LIFT HEAVY CARGO,
CARRY 11 OR MORE FULLY EQUIPPED
TROOPS IN THE BACK,
AND SERVE AS
AN AERIAL AMBULANCE.
IT MUST BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF
THAT IN THE HEAT OF BATTLE,
AND SURVIVE.
THE NEW HELICOPTER WILL
EVENTUALLY REPLACE
MORE THAN A THOUSAND HUEYS
IN THE ARMY INVENTORY.
Connor: THE LIMITATIONS
OF THE HUEY
FORCED THE ARMY TO ISSUE
NEW REQUIREMENTS--
ONES THAT WOULD DEAL WITH THE
SHORTCOMINGS IN SURVIVABILITY,
WITH THE SHORTCOMINGS IN
CABIN SPACE AND PAYLOAD,
AND IN SPEED, AND IN RANGE.
Narrator: THREE WELL-KNOWN NAMES
IN AVIATION VIE FOR THE PRIZE--
BELL, BOEING-VERTOL,
AND SIKORSKY.
SIKORSKY IS THE LONG SHOT.
Connor: THE U.S. ARMY HAD BEEN
BUYING THOUSANDS OF HELICOPTERS
FROM BELL AND FROM BOEING
DURING THE VIETNAM WAR,
BUT IT ONLY BOUGHT VERY SMALL
NUMBERS FROM SIKORSKY
DURING THAT TIME.
SO MOST OF THE ARMY PROGRAM
MANAGERS AT THE PENTAGON
AT THE TIME DID NOT SEE SIKORSKY
AS A REALISTIC CONTENDER
FOR THEIR NEW MAJOR COMPETITION.
Narrator: EIGHT MONTHS LATER,
THE ARMY NARROWS THE FIELD
TO TWO DESIGNS--
BOEING-VERTOL AND SIKORSKY.
TO DETERMINE THE WINNER,
A FLY-OFF.
Connor: THE TWO MAJOR CONTENDERS
HAD TO PRODUCE
A PROTOTYPE AIRCRAFT,
AND THEY WOULD FLY OFF.
THE AIRCRAFT THAT FLEW BEST
WOULD BE THE ONE
THAT USUALLY WON.
Narrator: THIS STRATEGY LEADS TO
A MOST EXTRAORDINARY
GAME CHANGER--
A CRASH LANDING LIKE
NONE BEFORE IT.
Narrator: THE ARMY GIVES
BOEING-VERTOL AND SIKORSKY
FOUR YEARS FOR EACH OF THEM
TO MANUFACTURE A HELICOPTER.
THE BEST ONE WILL WIN A CONTRACT
WORTH TENS OF MILLIONS.
Ray Leoni: THE ARMY'S PHILOSOPHY
WAS THEY WOULD FUND THE DESIGN
AND DEVELOPMENT OF
TWO DIFFERENT HELICOPTERS,
FLY THOSE AGAINST EACH OTHER AND
PICK THE WINNER FOR PRODUCTION.
Narrator: RAY LEONI WAS
CHIEF OF ADVANCED CONCEPTS
AT SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT.
THEIR NEW HELICOPTER
WAS HIS BABY.
Leoni: SIKORSKY SAW IT AS TRULY
A MATTER OF SURVIVAL.
WE HAD TO WIN OR WE WERE FACED
WITH GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.
Narrator: SIKORSKY IS
A COMPANY IN TROUBLE.
THEIR PRODUCTION LINES ONLY
OPERATE AT 22% CAPACITY.
THEIR VERY EXISTENCE DEPENDS ON
THEM WINNING THE FINAL CONTRACT.
SIKORSKY'S STRATEGY IS
TO RIGOROUSLY TEST
EACH INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT
FOR SURVIVABILITY
BEFORE THEY ASSEMBLE.
THEY TEST AND IMPROVE, STRAINING
PARTS TO THE BREAKING POINT,
AND SHOOTING BULLETS INTO ALMOST
EVERY SECTION OF THE AIRFRAME.
BUT HOW WILL IT COMPARE
TO ITS COMPETITOR?
MARCH 1976.
BOEING-VERTOL DELIVERS
ITS PROTOTYPE, THE YUH-61A.
ITS MODULAR DESIGN MEETS ALL
THE ARMY'S REQUIREMENTS,
AND IT HAS A SMALLER ROTOR.
THIS MAY MAKE IT CHEAPER AND
MORE VERSATILE IN TIGHT SPACES.
Leoni: WE KNEW
THE BOEING-VERTOL MACHINE
WAS SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN OURS,
SO WE WORRIED THAT THEY MAY
HAVE A LEG UP ON US.
BUT THERE WAS NO QUESTION
IN OUR MINDS
THAT WE DID THE BEST POSSIBLE
JOB IN DELIVERING TO THE ARMY
WHAT THEY TRULY WANTED
AND NEEDED.
Narrator: FIVE MONTHS LATER,
AT FORT CAMPBELL, KENTUCKY,
THE OPERATIONAL STAGE OF
THE FLY-OFF BEGINS--
THAT MEANS LIVE CARGO.
Leoni: THE OPERATIONAL TESTING
CONSISTED OF
FLYING SIMULATED TROOP ASSAULT
MISSIONS GOING DURING THE DAY,
FLYING AT NIGHT.
