Conflict, pirates and storms: 'Seahawk Helicopter Tiger 75'

Discover the story of the Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter 'Tiger 75', and the Royal Australian Navy crew who worked on board.

What type of helicopter is this?
This is a Sikorsky S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopter. It was designed for anti-submarine warfare, surveillance, and search and rescue operations. It would normally be carried aboard ship, and it is designed to fold its tail and rotor blades for storage in tight spots.

Why is it striped like a tiger?
This helicopter was part of the Royal Australian Navy's 816 Squadron, who have a tiger on their squadron badge. Its navy code number is 875 so it is called Tiger 75'. RAN Seahawks are normally grey, but the tiger stripes are used for ceremonial events. When it was retired from service in 2017 the navy repainted it for us to display at the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Why is this Seahawk special?
Tiger 75 began service with the Fleet Air Arm in July 1992. Over the course of a 29-year career, it was used in the Gulf Wars in the Middle East, and in other international trouble spots. When the 1998 Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race ran into severe storms in Bass Strait, Tiger 75 and its crew participated in the search and rescue operation. It was also involved in the rescue of three crew aboard a Yemeni dhow (fishing boat) held hostage by Somali pirates off North East Africa in 2011.

Produced for the Australian National Maritime Museum in conjunction with the Royal Australian Navy.

You can view the Seahawk Tiger 75 Helicopter on display at the museum now.

Discover more: https://www.sea.museum/seahawk

Видео Conflict, pirates and storms: 'Seahawk Helicopter Tiger 75' канала Australian National Maritime Museum