_AIRMAN_assigned_to_the_21st_Special_Operations_Squadron_(SOS)_mans_the_tail_gunner_position_aboard_a_USAF_MH-53M_Pave_Low_IV_helicopter%2C_during_a_training_flig_-_DPLA_-_0f89cbff8775c4ef60ce2549bd22f334.jpeg)
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10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. MH-53 Pave Low US Military: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Andy M. Kin· Public domain
- 2. 16 19 181 MH 53: Dsdugan· CC0
- 3. A US Air Force (USAF) AIRMAN assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron (SOS) mans the tail gunner position aboard a USAF MH-53M Pave Low IV helicopter, during a training flig - DPLA - 0f89cbff8775c4ef60ce2549bd22f334: Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. 1994· Public domain
- 4. A left front view of a 20th Special Operations Squadron MH-53H PAVELOW helicopter extracting 1723rd Combat Control members with ladder ropes - DPLA - 749e173c49454bfa29149823ae0d4013: Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. 1994· Public domain
- 5. An MH-53M Pave Low IV helicopter approaches the refueling basket of an MC-130P Combat Shadow: Tech. Sgt. Cary Humphries, U.S. Air Force· Public domain
- 6. An MH-53 Pave Low helicopter: US Air Force from USA· Public domain
- 7. Final Combat Mission of MH-53 Pave Low, Sept. 27, 2008, Iraq: Airman 1st Class Jason Epley (U.S. Air Force)· Public domain
- 8. Four MH-53 Pave Lows from 20th SOS fly over Hurlburt Field: Air Force· Public domain
- 9. MH-53J Pave Low III: Airman Magazine, MSgt Dave Nolan· Public domain
- 10. MH-53J Pave Low Mission Descent (altered): Senior Airman Andy M. Kin· Public domain
what is it?
The Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low series is a retired long-range special operations and combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopter for the United States Air Force. The series was upgraded from the HH-53B/C, variants of the Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion. The HH-53 "Super Jolly Green Giant" was initially developed to replace the HH-3E "Jolly Green Giant".
How to recognise it: 2 turboshaft engines · 22 m main rotor
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 59 years ago, in 1967.
- Top speed is 2.4× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
- Rotor of 22 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
- Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 3 African elephants (~6 t each).
- Range of 1,111 km: 6× Amsterdam to Brussels.
turboshaft: A turbine that turns a shaft, usually a helicopter rotor.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1967-03-15
- introduced
- 1968
- retired
- 2008
- status
- retired
- number built
- 72
- role
- heavy-lift helicopter
- makers
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
- engines
- 2× General Electric T64-GE-100
- crew
- 6
- passengers
- 37
- length
- 26.8 m
- rotor diameter
- 22 m
- height
- 7.6 m
- max take-off weight
- 20.9 t
- top speed
- 315 km/h
- cruise speed
- 278 km/h
- range
- 1,111 km
- ceiling
- 4,877 m
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q1194904, Wikipedia: Sikorsky MH-53 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.