AND IT WAS TO PUT
THE HELICOPTER IN
AS CLOSE TO AN OPERATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE,
USING REAL TROOPS, REAL PILOTS,
AND JUST SEEING HOW
THE AIRCRAFT BEHAVED.
Narrator: AUGUST 19, 1976.
IN ITS CRITICAL TEST,
THE HELICOPTER TAKES OFF,
LOADED WITH 14 ARMY PERSONNEL.
SUDDENLY, IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE FLIGHT,
IT BEGINS TO VIBRATE
UNCONTROLLABLY.
Leoni: IT WAS WHAT WAS CALLED
A ONCE-PER-REVOLUTION,
ONE-PER-REV VIBRATION,
LOW FREQUENCY, BUT VERY STRONG.
THEY FELT THAT SINCE THEY DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT WAS CAUSING IT
AND IT SEEMED TO BE
GETTING WORSE,
THEY BETTER LAND AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
Narrator:
PILOTS SPOT A CORNFIELD.
IT LOOKS IDEAL FOR
AN EMERGENCY LANDING.
BUT IN THE DARK,
THEY GET IT WRONG.
Leoni: BETWEEN THE MIST
AND THE DARKNESS,
THEY MISTOOK THE PINE TREES
FOR CORNSTALKS.
Narrator: THE HELICOPTER CRASHES
HARD INTO THE TREES.
ABOARD--TWO PILOTS AND
TWELVE SOLDIERS.
Leoni: I ANSWERED THE PHONE,
ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING
AT HOME,
AND THEY SAID, "ONE OF YOUR
HELICOPTERS JUST CRASHED
IN THE WOODS,
AND IT WAS FULL OF ARMY TROOPS."
AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT WERE
THE, WHAT WERE THE INJURIES?
WERE THERE ANY FATALITIES?"
AND THEY SAID, "SORRY,
WE CAN'T TELL YOU THAT.
YOU BETTER GET DOWN
TO FORT CAMPBELL
JUST AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN."
Narrator: LEONI, RESCUE TEAMS
AND ARMY INVESTIGATORS
RACE TO THE SCENE.
IT'S NOT WHAT ANYONE EXPECTED.
Leoni: THERE WERE NO FATALITIES.
IN FACT, THERE WERE
NO INJURIES.
Narrator: MORE THAN THAT, THE
HELICOPTER SHOWS LITTLE DAMAGE.
Leoni: THERE WERE SOME DENTS AND
NICKS AND TEARS ON THE AIRFRAME,
BUT NOTHING SUBSTANTIALLY WRONG.
Narrator: THE CAUSE OF
THE VIBRATION IS AN EASY FIX,
AND THREE DAYS LATER,
THE CRASHED HELICOPTER FLIES OUT
OF THE FOREST AND BACK TO BASE.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN ITS DEMISE
BECOMES A MOMENT OF TRIUMPH.
Connor: THE AUGUST 1976 CRASH
WAS ONE OF THE FEW MOMENTS
IN AVIATION HISTORY WHERE
A CRASH HAS BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.
IN THIS CASE,
THE CRASH DEMONSTRATED
THE REAL SURVIVABILITY
TO AN EXTENT THAT NO OTHER
DEMONSTRATION COULD HAVE DONE.
Narrator: TWO LATER
CRASH LANDINGS
PROVE THE POINT EVEN FURTHER.
THIS IS A HUEY, THE HELICOPTER
TO BE REPLACED.
AND THIS IS SIKORSKY'S
NEW HELICOPTER,
ALSO HITTING TAIL-FIRST.
THE STRENGTH OF THE NEW
AIRFRAME IS HARD TO BEAT.
Man: I'M RATHER PLEASED
TO ANNOUNCE TO YOU
THAT THE ARMY HAS SELECTED
SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT
AS THE WINNER OF
THE UTTAS COMPETITION.
Narrator:
SIKORSKY WINS THE DEAL.
THEY INK A THREE-YEAR
$83.4 MILLION
PRODUCTION CONTRACT
TO BUILD 368 HELICOPTERS.
ON HALLOWEEN 1978,
THE ARMY GETS A TREAT.
THE FIRST SIKORSKY PRODUCTION
MODEL ARRIVES ON ITS DOORSTEP.
THEY UPHOLD A TRADITION OF
CHRISTENING THE HELICOPTERS
WITH NATIVE AMERICAN NAMES.
THEY CALL IT THE BLACK HAWK.
THE ARMY IMMEDIATELY STARTS
TRANSITIONING HUEY PILOTS
TO FLY THE LATEST IN
COMBAT UTILITY HELICOPTERS.
BUT EACH PILOT WONDERS,
WILL THE BLACK HAWK LIVE UP
TO EXPECTATIONS
WHEN IT MATTERS MOST...
IN COMBAT?
Narrator: OCTOBER 1983.
GRENADA.
A MARXIST POWER STRUGGLE
EXPLODES
IN THE TINY CARIBBEAN NATION.
THE UNITED STATES FEARS GRENADA
COULD BECOME
A COMMUNIST STRONGHOLD.
PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
REACTS WITH FORCE.
Ronald Reagan:
EARLY THIS MORNING,
FORCES FROM SIX CARIBBEAN
DEMOCRACIES
AND THE UNITED STATES BEGAN
A LANDING, OR LANDINGS,
ON THE ISLAND OF GRENADA
IN THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN.
