This attack helicopter is the workhorse of the US Navy

24/7 Wall St. Outlook:

• The MH-60 Seahawk is one of the most used helicopters by the US Navy
• The Seahawk has been deployed in various naval operations around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan
• It is powered by two General Electric T700 engines, allowing it to reach speeds of over 180 mph
• Also: Discover the next Nvidia

The Black Hawk helicopter is the most widely used helicopter by the US military and comes in a number of variants. For US Navy use, one of the main variants is the MH-60 Seahawk, which serves a range of roles from search and rescue, transport or even anti-surface warfare. All this building on its land counterpart, the UH-60 Black Hawk and under the designation S-70 Black Hawk. (This fighter makes up nearly half of all Navy aircraft.)

Over the years, the Seahawk has been deployed in various naval operations around the world, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, where it has been repeatedly tested. Its ability to operate from aircraft carriers or other naval vessels gives the Navy a significant tactical and logistical advantage.

The Seahawk is powered by two General Electric T700 engines, allowing it to reach speeds in excess of 180 mph. It can carry a payload of up to 9,000 pounds, including advanced munitions such as Hellfire missiles, torpedoes and rockets. At the same time, it can carry up to 12 personnel, allowing it to support troop transport, medical evacuations and other logistical operations if necessary.

All these features make it an ideal helicopter for the US Navy. However, there are several other helicopters that the Navy also uses for various other operations. (These are the most iconic fighter jets built by Boeing.)

24/7 Wall St. take a closer look at the US Navy’s helicopter fleet. To identify every helicopter flown by the US Navy, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed data from the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website, and ranked the aircraft by active duty units. In addition, we have included additional information about the type of aircraft, how many are in active service, maximum speed and armament. I have excluded all training aircraft.

Here’s a look at every helicopter in the US Navy:

Why are we covering this?

24/7 would like our readers to understand where their tax dollars are being spent. The Navy received $202.6 billion in government funding in 2024, second only to the Air Force at $216.1. billion. In fiscal year 2025, the Navy requested $16.6 billion of its funding to purchase 75 aircraft and helicopters, which is actually slightly less than in 2024.

4. Bell 407

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year of introduction: 1996
• Active aircraft: 5
• Maximum speed: 162 mph
• Armament: N/A

3. MH-53E Pave Low

• Type: Multirole transport helicopter
• Year of introduction: 1981
• Active aircraft: 26
• Maximum speed: 196 mph
• Armament: 7.62 mm M134 machine guns, 12.7 mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns

2. MV-22 Osprey

• Type: Tilt-rotor VTOL aircraft
• Year of introduction: 2007
• Active aircraft: 27
• Maximum speed: 316 mph
• Armament: 7.62 mm machine guns, 12.7 mm machine guns

1. S-70 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium lift multi-mission helicopter
• Year of introduction: 1979
• Active aircraft: 454
• Maximum speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm Machine Guns, Hellfire Missiles, 12.7mm Gatling Guns, M134 Gatling Guns, Missile Pods, 30mm Chain Cannon

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