Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

Bell targets military market with 525 helicopter



Bell Helicopter is pitching the in-development 525 Relentless to military customers as a 20-passenger troop transport or search and rescue (SAR) platform.

Although Bell has previously identified civil SAR and VIP transport missions as alternatives to the depressed oil and gas segment it initially aimed the 525 at, the airframer has so far not pursued military customers.

However, Larry Thimmesch, vice-president of 525 sales and business development, says the Relentless is ideal for utility missions.

"Troop transport is another one of those markets where our customers have seen the value of the 525," he says.

Governments have "reached out" to Bell, says Thimmesch, based on the potential the Relentless offers, although he declines to be more specific.

Designs released by the airframer show a 20-passenger configuration, using four rows of five seats each. In addition, a naval version is also proposed.

Bell is moving into a space dominated by dedicated military helicopters such as the 10t maximum take-off weight Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and 11t NH Industries NH90, or those sharing stronger links with commercial models, such as the Airbus Helicopters H225M, and Leonardo Helicopters AgustaWestland AW149.

However, Thimmesch is confident that advanced technologies on the Relentless, such as fly-by-wire controls, will appeal to military operators.

In addition, Bell anticipates high levels of serviceability from the 525: it will require just 1h of maintenance for every 1.38h of flight time, compared with the 3-4h of downtime for its rivals.

"Our biggest detriment to selling the 525 is that it looks like any other helicopter on the outside.

"The difference is in the capability that we are bringing forward from modern technology and a right-sized platform," says Thimmesch.

Despite taking aim at the segment, Bell has yet to set a baseline configuration for any military variant of the 525.

Thimmesch points out that a number of the mission kits it has already developed for the civil market – such as offshore and SAR – will cover around 80% of military requirements, with the remaining 20% requiring modest additional work.

No consideration has been given to arming the 525, but Thimmesch says this may happen in the longer term.

Civil certification for the GE Aviation CT7-powered Relentless is due in late 2018, with service entry the following year.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-bell-targets-military-market-with-525-heli-440587/

[Harald]

Boeing to Modernize, Add Muscle to Next-Generation Chinook

U.S. Army's Chinook Block II program to extend production,

PHILADELPHIA, July 28, 2017 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] will build and test three U.S. Army CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters as part of a modernization effort that will likely bring another two decades of work to the company's Philadelphia site.

A recent $276 million Army contract will fund those helicopters, which will validate technology advancements that will increase the iconic helicopter's lifting power.

"The Army's only heavy-lift helicopter exists to deliver decisive combat power for our ground commanders," said Col. Greg Fortier, U.S. Army project manager for Cargo Helicopters. "The Cargo family is anxious to build upon Col. Rob Barrie's efforts to establish this critical program and deliver an adaptive air vehicle. Increasing payload capacity today enhances battlefield agility and prepares the Chinook for even greater performance gains in the future."

An improved drivetrain will transfer greater power from the engines to the all-new, swept-tip Advanced Chinook Rotor Blades, which have been engineered to lift 1,500 additional pounds on their own. The current configuration of six fuel tanks – three on each side – will become two, allowing the aircraft to carry more fuel and shed weight. Additionally, the fuselage's structure will be strengthened in critical areas to allow the aircraft to carry additional payload.

"This latest upgrade for the Chinook fleet is a tribute to the robustness of its original design and exemplifies its 55-year legacy of technological advancements," said Chuck Dabundo, vice president, Cargo Helicopters and program manager, H-47. "The fact that the U.S. Army continues to use and value this platform and they are intending to continue to upgrade it to keep it flying for decades to come is a testament of the capabilities the Chinook team continues to bring."

Boeing will begin building the test aircraft next year. The test program begins in 2019 and first delivery of the Block II Chinook is expected in 2023. Eventually, the Army will upgrade more than 500 Chinooks to Block II configuration.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2017-07-28-Boeing-to-Modernize-Add-Muscle-to-Next-Generation-Chinook

[Sparkplug]

RAF upgrading HC4 Chinooks to new HC6A standard

Janes

[Harald]

US Army tests laser on Apache helicopter

The U.S. Army and Raytheon have completed a flight test of a high-energy laser system on an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter that was deemed successful, according to a Raytheon statement Monday.

The recent test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, "marks the first time that a fully integrated laser system successfully engaged and fired on a target from a rotary-wing aircraft over a wide variety of flight regimes, altitudes and air speeds," the company said.

Raytheon said the test achieved all primary and secondary goals that show a high-energy laser, or HEL, on an attack helicopter can provide high-resolution, multiband targeting sensor performance and beam propagation.

For the test, Raytheon coupled a variant of the Multi-Spectral Targeting System — an advanced electro-optical infrared sensor — with a laser, according to the statement. The MTS provides targeting information, situational awareness and beam control.

The laser tracked and directed energy on "a number" of targets, Raytheon added.

....

http://www.defensenews.com/articles/us-army-tests-laser-on-apache-helicopter

[Ronald Elzenga]

Ik zie het meer als iets voor NATO, waarbij EDA een bijdrage kan leveren. 

NAVO is past, EU is future! Nee hoor, ze blijven wat mij betreft beide belangrijk! Maar wel in een andere volgorde! Maar snap best dat de pro-Atlantici in Europa en hun Amerikaanse bondgenoot na de uitspraken van Trump en nieuw veiligheids-elan binnen de EU nu alles uit de kast halen om vooral de NAVO goed in beeld te houden en de EU naar in de bijrol te houden. Prachtig belangen- en denkrichtingengevecht, zeer boeiend om te aanschouwen en er aan deel te nemen. Maar het mag duidelijk zijn wie er wat mij betreft gaat winnen in the end . Ja, zelfs bij dit soort deel-dossiers.