Narrator: IT'S THE FIRST
CONFLICT SINCE VIETNAM,
AND THE PRESSURE IS ON
FOR A QUICK VICTORY.
TO GET TROOPS THERE FAST,
THE ARMY SELECTS ITS NEWEST
AIR ASSET--THE BLACK HAWK.
OCTOBER 25th.
NINE FULLY LOADED BLACK HAWKS
TAKE OFF
FROM NEIGHBORING BARBADOS.
COMMANDERS TASK TWO OF THEM WITH
A HIGH-LEVEL RESCUE MISSION.
Bob Johnson: THE MISSION WAS TO
INSERT 15 NAVY SEALS
TO THE GOVERNOR GENERAL'S
MANSION AND TO SECURE HIM THERE.
Narrator: MAJOR BOB JOHNSON WAS
A COMPANY COMMANDER
AND BLACK HAWK PILOT IN GRENADA.
Johnson: THERE HAD BEEN MURDERS
AND KILLINGS,
AND THE GOVERNOR GENERAL
AND HIS WIFE
WERE PRETTY MUCH TRAPPED
IN HIS MANSION.
Narrator: THE AMERICAN ARMY
DOESN'T EXPECT MUCH RESISTANCE.
Johnson: WE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT
THEY WOULD LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS
AND GIVE UP WHEN
THEY SAW US COMING.
Narrator: NOT LONG AFTER
THE BLACK HAWKS REACH GRENADA,
THEY DISCOVER THEIR INTELLIGENCE
IS WRONG.
Johnson: WELL, AS WE FLEW
ONTO LANDFALL,
WE STARTED PICKING UP
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF GROUND FIRE.
[GUNFIRE]
Man on radio: ARE YOU MEETING
STIFF RESISTANCE? OVER.
Johnson: WE WERE PRETTY MUCH
TAKING IT FROM EVERY DIRECTION
WITH PRETTY MUCH
EVERYTHING THEY HAD.
SO, IT WAS, IT MADE THINGS
A LITTLE TENSE.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWKS
MANEUVER THROUGH THE GUNFIRE.
FINALLY THEY ARRIVE OVER
THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.
Johnson: WE KICKED OUT
THE FAST ROPES,
AND THE SEALS WENT
DOWN THE FAST ROPES.
Narrator: BUT AS THE SEALS
UNLOAD, SO DOES THE ENEMY.
Johnson: SOMEBODY OPENED UP
ON OUR AIRCRAFT
FROM, FROM DIRECTLY BELOW
WITH AN AK-47.
Narrator: A BLAST OF BULLETS
HITS THE BLACK HAWK.
BUT WHAT MAY HAVE BEEN FATAL TO
ANOTHER HELICOPTER IS NOT HERE.
SEATS MADE FROM BORON CARBIDE
ARMOR SAVE THE PILOT.
BUT IT'S NOT OVER.
Johnson: THE AIRCRAFT IS
DESIGNED TO SURVIVE
SMALL ARMS FIRE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
IT CAN'T BE PENETRATED.
Narrator: AS JOHNSON
MANEUVERS AWAY,
AN ENEMY FIGHTER
HITS HIS TARGET.
Johnson: ONE ROUND CAME UP JUST
BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE SEAT,
MY LEG FLEW UP OFF THE FLOOR,
AND IT LOOKED LIKE YOU TOOK
A HUNK OF HAMBURGER
ABOUT THE SIZE OF A SOFTBALL,
PUT A FIRECRACKER IN IT,
AND SET IT OFF
INSIDE THE COCKPIT.
AT THAT POINT I KNEW THAT THINGS
WEREN'T GOING REAL WELL.
Narrator: THE BULLETS
KEEP FLYING,
BUT SO DOES THE BLACK HAWK.
WHEN ONE OF THE BLACK HAWK'S
TWO FUEL TANKS TAKES A HIT,
INSTEAD OF EXPLODING OR LEAKING,
IT EMPLOYS A TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPED FOR AIRCRAFT
BEFORE WORLD WAR II.
LAYERS OF RUBBER AND SEALANT
COVER THE INSIDE WALL
OF THE BLACK HAWK'S TWO
CONNECTING FUEL CELLS.
WHEN BULLETS PIERCE THEM, THE
RUBBER INSTANTANEOUSLY RETURNS
TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION
AND FILLS THE HOLES.
THE BLACK HAWK TAKES
THIS TECHNOLOGY
A STEP BEYOND THE TANKS.
IT ALSO HAS
SELF-SEALING FITTINGS
THAT CONNECT
SELF-SEALING FUEL LINES.
THESE FITTINGS ARE
A WORLD FIRST.
JOHNSON DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT THE FUEL LEAKS.
BUT NOTHING ABOARD WILL PLUG
THE HOLE IN HIS LEG.
Johnson: WE HAD BEEN BRIEFED
THAT IF ANYBODY
NEEDED MEDICAL EVACUATION
THAT THE NAVY WAS IN THE AREA,
THE U.S.S. GUAM WAS AVAILABLE.
SO THE OTHER PILOT DECIDED WE
WERE GOING TO FLY TO THE GUAM,
SO THAT'S WHERE WE WENT.
Narrator: THE BEAT UP BLACK HAWK
FLIES FAST
TOWARD THE U.S.S. GUAM.
