"The MH-53J Pave Low III heavy-lift 
helicopter is the largest and most 
powerful helicopter in the Air Force 
inventory, and the most technologically 
advanced helicopter in the world. The 
terrain- following and terrain-avoidance 
radar, forward-looking infrared sensor, 
inertial navigation system with GPS, 
along with a projected map display, 
enable the crew to follow terrain 
contours as low as 100 feet and avoid 
obstacles even in adverse weather.

Mission
The MH-53J Pave Low helicopter is a 
night, adverse-weather special operations 
weapon system that was designed to be a 
flight lead platform for less capable 
aircraft. The primary mission of the 
MH-53J is to conduct covert low-level, 
long-range undetected penetration into 
denied areas, day or night, in adverse 
weather for infiltration, exfiltration, 
or resupply of special operations forces 
to include airdrops and heavy-lift sling 
operations. The aircraft can perform a 
variety of other missions to include 
shipboard operations, radar vectoring, 
and combat search and rescue. 

EQUIPMENT
Under the Air Force's Pave Low IIIE 
program, all Air Force H-53s were 
modified and designated MH-53Js. 
Their modifications include 
improved Pave Low avionics, satellite 
communications, shipboard modifications 
and structural improvements. All MH-53Js 
are modified for shipboard operations and 
feature automatic main rotor blade and 
tail rotor pylon fold. The MH-53J is also 
equipped with armor plating and a 
combination of three guns, 7.62mm miniguns 
or .50 caliber machine guns. It can be 
equipped with 27 troop seats or 14 litters. 
An external cargo hook has a 20,000 pound 
(9,000 kilograms) capacity. This highly 
modified aircraft is equipped with a rack 
of navigation, communication, special/
auxiliary equipment, defensive 
systems to include the following:

Navigation Equipment
The Enhanced Navigation System (ENS) provides 
a precise navigational capability that is 
essential for low-level, night/adverse weather 
operations. The ENS consists of several 
subsystems to include a mission computer, 
inertial navigation unit (INU), global 
positioning system and video symbology display 
system (VSDS). The ENS interfaces with a 
variety of other systems to include the Doppler, 
Projected Map Display (PMD), Terrain Following/
Terrain Avoidance (TF/TA) radar, 
and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR).

Doppler Navigation System
This system provides continuous Doppler derived 
measurements of the helicopter's velocity vector, 
continuous computation of present position, and 
worldwide navigation guidance.

Projected Map Display
This system provides a moving map display 
showing a continuous, pictorial representation 
of the helicopter's horizontal position 
and movement relative to the terrain.

Forward Looking Infrared
This is a controllable, infrared surveillance 
system, which provides a video infrared image 
of terrain features, and ground or airborne 
objects of interest. The FLIR is a passive 
system, and detects IR energy emitted by any 
object in daylight or darkness and displays 
it on the two cockpit monitors.

Special/Auxiliary Equipment
The Rescue Hoist is capable of raising 
and lowering 600 pounds. The hoist has 
approximately 240 feet of usable cable 
and is used to raise and lower a rescue 
sling, a  basket, or a forest penetrator.
The External Cargo Hook provides 
capability of supporting sling loads, 
rated to 20,000 pounds capacity. The 
Hover-coupler gives the crew the ability 
to transition from forward flight to a 
preset altitude(or a landing) in adverse 
weather by using a small hover coupler 
"joy stick". The Fast Rope System allows 
for rapid insertion of large numbers of 
personnel in areas where landing is 
impractical or impossible. Up to 
three ropes may be used: two from the 
overhead ramp and one from the personnel 
door. The Aircrew Eye and Respiratory 
System provides crews with the ability to 
operate in a biological or chemical 
environment. Each system is self contained, 
mobile, and can be powered by a portable 
battery or the aircraft electrical system. 
Data Transfer Module is a data storage device 
(similar to a floppy disk) used to  store and 
transfer flight planning data. Aircrew can 
flight plan by using a STAMPS or SOFPARS 
computer, transfer the flight planning data 
onto a DTM, and then load the data into the 
aircraft's ENS computer. The Personnel Locator 
and Rescue System, AN/ARS-6(V) is designed to 
locate survivors when they are equipped 
with the AN/PRC-112A(V) Survival Radio Set. 
The PLS can provide steering guidance to any 
source of continuous wave signal and  can 
provide two-way communications with survivors. 
Aircraft Lighting consist of a variety of 
interior and exterior white and Night Vision 
Goggle compatible Infra Red lighting. Exterior 
lights include a hover light, two  controllable 
spotlights, an SX-5E Controllable IR light, and 
a Signal Number Light. The hover light is a 
white light used for non-covert hoist or cargo 
sling operations. The  controllable spotlights, 
one controllable by each pilot, are dual 
purpose and can emit white or Infra Red light. 
The SX-5E is a 500 watt Xenon lamp that provides 
a high  intensity source of infra-red light. The 
Signal Number Lights are seven segmented lights  
that are mounted in the aft left and right cabin 
windows. The units display a single segmented 
numerical digit from 0-9, in a visible green or 
covert IR mode. They may be  used as a means of 
aircraft chalk I.D. or for passing covert messages 
between aircraft in a formation. Communications 
capabilities consist of UHF, VHF, FM, HF, and 
SATCOM radios, all of which are capable of 
secure communications. The UHF radio is HAVE QUICK 
capable. These radios are supplemented by the PLS 
radio which can be used as a back up UHF.

Planning Considerations.
Exercise/Operational missions can be executed with 
24 hours notice. Once the initial planning is 
complete, crews go into 12 hours of crew rest prior 
to flight. After crew rest, the crew needs about 3 
hours for final planning, crew briefing, and run-up 
time prior to take-off.

Weather Minimums
Air refueling weather minimums for VMC rendezvous 
is 5NM visibility and for radar rendezvous it is 1NM.
Operational weather minimums. The MH-53J, with its 
unique systems configuration, is capable of operating 
in total IMC and/or total darkness. However, at the 
remote site, risk  is reduced greatly if operations 
are conducted in VMC conditions with a minimum of  
200-foot ceiling and 1/2 mile visibility, and 5 to 20 
percent illumination; for air refueling operations, a 
minimum of 500-foot ceilings and 1 mile visibility also 
reduces risk. If the hover coupler is required for 
letdown from IMC, the maximum winds for this operation 
is  30 knots. The hover coupler is not required if 
weather is greater than 100 ft ceiling and ¼  mile 
visibility.

Crew Qualification
Not all crewmembers are qualified for all types of 
missions. Specialized crew qualifications include 
shipboard operation, formation live fire with ground 
parties, night water and night water low-and-slow 
deployment operations.

(Excerpt from the JCS SOF Reference Manual)