Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

CH-47 Chinook: why the timeless helicopter design is still a heavy-lift contender on the modern battlefield

From its emergence as a ground-breaking design in the 1950s to its widespread deployment in diverse operations worldwide, the Chinook continues to leave an indelible mark on the aviation landscape. Shephard sums up the latest developments and tells you everything you need to know about the workhorse of many armies and air forces in the 2020s.

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an iconic twin-engine, tandem-rotor heavy-lift transport helicopter that has served as a workhorse on military and civilian operations since its debut. Revered for its remarkable lifting capacity, endurance and adaptability, the Chinook has left an indelible mark on modern aviation history.

The origins of the Chinook date back to the early 1950s when the US Army recognised the need for a rotorcraft capable of carrying heavy loads and troops over long distances. In 1956, Vertol (later acquired by Boeing) won the development contract and designed an innovative heavy-lift helicopter.

The company's breakthrough design featured a tandem configuration, where two large rotors mounted at the front and rear provided greater lifting efficiency and stability. This design also allowed for a larger cargo bay and easy access through a rear loading ramp, streamlining the loading and unloading process.

Evolution and upgrades
Over the decades, the Chinook has undergone several upgrades with new variants evolved to keep up with changing operational requirements. Improvements in avionics, engines and materials have increased its lifting capacity, range and reliability.

The CH-47D introduced in the 1980s featured more powerful engines, improved rotor systems, and advanced avionics. It played a significant role in many military operations, including the Gulf War and various humanitarian missions.

The CH-47F model, introduced in the early 2000s, brought further advancements, including a digital cockpit, enhanced survivability features, and improved maintenance systems. Its digital flight control system and advanced communication capabilities made it even more adaptable to modern warfare scenarios.

The US DoD awarded Boeing a $277 million contract for CH-47F Block II engineering and manufacturing development in 2017. The upgrade was developed to add an additional 4,000lb of lift capability.

Block II enhancements included Advanced Chinook Rotor Blades, an upgraded fuselage, a new fuel system, and a new drivetrain, according to a Boeing press release published in 2018. However, the company informed Shephard in May 2023 that: 'The US Army decided to not move forward with the advanced rotor blades in 2021. Even without the blades, the Block II aircraft meets all of the key performance indicators set out by the US Army.'

Honeywell received a five-year contract from the US Army in 2020 to provide a full overhaul and repair for its T55-GA-714A engines that power the F variants. The engine improvement programme for the T55 is said to increase shaft horsepower from 4,777 to 6,000. This will allow the CH-47F to increase its useful load at higher density altitudes and will further reduce maintenance hours with the introduction of a newly designed compressor and accessory drive gearbox.

The MH-47G is a special operations variant of the Chinook in service with US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). The first new-built MH-47G helicopter was delivered to USASOC in September 2014.

Latest orders
The German Parliament's Budget Committee made an announcement confirming its decision to proceed with the acquisition of 60 CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters on 5 July. The deal will be worth up to €8 billion ($8.7 billion), including associated equipment and infrastructure.

A Boeing spokesperson told Shephard that the approval of the order confirms confidence in the Chinook's battle-tested capabilities and the company.

Germany first floated the idea of buying 60 Chinooks last year to replace its ageing CH-53 fleet. Originally, €6 billion had been budgeted for the helicopters.

Boeing's director of BD for cargo and utility helicopters and Future Vertical Lift programmes, Heather McBryan, told Shephard at the end of May that all German Chinooks will have in-flight refuelling capability, but the country will not receive 60 probes.

Boeing is also contracted to modernise the UK's Chinook fleet over the next ten years under a £1.4 billion ($2 billion) deal that was signed in 2021. The new variant, known as the H-47(ER), will primarily be used for special forces operations. All 14 Chinooks for the UK will have refuelling capability, and the aircraft will enter production in 2025. Deliveries will commence in 2026.