15 MINUTES LATER,
IT LANDS ON DECK,
WHERE EMERGENCY CREWS,
SEEN HERE, ACT FAST.
BEFORE THE BLACK HAWK,
POST-CRASH FIRES WERE A
NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF CREW DEATH--
BUT NO MORE.
Johnson: THEY TOOK ME DOWN
TO THE SICK BAY,
PUMPED ME FULL OF MORPHINE,
PREPPED ME FOR SURGERY.
Narrator: MAINTAINERS TALLY THE
BATTLE DAMAGE TO THE HELICOPTER.
Johnson: DEPENDING ON HOW
YOU COUNT THE BULLET HOLES,
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 42 AND 48
BULLET HOLES IN MY BLACK HAWK.
Narrator:
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE TALLY.
THE BLACK HAWK PROVES IT'S
A TOUGH BIRD TO KILL IN COMBAT.
IN JUST FOUR DAYS BLACK HAWKS
FLY DOZENS OF COMBAT MISSIONS.
THEY WHISK AWAY THE GOVERNOR,
HELP RESCUE MORE THAN
700 AMERICAN CITIZENS,
AND TRANSPORT TROOPS
TO SECURE THE ISLAND.
Johnson: AFTER GRENADA, I THINK
EVERYONE VIEWED THE BLACK HAWK
AS AN AIRCRAFT THAT GETS TO TAKE
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF PUNISHMENT,
THAT CAN BE COUNTED ON TO
GET YOU WHERE YOU'RE GOING
TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR MISSION AND
BRING YOU BACK HOME SAFELY.
Narrator: IT'S A BAPTISM OF FIRE
AND A SWIFT VICTORY.
BUT A FOUR-DAY INVASION IN THE
TROPICS SOUNDS LIKE A VACATION
COMPARED TO WHAT COMES
SEVEN YEARS LATER.
FEBRUARY 1991.
IRAQ.
AFTER FIVE WEEKS OF AIR STRIKES,
COALITION FORCES GEAR UP
FOR THE NEXT PHASE
OF OPERATION DESERT STORM--
A HARD-HITTING RESPONSE
TO DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN'S
INVASION OF KUWAIT.
U.S. GENERAL NORMAN SCHWARZKOPF
READIES HIS FORCES
FOR A BOLD MOVE.
James Hill: THE MISSION WAS
TO GET AS DEEP INTO IRAQ
AS WE COULD AND
AS FAST AS WE COULD
IN ORDER TO BLOCK POSSIBLE
REINFORCEMENTS COMING DOWN
FROM THE BAGHDAD AREA INTO THE
BATTLE SPACE DOWN NEAR KUWAIT.
Narrator: U.S. ARMY GENERAL
JAMES HILL WAS A COMMANDER
DURING OPERATION DESERT STORM.
Hill: IN ORDER TO DO THAT,
YOU HAD TO GET ABOUT
250 MILES INSIDE IRAQ.
Narrator: COMMANDERS NEED
U.S. ATTACK HELICOPTERS
TO BLOCK ENEMY MOVEMENT
DEEP INSIDE IRAQ,
BUT THERE'S A HITCH.
Hill: IT WAS A REFUELING ISSUE.
YOU NEEDED A GAS STATION
HALFWAY BETWEEN
TO REFUEL THE HELICOPTERS.
BECAUSE, SIMPLY PUT,
THE HELICOPTER COULDN'T DO
THE OPERATION
WITHOUT THE REFUEL POINT.
SO IT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL.
Narrator: THERE ARE NO
DESERT GAS STATIONS
TO SERVICE AN AMERICAN
INVASION FORCE,
SO MISSION PLANNERS
DECIDE TO BUILD ONE
93 MILES BEHIND ENEMY LINES.
THEY CALL IT FORWARD
OPERATING BASE COBRA.
Hill: THE WHOLE PURPOSE
OF F.O.B. COBRA
WAS TO SEIZE A PIECE OF GROUND,
BRING ABOUT 450,000 GALLONS
OF FUEL INTO THE DESERT,
AND PUT IT OUT THERE
SO THAT WE COULD THEN
LOGISTICALLY RESUPPLY
THE OTHER ASSETS OF THE DIVISION
AS IT HAD TO GO FORWARD
AND OUT INTO,
INTO THE BATTLE SPACE.
Narrator: IRAQ HAS THE FOURTH
LARGEST ARMY IN THE WORLD.
SNEAKING INTO THE COUNTRY
TO BUILD A GAS STATION
WON'T BE EASY.
COMMANDERS CALL ON
THE BLACK HAWK.
BUT THE HELICOPTER IS UNPROVEN
IN A DESERT ENVIRONMENT.
THE NEW ENEMY--SAND.
Hill: SAND IN GENERAL
WAS ALWAYS AN ISSUE,
BECAUSE YOU GET SAND
INGESTED INTO THE TURBINE PARTS,
INTO THE ROTOR PARTS.
SAND WAS ALWAYS A MAJOR CONCERN.
Narrator: THE ENTIRE OUTCOME
OF DESERT STORM
COULD HINGE ON
THIS REFUELING BASE
BEING READY FOR
THE INVASION FORCE.
AND IT'S COUNTING ON THE
BLACK HAWK TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
FEBRUARY 24, 1991, 7:30 A.M.