[Lex]

Dit is iets voor de EDA...niet voor de NAVO.

Ik zie het meer als iets voor NATO, waarbij EDA een bijdrage kan leveren. 

[Sparkplug]

Dit is iets voor de EDA...niet voor de NAVO.

Want?

[Ronald Elzenga]

NATO's future helicopter: the alliance's strategy to modernizing its rotorcraft capability

DefenseNews

Dit is iets voor de EDA...niet voor de NAVO.

[Sparkplug]

NATO's future helicopter: the alliance's strategy to modernizing its rotorcraft capability

DefenseNews

[Sparkplug]

German Navy weighs up Lynx replacement options

Janes

[Harald]

U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue Helicopter HH-60W Reaches Milestone, Paving Way for Assembly, Test and Evaluation

The HH-60W combat rescue helicopter designed by Sikorsky is an improved variant of the HH-60G Pave Hawk currently used by the US Air Force, which plans to buy 112 copies of the new design.



Lockheed Martin today announced it successfully reached a key milestone – the Air Vehicle Critical Design Review (CDR) – for the U.S. Air Force's Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program. This event prepares the program to proceed to assembly, test, and evaluation of the HH-60W helicopter.

The joint Sikorsky and U.S. Air Force (USAF) helicopter program team met in May with key partners from government and industry for an in-depth design review. Throughout the review, the CRH team successfully presented a design that participants were confident would meet system requirements. Review participants included leaders from USAF and key suppliers who took part in the technical presentations.

"This milestone is an important achievement and demonstrates Sikorsky and the Air Force are well aligned on the technical requirements of the HH-60W," said Tim Healy, Sikorsky CRH program director. "We got here by conducting several milestones on or ahead of schedule, and we are committed to staying on that track as we build the first HH-60W aircraft."

In preparation for the CDR, the joint team generated more than 300 technical documents, created and reviewed over 50,000 hardware and software requirements, conducted 17 sub-system CDRs and designed 3,000 new parts. "The joint team did an outstanding job in documenting the design of the HH-60W," said Jim Andrews, Sikorsky CRH chief engineer. "We are excited to enter the build phase as the team has leveraged digital design tools to generate manufacturing efficiencies that will reduce cost and schedule. This approach will lead ultimately to the HH-60W becoming the first Black Hawk derivative to have a paperless assembly line."

The USAF awarded Sikorsky the $1.28 billion Engineering Manufacturing & Development (EMD) contract in June 2014, which includes development and integration of the next generation combat rescue platform and mission systems, delivery of four HH-60W helicopters, aircrew and maintenance training systems, and support for both. In January of 2017, the USAF exercised a $203 million contract option with Sikorsky to provide five additional aircraft, bringing the total to nine. The training suite includes devices that span full-motion simulators and discrete aircraft systems, such as hoist and landing gear.

The USAF Program of Record calls for 112 helicopters to replace the Air Force's rapidly aging HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters, which perform critical combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations for all U.S. military services.

The HH-60W is an advanced variant of the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter design and features increased internal fuel capability for greater range. The CRH aircraft will feature GE T700-701D engines, composite wide-chord main rotor blades to sustain maneuverability at high density altitudes, and a new fatigue- and corrosion-resistant machined aero-structure to ensure reliability and availability to USAF operational units.

The design includes an advanced Tactical Mission Kit integrating multiple sensors, data links, defensive systems, and other sources of intelligence information for use by combat rescue aircrews. The aircraft is designed with a weapons and cabin configuration specifically optimized for combat rescue and recovery operations.

"Conducting the Air Vehicle CDR demonstrates this helicopter system is well on its way to meeting the key program requirements of the Air Force," said Dave Schairbaum, USAF, CRH System Program Manager. "Successful execution of the program is essential to meet the continued demanding personnel recovery mission in today's challenging operational environment. We are working closely with Sikorsky to assure this newly designed aircraft meets the requirements, is affordable and is delivered on schedule to the warfighter."

The CRH and USAF teams will meet again in September for the Training Systems Critical Design Review.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/184083/new-hh_60w-combat-sar-helicopter-passes-initial-review.html

[Sparkplug]

Het mooie van dit verhaal is dat de AW 139 door Bell is ontwikkeld, Boeing krijgt voor een koopje een helicopter waar alle kinder ziektes uit zijn.

http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/agusta_ab-139.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW139

Stel dat de USAF daadwerkelijk de AW139/MH-139 kiest, dan is de cirkel rond met de vervanging van de Bell 212/UH-1N Twin Huey.

[Ace1]

Boeing unconcerned about MH-139's European heritage in bid for USAF Huey replacement

Janes

Het mooie van dit verhaal is dat de AW 139 door Bell is ontwikkeld, Boeing krijgt voor een koopje een helicopter waar alle kinder ziektes uit zijn.

http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/agusta_ab-139.php

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AgustaWestland_AW139

[Sparkplug]

Boeing unconcerned about MH-139's European heritage in bid for USAF Huey replacement

Janes

[Sparkplug]

Wat dacht je van de zwaardere CAIC Z-10?! die wordt al op schepen ingezet. Z-19 zou dan als verkenner erbij kunnen. Een mix die de Amerikanen ook voorzagen met hun Apache en beoogde Comanche.

De Z-10 was ik vergeten. Het geeft China in ieder geval keuze.