Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), DSN-3 (QH50C)

The DASH program was one of the major features of the FRAM I and FRAM II destroyer modernizations of the 1960s providing the ships with a long range stand-off capability for launching ASW weapons. The ships included all FRAM I Gearing-Class, all FRAM II Sumner-Class, three FRAM II Fletcher-Class, and on Fletcher-Class DASH test ship. The port side is shown below which has the landing gear, fuel tank/US insignia, and tail surface painted red. Those areas painted red on the port side are painted green on the starboard side.

The DASH was designed to carry two MK 44 torpedoes, one MK 46 torpedo, or a MK 17 depth charge with a MK 17 nuclear warhead. The weapon would be delivered to within 200 yards of a submarine contact at a range of 10,000 yards. The DASH was 12.92 feet long, 9.71 feet high, 5.25 feet wide, and had a 20-foot rotor. It cruised at 63 miles per hour, had a maximum speed of 92 miles per hour, and a range of 141 miles. This was the only long range ASW capability of the FRAM II destroyers