TACTICAL ASSEMBLY POINT
CAMPBELL, SAUDI ARABIA.
60 TROOP-LADEN BLACK HAWKS FROM
THE 101st AIRBORNE DIVISION
TAKE OFF FOR THEIR 93-MILE
FLIGHT INTO IRAQ.
IT'S THE FIRST WAVE OF
THE LARGEST AIR ASSAULT
IN MILITARY HISTORY.
Hill: WE HAD TO DO THE REFUELING
POINT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY,
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO PUT
ATTACK ASSETS
VERY QUICKLY OUT BEYOND WHERE
WE WERE AT F.O.B. COBRA.
THE BIGGEST THREAT
THAT WE FEARED
WAS ENEMY AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS
ALONG THE ROUTE.
AND WE'D DONE A LOT OF LOOKING
FROM SATELLITES
AND THAT KIND OF STUFF,
BUT YOU NEVER KNOW FOR SURE
WHAT'S THERE.
IT IS A BIG PIECE OF DESERT,
AND WE HAD NEVER FLOWN IT THE
WHOLE WAY, SO WE DIDN'T KNOW.
SO WE WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
Narrator: BLACK HAWK PILOTS
SPEED ACROSS 90-PLUS MILES
OF DESERT IN 40 MINUTES AT JUST
10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.
AS THEY PREPARE TO LAND,
A SHOCK DISCOVERY.
AN ENTIRE ENEMY BATTALION
IS LOCATED
RIGHT WHERE BLACK HAWK PILOTS
PLAN TO ESTABLISH
THE CRUCIAL REFUELING BASE.
Hill: 400-PLUS IRAQI SOLDIERS
WHO STARTED,
AND THEY WERE IN
DUG-IN POSITIONS,
AND THEY STARTED FIRING AT US.
[GUNFIRE]
Narrator: 400 ARMED
IRAQI SOLDIERS FIRING
IS TOO MUCH FOR
THE AVERAGE BLACK HAWK.
THE HELICOPTERS HAVE DOOR
GUNNERS, BUT NOT MUCH MORE.
THE ARMY SENDS IN
REINFORCEMENTS.
Hill: WE ROLLED IN SOME
AIR FORCE 500-POUND BOMBS
ON THEM, AND WITH THE FIRST OR
SECOND BOMB THEY SAID, AH!
WAVED THE WHITE FLAG AND SAID
WE'RE OUT, WE QUIT, WE'RE DONE.
Narrator: THE AREA CLEAR,
THE BLACK HAWKS SWOOP IN
WITH MORE THAN 500 TROOPS
AND EQUIPMENT TO ESTABLISH
THE REFUELING DEPOT.
Hill: ALMOST THE VERY FIRST
THING WE PUT ON THE GROUND
BUNCH OF FUEL PUMPS,
BECAUSE WE KNEW WE HAD TO HAVE
GAS PRETTY QUICKLY.
Narrator: WITHIN AN HOUR,
THE NEW BASE IS PUMPING GAS.
ATTACK HELICOPTERS
CAN NOW REFUEL HERE
AND FLY DEEPER INTO IRAQ.
THE BLACK HAWKS CONTINUE TO HELP
BUILD AND SUPPLY THE BASE.
Hill: THE GAS STATION WAS
COMPLETED WITHIN 24 HOURS,
WELL WITHIN 24 HOURS.
AND THE BLACK HAWK WAS ESSENTIAL
TO THE SUCCESS OF THAT MISSION.
SIMPLY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE
WITHOUT THE BLACK HAWK.
Narrator: THE U.S. INVASION
FORCE REFUELS AT THIS BASE
AND GOES ON TO POUND THE ENEMY
ON THEIR OWN TURF.
100 HOURS LATER,
DESERT STORM IS OVER.
George H.W. Bush:
KUWAIT IS LIBERATED.
IRAQ'S ARMY IS DEFEATED.
OUR MILITARY OBJECTIVES ARE MET.
Narrator: THE EVER-PRESENT
THREAT OF SAND,
THWARTED BY BLACK HAWK
GROUND CREWS.
Hill: IT IS NOT AN UNCOMPLICATED
PIECE OF MACHINERY,
THE BLACK HAWK.
IT, IT HAS TO BE CARED FOR
AND, AND MAINTAINED WELL.
THE DEDICATION OF BOTH
THE CREW CHIEFS AND THE SOLDIERS
AND THE MAINTAINERS OF THEM
WAS PRETTY INCREDIBLE.
Narrator: TO KEEP IT FLYING
IN TOP SHAPE,
ARMY MAINTAINERS MUST KNOW THE
BLACK HAWK DOWN TO THE BOLTS.
Martin Baltazar:
THIS AIRCRAFT IS PROBABLY
ONE OF THE MOST SOPHISTICATED
AIR TROOP TRANSPORT HELICOPTERS
THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS.
JUST OUR PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST
ALONE
JUST HAS OVER 100
DIFFERENT THINGS.
POWER-ON CHECKS AS WELL AS
MAINTENANCE CHECKS,
AND THAT'S BEFORE YOU START
CRANKING THE ENGINES.
IT'S VERY THOROUGH.
Narrator: EVEN IN THE TOUGHEST
COMBAT ENVIRONMENTS,
COMMANDERS EXPECT BLACK HAWKS
TO BE READY TO GO
AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE.