Boeing delivered the 20th CH-47F Chinook helicopter to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the company announced on 15 November 2022. The handover marked the conclusion of the Netherlands' latest fleet update for its Chinooks.

Egypt meanwhile is replacing its 19 CH-47D helicopters with CH-47Fs. On 3 January 2023, the US Army awarded Boeing a $426 million FMS contract to produce 12 new CH-47F Chinooks for the Egyptian Air Force, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026.

At the beginning of July 2023, Boeing received its last orders for the Chinook CH-47F Block I helicopter as the company transitions all work onto Block II aircraft in the expectation of delivering the last of the Block I variants in 2027. The order of a single aircraft to supplement Spain's current fleet of 17 and 18 for South Korea is part of a $793 million FMS deal agreed with the US DoD.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/air-warfare/chinook-helicopter-a-timeless-icon-of-strength-and-versatility-in-modern-aviation/

[Harald]

Argentina eyes surplus CH-46 helicopters as Mi-17 replacement

The Boeing CH-46 medium-lift helicopter, retired from service in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, may get a new lease on life, this time with the Argentine Air Force.

Talking to local media after a Sept. 15 ceremony, Argentine Air Force chief Gen. Xavier Issac said he's interested in buying surplus CH-46s currently stored with the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group in Arizona. He added that the Argentine government has sent a letter of request to the U.S.

Issac said a delegation would visit the 309th in the next few weeks to check the condition of available CH-46s, and hinted that contacts were signed with Columbia Helicopters, a U.S.-based firm able to refurbish, upgrade and modify the helicopter type.

But a military source in Buenos Aires, talking to Defense News on the condition of anonymity to speak freely, said that "even when the potential procurement of surplus CH-46s is aimed to increased vertical lift capacities for a wide range of uses, the first priority would be to replace two Mil Mi-171Es, ordered in 2010 in a contract worth U.S. $26.5 million, and used since 2011 in support of Antarctic operations."

The source added that both Russian-made Mi-17 aircraft are grounded because maintenance scheduled in the country cannot take, given Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.

../..

https://www.defensenews.com/global/the-americas/2023/09/21/argentina-eyes-surplus-ch-46-helicopters-as-mi-17-replacement/

[Sparkplug]

Oostenrijkse defensie plant verdubbeling Black Hawk vloot

1 sep 2023  Categorie: Militair, Nieuws

De Oostenrijkse Black Hawk-helikoptervloot bestaat sinds 2002 uit negen S-70 Black Hawks, die in 2021 een mid-life update kregen met nieuwe avionics. De Oostenrijkse minister van Defensie, Claudia Tanner heeft vorig jaar reeds drie extra S-70 Black Hawk helikopters besteld waarvan de levering voorzien is voor 2024. Het budget hiervoor was €60 miljoen.

In een interview met APA zei de minister dat ze plant om volgende jaar nog 12 additionele Black Hawk helikopters aan de kopen en er een extra squadron mee op te richten.

Het budget voor deze aankoop is intussen reeds vastgelegd in een speciale defensiebegroting die voorziet in investeringen van 16,6 miljard euro tot 2032.

Eind vorig jaar ontving de Oostenrijkse Defensie de eerste van 18 Leonard AW169M helikopters en heeft toen de optie gelicht om nogmaals 18 Leonardo AW169M helikopters aan te kopen in 'government to government deal' met Italië. Dit zal de vloot op termijn op 36 helikopters brengen, na Italië de grootste vloot van de Leonardo AW169M helikopters.

https://helispot.nl/hs/page/detail.asp?oid=b3h7c5D3&sub=logboek

[Harald]

https://gagadget.com/nl/302475-indonesie-koopt-24-sikorsky-s-70m-black-hawk-helikopters-samen-met-f-15ex-eagle-ii-gevechtsvliegtuigen/

Indonesië koopt 24 Sikorsky S-70M Black Hawk-helikopters samen met F-15EX Eagle II-gevechtsvliegtuigen

[StrataNL]

Ja bijna een Apache, want de Fenice heeft dezelfde motoren als de AH64 namelijk de CT7 van General Electric, en dus ongeveer dezelfde endurance.

