The MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator helicopter is used for some of the U.S. military’s most dangerous combat missions.
Modified Black Hawk
The MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator (DAP) is a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that has been modified and upgraded to perform in hostile environments and dangerous combat zones. The MH-60L is solely used as a gunship. Unlike the Black Hawk helicopters, it does no carry passengers or function as a troop transport.
The MH-60L is primarily operated by the US Army's 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the "Nightstalkers." The helicopter provides close air support and acts as an escort for other U.S. military helicopters and ground troops in combat.
Extensive Weapons
The MH-60L DAP was developed in the early 1990s for use by the Nightstalkers. The helicopter has been outfitted with several additional weapons, including M230 chain guns, 30 millimeter automatic cannons, rocket pods, and M134D miniguns that are mounted on the aircraft’s doors. The helicopter is also equipped with Forward Looking Infrared cameras, nigh vision, and several radars.
The MH-60L DAP has been used around the world, including in global hot spots such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, the Balkans and South America. The helicopter has been praised for its impressive firepower and role as a gunship. The U.S. military continues to produce new variants of the popular Black Hawk helicopter and look for ways to extend its use around the world.