Baltazar: USUALLY WHEN SAND GETS
SUCKED UP INTO THE ENGINES,
IT'LL, IT'LL DEGRADE
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ENGINES.
SO IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
TO MAINTAIN THOSE ENGINES,
SO YOU HAVE MAX CAPABILITY
OF A MISSION.
Hill: THE BLACK HAWK PERFORMANCE
IN DESERT STORM
FROM THE COVERING FORCE
OPERATION
WHEN WE FIRST GOT THERE UNTIL
THE DAY WE, THE WAR ENDED
IS A REMARKABLE STORY.
IT DID EVERYTHING
WE WANTED IT TO DO
UNDER SOME INCREDIBLE
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWK BASKS
IN GLOWING REVIEWS
FROM DESERT STORM
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS.
THEN, A TRAGIC MISADVENTURE
IT'LL NEVER LIVE DOWN.
1993, SOMALIA.
A TWO-YEAR-LONG CIVIL WAR
ESCALATES
IN A NATION SEIZED BY WARLORDS.
SEVERE FAMINE AND VIOLENCE
CLAIM THE LIVES OF 500,000
AND DISPLACE 1.5 MILLION MORE.
Reporter: SOMALIS HAVE BEEN
CONDEMNED TO WANDER
IN SEARCH OF FOOD
FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS,
SOME BECAUSE SUPPLIES
SIMPLY RAN OUT.
FRANTIC CROWDS OF PEOPLE
DESPERATE TO GET
WHAT LITTLE FOOD IS AVAILABLE.
Narrator: U.N. AND U.S.
RELIEF EFFORTS DO LITTLE
TO CURB RAMPANT CORRUPTION
AND STARVATION.
Connor: THE RELIEF SUPPLIES
THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE
GOING TO THE POPULATION
WERE ACTUALLY WINDING UP IN
THE HANDS OF THE WARLORDS,
WHO WERE USING THEM TO BUY
NARCOTICS AND WEAPONS
AND FUELING THE CIVIL WAR
THAT HAD TOTALLY TORN APART
THIS COUNTRY.
Narrator: THE CAPITAL CITY
OF MOGADISHU
IS THE CONFLICT'S EPICENTER.
UNRULY GANGS TAKE OVER THE TOWN.
Connor: BY THE SUMMER OF 1993,
THE SITUATION IN MOGADISHU
HAD BECOME CRITICAL.
ATTEMPTS TO REIN IN
THE WARLORDS
AND INSTILL A SENSE OF PEACE
IN THE CAPITAL
HAD BEGUN TO FALL APART.
Narrator: SOMALIA'S TOP WARLORD
BREAKS A CEASE-FIRE AGREEMENT.
HIS CLAN STAGES VIOLENT ATTACKS
ON U.N. PEACEKEEPERS.
THE U.S. SENDS IN
AN ELITE MILITARY GROUP
TO BRING DOWN THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
400 SPECIAL FORCES TROOPS
ARRIVE IN SOMALIA.
THEY'RE CALLED
TASK FORCE RANGER.
OCTOBER 3rd.
FOUR SPECIAL OPS BLACK HAWKS
DEPART FOR MOGADISHU.
ON BOARD--TASK FORCE RANGER
COMMANDOS.
THEIR AIM--TO CAPTURE A SOMALI
WARLORD'S TOP LIEUTENANTS.
Connor: THE EXPECTATION WAS THAT
THIS WAS GOING TO BE
A SNATCH-AND-GRAB OPERATION.
THEY WOULD BE IN AND OUT WITHIN
A FAIRLY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,
BEFORE ANY EFFECTIVE RESPONSE
COULD BE GENERATED.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWK PILOTS
FLY TOWARDS
THE HEART OF MOGADISHU.
ALL GOING TO PLAN,
THE MISSION WILL BE OVER
AND DONE WITHIN AN HOUR.
Connor: TASK FORCE RANGER
THOUGHT
IT HAD THE ELEMENT
OF A SURPRISE.
THEY WERE EXPECTING
SMALL NUMBERS OF FORCES,
LIGHTLY ARMED.
Narrator: MOMENTS AFTER
THE BLACK HAWKS
REACH THEIR TARGET LOCATION,
THE MISSION GOES TERRIBLY WRONG.
Connor: AS THE BLACK HAWKS
ARRIVED
AND BEGAN FAST ROPING IN
THE DELTA FORCE OPERATORS,
ONE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS
STRUCK BY AN RPG,
WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED
SEVERAL BLOCKS NEARBY.
Narrator: THE ATTACK KILLS
BOTH PILOTS.
THE TWO CREW CHIEFS AND THE TWO
DELTA SNIPERS ON BOARD
LAY INJURED, BUT ALIVE.
Connor: ONCE THE FIRST
BLACK HAWK GOES DOWN,
THE MISSION IS TOTALLY CHANGED.
IT BECOMES NOW
A SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION.
THIS MEANS THAT INSTEAD OF JUST
SNATCHING THE COUPLE LIEUTENANTS
AND GETTING BACK OUT,
THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO SEND
IN A RESPONSE TEAM ON THE GROUND
TO TRY AND RECOVER
THE INJURED PERSONNEL.
Narrator: TWO MORE BLACK HAWKS
HOVER NEARBY AND AWAIT ORDERS.