Vreemde conclusie, de CT7 motoren van de AW249 hebben flink wat meer vermogen dan de T700's die in de Apache Echo zitten. Dat maakt niet per se dat de kist  dezelfde endurance heeft....

[Parera]

Ik denk ook dat heel veel landen in rij zullen staan om dit knappe staaltje Italiaans vakmanschap aan te schaffen *kuch kuch*

Ik denk dat de huidige situatie in de wereld nog wel eens een goede boost kan zijn voor de verkoop van de AW-249. Het zal niet de #1 keuze zijn van veel (NAVO) landen, maar als de Amerikaanse lijnen volraken dan is dit misschien wel een goed alternatief.

[Benji87]

Italian apache.. jaja. Bijna

Ik denk ook dat heel veel landen in rij zullen staan om dit knappe staaltje Italiaans vakmanschap aan te schaffen *kuch kuch*

[Sparkplug]

Ja bijna een Apache, want de Fenice heeft dezelfde motoren als de AH64 namelijk de CT7 van General Electric, en dus ongeveer dezelfde endurance.

In plaats van 'Apache' had er ook 'Viper' (AH-1Z) kunnen staan. De opgegeven MTOW van de AW249 en de AH-1Z zijn ongeveer gelijk.

Van de T700 en de CT7 elk bestaat een reeks varianten. Er zit al verschil tussen de T700-GE-701C (AH-64D) en de T700-GE-701D (AH-64E).

[Kornet43]

Ja bijna een Apache, want de Fenice heeft dezelfde motoren als de AH64 namelijk de CT7 van General Electric, en dus ongeveer dezelfde endurance.

[Huzaar1]

Italian apache.. jaja. Bijna

[Harald]

https://bulgarianmilitary.com/amp/2023/08/06/italian-apache-the-aw249-tests-its-performance-in-warm-weather/

Italian 'Apache' – the AW249, tests its performance in warm weather

Currently, the first prototype of the innovative Leonardo AW249 NEES, with the serial number CSX82097, is undergoing hot weather testing in Palma del Río, near Cordoba, Spain.

[Sparkplug]

First Australian UH-60M Black Hawks have arrived

Published: 07 August 2023    Last Updated: 07 August 2023

On 30 July 2023, a US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III (05-5151) delivered the first two Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to RAAF Base Richmnond (NSW).

The new helicopters, part of an order for forty UH-60Ms, will replace the Australian Army's troubled fleet of Airbus MRH90 Taipans. The Black Hawks will be operated by the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey Army Air Field (Qld.) and the 6th Aviation Regiment (AVN) at Luscombe (NSW), also known as Holsworthy Army Air Field.

It is reported that that the first two have already been flown to Holsworthy. The serials of the Black Hawks start with A60-xxx, as can be seen on the photo. Most probably they will be registered A60-001 to A60-040.

Scramble Magazine first reported on the Australian Army replacement programme in December 2021 and on 18 January 2023, when the Australian government confirmed that it would buy the Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk.


Photo via Australian Defence

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/first-australian-uh-60m-black-hawks-have-arrived

[Harald]

Via C-17 zijn de eerste Vipers in Tsjechië aangekomen, mooi compact ingepakt 





https://www.facebook.com/lznamest/posts/pfbid02ahcf7pvGqz9ZXAZcNwcrDSip3H2p5K16BU45FGx2gJSugzf98jrijPdjm6y4TiTjl



Czech Republic receives first AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters
https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2023-news-aviation-aerospace/july/9100-czech-republic-welcomes-first-ah-1z-viper-helicopters.html

[Huzaar1]

Mariniers hebben ook eenheden in SOCOM. Zullen er dus ook gebruik van maken.

[Huzaar1]

Zal een ingreep zijn na de kern investeringen zijn. Tevens niet echt in het graticuul van de commandant omdat het niet Klu sexy is.