Pave Low

The Sikorsky MH-53J/M Pave Low IIIE/IV was a U.S. Air Force heavy-lift helicopter designed for low-level, long range, all-weather, day-or-night penetration into hostile areas for the infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operation forces. It was retired from US service in September 2008. The MH-53 Pave Low's Mission was superseded by the Army's 160th SOAR, the CV-22B Osprey and the HH-60G Pave Hawk. The Pave Low has a crew of six. 2 pilots, 2 flight engineers, and 2 aerial gunners.

Appearance in Campaign

 * S.S.D.D
 * Wolverines!
 * The Hornet's Nest
 * Exodus
 * The Gulag
 * Loose Ends
 * Endgame

Known Pave Lows

 * Six-Four
 * Warhorse 5-1 (Destroyed)
 * Nikolai's Pave Low
 * Raptor's Pave Low (Destroyed)

Appearance in Spec Ops
The Pave Lows featured in Special Ops are all destroyed or are props.
 * Homeland Security
 * Body Count
 * Wardriving

Multiplayer
The MH-53 is available as a killstreak perk after a killstreak of 9 (or 8 with the Hardline perk). Since it is used as an armored attack helicopter, the MH-53 is harder to destroy and packs a bigger punch than regular attack helicopters as it features two gun turrets instead of one. However it is also bigger and slower, making it a potentially easier target to shoot down, provided the enemy guns do not shoot you down first. The helicopter is equipped with one set of flares, which will distract any locked-on missile. After the flares are spent, your missile can track it directly. If a missile strikes the Pave Low while turning to follow the flares, it will still destroy the aircraft just as if it had scored a direct hit. Pave Lows seem to be much more sensitive, with regards to enemy targeting, than their attack counterpart. This may be because it can fire from both sides as opposed to just one. For example, it will target a player who recently tried to shoot it with a rocket. It also travels across the map to kill selected targets. Plus, it typically targets an opponent who is on a kill streak first before dealing with other threats.

Calling in a Pave Low rewards the player with 300 XP. Destroying a Pave Low gives 400 XP (4000 in Search and Destroy).

Pave Lows are currently glitched and only count for your killstreak on your first life. If you have died, and then get a Pave Low, it will NOT count for your killstreak. Pave Lows are also easily destroyed by Harriers like all other Helicopters in the airspace.



Tips

 * A Pave Low can be destroyed with 2 RPG-7 missiles.
 * It is strongly unadvisable to call in a Pave Low if your team also has a Harrier. Although a Pavelow can be called in while the Harrier is up, it is remarkably easy for the enemy team to destroy both killstreaks simply by shooting the Harrier with a Stinger.
 * The Pave Low, if shot down with bullets, can be used to quickly get Cold-Blooded Pro, if, while the helicopter is going down, an enemy shoots the fuselage, each bullet that hits counts as a "kill" for Cold Blooded. This is possible to do with almost any helicopter, it's just that the Pave Low is easier to hit because it's sheer size presents a bigger target and the fact that is moves through the air slower.
 * If a Pavelow is hovering over the large fuel tanks on Quarry, it can be destroyed by exploding the fuel tanks. Explosives are very effective as they are the most immediate way to explode the tanks.

Trivia

 * The MH-53s in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 bear the insignia of the US Air Force's Air Combat Command, based at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. However, Pave Lows were exclusively operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command At Hurlburt Field "20th SOS", Osan Air Base "31st SOS", Kirtland AFB "551st SOS" and RAF Mildenhall "21st SOS".
 * A Callsign in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has the title "Transformer", with Pave Lows on it. This obviously is a reference to the Decepticon Blackout from the 2007 Transformers movie, whose vehicular form was none other than the Pave Low.
 * The MH-53 Pave Low is really just a heavily upgraded Sikorsky C/HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant helicopter and that in turn was a heavily upgraded CH-53A Sea Stallion. However, the Pave Lows that appear in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2  are actually CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters that have been fitted out with "PAVE" equipment. The most visual differences between the two different models is that the real Pave Lows are slightly smaller, the horizontal and vertical tail sections come together to form a perfect 90 degree angle, and the lack of a 3rd engine behind the rotor mast.
 * The Pave Low's appearance in this game is unusual as all Pave Lows have been retired from service in The U.S. Air Force. However, this could justify its inclusion in several places in the game, such as multiplayer where it's possible for Brazilian militia to call them in, or the single player campaign where Nikolai inexplicably operates one; they could've bought or stolen refurbished Pave Lows that found their way to the black market after being retired from service. However, the Pave Low has been regarded as one of the world's safest helicopters, which explains why a HVI like Raptor used one. Pave Lows were retired due to high maintenance costs, but with Shepherd's vast funds and limitless resources, a maintenance budget would have meant nothing to him and Shadow Company.
 * The MH-53 in the game has the U.S. Army 23rd Infantry division emblem on his nose. Since the same division was inactive from 1971, that is not supposed to be the case. Also, the U.S. Army doesn't use MH-53 helicopters, only the U.S. Air Force does and it's correct because it has the title "Air Force" on its tail.
 * When looking at the cockpit of a Pave Low in killcam, you can see that the Pave Low actually has a pilot and co-pilot, unlike the Attack Helicopter.
 * When the Pave Low fires its turrets, it appears to use FMJ rounds.
 * The Prestige Challenge for kills with a Pave Low is named "Jolly Green Giant", which is obviously a reference to HH-53, the Pave Low's predecessor.
 * In Multiplayer, the Pave Low appears to be glitched. Sometimes Pave Low kills from a killstreak reward does not count against your current killstreak. This can sometimes be redeemed if you get a kill with your weapon after the Pave Low is called in, but before it gets a kill and if you have zero deaths. Also, sometimes Pave Low kills from a Care Package will count towards your killstreak, even if Care Package kills are not supposed to do that. A recent patch was supposed to fix this, but the bug still appears some times.
 * If you use a Stinger on a map with high buildings, you can destroy the Pave Low with a single shot. This happens because the flares will "trick" the missile, but it will curve to hit a building next to the Pave Low, therefore destroying it.
 * If firing a guided missile, like the Stinger or the AT4 after the Pave Low's flares are spent, you must be very careful not to stand in front of or directly under the Pave Low, as it almost always results in being killed.
 * It is possible to take down a Pave Low with something as simple as a Throwing Knife, only if you hit the rotors, as seen in this video.
 * At the end of The Hornet's Nest, Nikolai's Pave Low is actually being piloted by copies of Volker and Pelayo.
 * In multiplayer, upon further investigation there are actually two pilots in it along with a blinking light on the control panel. The only problem with this is the pilots have their arms stretched out to their sides.