BUT BEFORE THEY KNOW IT,
THE SITUATION GETS EVEN WORSE.
Narrator: ONE BLACK HAWK
ALREADY SMOLDERS
IN THE STREETS OF MOGADISHU--
TWO DEAD, FOUR INJURED
SURVIVORS.
THEN ONE OF THE REMAINING
BLACK HAWKS ALSO TAKES A HIT.
Connor: ONE OF THE BLACK HAWKS
IS ALSO STRUCK BY AN RPG,
LOSES ITS TAIL RUDDER AND
CRASHES INTO THE STREET.
BECAUSE THE AIRCRAFT
WAS SO SURVIVABLE,
REMARKABLY, SOME OF THE CREW
SURVIVED THE IMPACT.
Narrator: NOW, TWO BLACK HAWKS
ARE DOWN A MILE APART.
THREE CREW MEMBERS LAY DEAD,
SEVEN OTHERS ARE BADLY WOUNDED
AND TRAPPED.
Connor: THEY WERE WOUNDED,
THEY WERE ALONE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE STREET,
AND HUNDREDS OF SOMALIS WERE NOW
CONVERGING ON THEIR POSITION.
[GUNFIRE]
THE PILOT,
CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER DURANT,
HAS BROKEN HIS BACK,
AND HE IS ATTEMPTING
TO FIGHT OFF,
ALMOST SINGLE HANDEDLY,
THIS FORCE.
AND IN A REMARKABLE
ACT OF HEROISM,
ONE OF THE MH6 LITTLE BIRDS
THAT'S SUPPORTING THE OPERATION
DROPS A DELTA SNIPER TEAM
IN THERE.
THESE GUYS KNOW THAT
THERE IS ALMOST NO WAY
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET OUT,
YET THAT THEY GO IN AND
ATTEMPT TO DEFEND THE CREW.
Narrator: DELTA SNIPERS
GARY GORDON AND RANDY SHUGHART
FIGHT TO PROTECT
THE SECOND DOWNED CREW.
Connor: AFTER HOLDING OUT
AS LONG AS THEY COULD,
SHUGHART AND GORDON WERE WOUNDED
AND THEN KILLED
DEFENDING THE AIRCRAFT.
DURANT HAD ATTEMPTED TO RESIST
AS LONG AS HIS AMMUNITION
HELD OUT,
BUT HE, TOO, WAS QUICKLY
OVERWHELMED AND TAKEN PRISONER.
Narrator: U.S. FORCES
ON THE GROUND FIGHT
TO REACH BOTH THE FALLEN CREWS
AND START A GUN BATTLE
WITH SOMALI MOBS
THAT RAGES THROUGH THE NIGHT.
NETWORKS FLASH HORRIFIC IMAGES
OF THE AFTERMATH
AROUND THE WORLD.
Larry King: A UNITED STATES
HUMANITARIAN MISSION
HAS GONE HORRIBLY WRONG.
12 AMERICAN SERVICEMEN DEAD
IN FIGHTING SUNDAY.
SOME OF THEIR BODIES
DRAGGED THROUGH THE STREETS.
ONE U.S. HELICOPTER PILOT WAS
TAKEN CAPTIVE AND VIDEOTAPED
AS HE LAY BADLY INJURED.
Narrator: FOR THE BLACK HAWK,
IT'S A PUBLIC RELATIONS
DISASTER.
AND WORSE, IT'S THE DEADLIEST
COMBAT OPERATION FOR THE U.S.
SINCE THE VIETNAM WAR.
AMERICAN FORCES RECOVER THE
REMAINING DEAD THREE DAYS LATER.
EIGHT DAYS AFTER THAT,
COMMANDERS SECURE THE RELEASE
OF CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER
MICHAEL DURANT.
BUT ARMY MORALE HITS A LOW.
Connor: UNFORTUNATELY,
THIS EPISODE BECAME KNOWN
AS THE BLACK HAWK DOWN EPISODE.
THIS WAS THE BIGGEST BLACK EYE
TO THE AMERICAN MILITARY
SINCE THE FAILED OPERATION
TO RESCUE TO THE HOSTAGES
IN IRAN IN 1980.
Narrator: IT'S AN UGLY SCAR
ON THE BLACK HAWK NAME.
THE CHANCE TO REBUILD
ITS REPUTATION
FINALLY COMES WITH
A NEW CONFLICT,
WHERE IT MUST COUNTER
A MORE PERVASIVE
AND FAR MORE LETHAL ENEMY.
JANUARY 2007, IRAQ.
168,000 ALLIED TROOPS
PATROL THE COUNTRY.
[EXPLOSION]
IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES,
OR IEDs,
WREAK LETHAL HAVOC
ON U.S. CONVOYS.
THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID THE THREAT
IS TO STAY OFF THE ROADS.
ONE MACHINE IN PARTICULAR IS
VERY GOOD AT DOING JUST THAT--
THE BLACK HAWK.
Jennifer Johnston: PEOPLE WANTED
TO FLY WITH US IN THE BLACK HAWK
BECAUSE THEY KNEW IT WAS SAFER
TO BE TRANSPORTED IN THE AIR
THAN ON THE GROUND.
Narrator:
CAPTAIN JENNIFER JOHNSTON
WAS A BLACK HAWK MISSION LEADER
DURING OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.
Johnston: EVERYBODY THAT ASKED
FOR A RIDE,
WE TRIED TO GIVE THEM A RIDE.
Narrator: THE TROOPS CATCH ON
THAT THEY ARE SAFER IN AIR
TRANSPORT THAN GROUND TRANSPORT.
KEEPING UP WITH DEMAND
EXHAUSTS THE PILOTS.
Johnston: WE WENT TO GREAT,
GREAT LENGTHS
TO KEEP AS MANY PEOPLE OFF THE
ROADS AT THAT TIME AS POSSIBLE,
AND THAT MEANT MORE HOURS
FOR OUR PILOTS.
SOMETIMES THEY WERE FLYING
12, 13-HOUR DAYS.
Narrator: DURING
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM,
U.S. BLACK HAWKS LOG
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF HOURS
CARRYING PASSENGERS HIGH ABOVE
THE IED THREAT.
THE NUMBER OF LIVES SAVED
IS TOO MANY TO COUNT.
SINCE ITS DEBUT 35 YEARS AGO,
THE BLACK HAWK HAS PLAYED A ROLE
IN NEARLY EVERY
AMERICAN CONFLICT.
FOUR OUT OF FIVE
U.S. MILITARY BRANCHES
FLY BLACK HAWK VARIATIONS.
Hill: THE ARMY'S EXPECTATION
WHEN IT BOUGHT THE BLACK HAWK
IN THE EARLY '80s
WAS VERY GREAT.
AND IT'S BEEN MET IN SPADES.
PERIOD.
I DON'T THINK WE EVER COULD
HAVE ASKED ANYTHING MORE
OF A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT
THAT WE BOUGHT.
Narrator: OTHER COUNTRIES
USE THE BLACK HAWK, TOO.
THEY FLY IN EVERY CORNER
OF THE WORLD,
SERVING MILITARY AND
HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS
FROM COLOMBIA TO JAPAN.
Leoni: 30 COUNTRIES AROUND
THE WORLD USE BLACK HAWKS
IN THEIR INVENTORY.
SO IT'S BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARILY
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
Narrator: FOR THE U.S., THE
BLACK HAWK CONTINUES TO EVOLVE.
SIKORSKY HAS FITTED OUT
BLACK HAWKS FOR ATTACK.
SOME MODELS CAN DEPLOY
A RETRACTABLE PROBE,
HOOK UP TO A FIXED-WING TANKER,
AND REFUEL MID-FLIGHT,
DRAMATICALLY INCREASING
THE HELICOPTER'S RANGE
FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS.
AND IN MAY 2011, SPECIAL FORCES
RAID THIS COMPOUND
AND KILL OSAMA BIN LADEN.
THEY LEAVE BEHIND CLUES
TO THE FIRST OPERATIONAL
STEALTH HELICOPTER.
REPORTS SAY A MODIFIED
BLACK HAWK.
Connor: THIS IS GOING TO BE
THE MOST SPECIALIZED TOOL
THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOOLBOX.
THIS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE ONLY
GOING TO TAKE OUT
ONCE IN A WHILE UNDER VERY
EXTRAORDINARY SCENARIOS.
Narrator:
AFTER NUMEROUS UPGRADES,
THE BLACK HAWK STANDS AS ONE OF
THE SAFEST HELICOPTERS
IN THE U.S. ARSENAL.
NOW, ENGINEERS WORK TO TAKE
PILOTS OUT OF THE EQUATION
ALTOGETHER WITH THE FIRST
UNMANNED BLACK HAWK.
Connor: IN FUTURE CONFLICTS,
AUTOMATION WILL PLAY
A MUCH GREATER ROLE.
THIS INCLUDES
UNMANNED HELICOPTERS,
BUT ALSO HELICOPTERS THAT ARE
WHAT ARE CALLED
OPTIONALLY MANNED.
THIS MEANS HELICOPTERS THAT
YOU COULD FLY IN WITH A PILOT,
BUT IF THINGS ARE TOO HAZARDOUS,
YOU COULD SEND IT IN AS A ROBOT,
JUST SIMPLY BY
FLICKING A SWITCH.
Narrator: THE 4,000th
BLACK HAWK MODEL
JUST ROLLED OFF
THE ASSEMBLY LINE,
AND THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT.
THE ARMY EXPECTS THE UH-60
BLACK HAWK TO REMAIN IN SERVICE
FOR DECADES TO COME.
Johnson: EVERY COMBAT OPERATION
THAT WE HAVE
YIELDS A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED.
AND IT'S MUCH MORE
SURVIVABLE NOW
THAN IT WAS INITIALLY IN 1983,
AND THEY'RE CONTINUING TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS AS THEY LEARN.
Narrator: THE BLACK HAWK
IS ONE OF
THE HARDEST WORKING HELICOPTERS
IN THE U.S. INVENTORY.
MISSION AFTER MISSION,
SOLDIERS AND ENGINEERS HAVE
LEARNED FROM TRAGEDIES
AND EXPANDED ITS CAPABILITIES.
DARING, POWERFUL,
SHOCKINGLY RESILIENT.
THE UH-60 BLACK HAWK IS
THE BEST IN ITS CLASS,
GETTING AMERICA INTO
AND OUT OF THE FIGHT,
SAVING TIME AND LIVES.