Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[pz]

Frankrijk start aanschaf van 169 H160M-helikopters



https://soldat-und-technik.de/2021/12/mobilitaet/29612/frankreich-startet-beschaffung-von-169-h160m-hubschraubern/

Enige tijd geleden werd aangekondigd dat de modulaire militaire versie H160M Guépard vijf typen helikopters (Army: Gazelle; Navy: Alouette III, Dauphin en Panther; Air Force: Fennec) van de Franse strijdkrachten te vervangen, waarvan sommige al tientallen jaren in gebruik, 80 helikopters zijn gepland voor het leger, 49 voor de marine en 40 voor de luchtmacht, zo werd destijds gezegd.

Het takenpakket van het Franse leger omvat onder meer gewapende verkenningen, vuursteun, infiltratie van special forces en medische evacuatie. De marine wil de helikopter inzetten voor anti-scheeps-, marine-, verkennings- en reddingsoperaties op zee. De inzetmogelijkheden van de luchtmacht zijn luchtruimbescherming, zoek- en reddingsmissies, verkenningsmissies en penetratie in de diepte.

Het pre-ontwikkelingscontract met Airbus Helicopters en Safran Helicopter Engines is in december 2019 gesloten. Dit omvatte aanpassingen van de avionica (Thales FlytX), de sensorapparatuur (bijvoorbeeld EuroFLIR 410 en Thales tactische radar) en de cabine aan de militaire eisen.

(vertaald via google translate)

[Sparkplug]

Sikorsky pitches Polish-built Black Hawks as UK Puma replacement

By Dominic Perry 13 December 2021

Sikorsky will offer Polish-built S-70M Black Hawk helicopters for the UK's New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement, the manufacturer confirms.

The US airframer, part of Lockheed Martin, proposed the S-70M in its response to a request for information from the UK Ministry of Defence submitted on 9 December.


Source: Sikorsky

Manufacturer highlights 'combat-proven' status of Black Hawk

In addition, Sikorsky says it acknowledges London's requirement to "maximise social value" in its offer and intends to deliver its proposal "in cooperation with UK-based companies involved in manufacturing, training and through-life support of the aircraft".

No details of the planned industrial participation have been disclosed. But a recent contract secured with Romania for six S-70Ms could offer a clue to Sikorsky's strategy: the helicopters will be assembled in Poland before local completion activities are performed by Deltamed and Romaero.

"We believe the Black Hawk helicopter's mature and defined military design, latest-generation systems, proven combat effectiveness. multi-mission capabilities, open architecture and wide range of optional mission equipment makes it the best choice for the UK's NMH requirement, especially when compared to aircraft originally designed for non-military, civil missions," says Paul Livingston, chief executive of Lockheed Martin UK.

Sikorsky has made much of the 'combat-proven' status of the Black Hawk, particularly against its main rivals for the NMH deal – the Airbus Helicopters H175M and Leonardo Helicopters AW149.

Although the AW149 was a military helicopter from its inception, the manufacturer has seen more sales success with its AW189 civil variant. The H175M, meanwhile, is a militarised variant of the Airbus super-medium-twin.

However, both Airbus and Leonardo have promised to build the helicopters in the UK, should they win the NMH contest, opening the door to additional export sales.

Under NMH, between 36 and 44 helicopters are to be acquired to replace the Royal Air Force's fleet of 23 Puma HC2 helicopters, plus three other rotorcraft types operated by the British Army and special forces. The full value of the contract could run to £1 billion ($1.3 billion).

Deliveries could begin in 2024, according to the MoD's draft procurement timeline.

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/sikorsky-pitches-polish-built-black-hawks-as-uk-puma-replacement/146812.article

[Harald]

Austrian Army to order 18 Leonardo AW169M



According to information published by Bundesheer on December 4, 2021, the Australian Army will order 18 Leonardo AW169M helicopters to the Italian company.

The AgustaWestland AW169 is a twin-engine, 10-seat, 4.8t helicopter developed and manufactured by the helicopter division of Leonardo.

The AW169 is a medium-sized twin-engine helicopter; upon launch, it held the distinction of being the first all-new aircraft in its weight category in over 30 years.

Weighing roughly 4,500 kg and accommodating 7-10 passengers, it is positioned between the 3,175 kg 8-seat AW109GrandNew and the much larger 6,400 kg 15-seat AW139.

The AW169 is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A FADEC turboshaft engines, which drive the main rotor at variable speeds to reduce external noise and increase efficiency.

Newly developed dampeners were installed between the rotor blades of the main rotor in order to reduce vibration levels for a smooth passenger experience.

The AW169 is equipped with various avionics systems, including a Rockwell Collins glass cockpit featuring three displays outfitted with touchscreen interfaces, digital maps, dual radar altimeters, automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast tracking, Health, and usage monitoring systems (HUMS), and night vision goggles (NVG) compatibility.

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/december/7940-austrian-army-to-order-18-leonardo-aw169m-helicopters.html

[Harald]

82 percent of Canada's CH-148 fleet grounded due to cracks

Cracks have been found on the tails of Canada's CH-148 fleet, the problem affects 19 out of the 23 helicopters.

The issue surfaced on Nov. 26 when one of the helicopter underwent scheduled maintenance and the cracks were discovered. Subsequent checks on three more rotorcraft also found cracks on those aircraft.

So far only two were unaffected and two more are yet to be inspected.

Working together with Sikorsky, the Royal Canadian Air Force believes some of those CH-148s can be repaired within days.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/rcaf-grounds-cyclone-helicopters-cracks-1.6273953

[Sparkplug]

First flight AAC AH-64E

PUBLISHED: 03 DECEMBER 2021   LAST UPDATED: 03 DECEMBER 2021


24 november 2020

The first flight of a new Army Air Corps (AAC) AH-64E Apache Guardian in UK skies finally took place on 2 December 2021. This is over a year after the first helicopter of this type was delivered to the United Kingdom.

During the very early hours (00:53 hrs LT) on 24 November 2020, C-17A Globemaster III ZZ177 landed at RAF Brize Norton. It carried the first two AH-64E Apache Guardians delivered to the United Kingdom. Both ZM704 and ZM705 were subsequently transported by road to Wattisham on 26 November 2020. To date fourteen AH-64Es have been delivered to Wattisham, but so far none of them was recorded flying.

This changed on 2 December 2021, when ZM705 took to the sky for a local test flight using call sign 'Gauntlet 064'. The call sign indicates that the aircraft was flown by test pilots from QinetiQ Boscombe Down.

The British military placed their first order for new the new Apache in June 2016. In total fifty of these new helicopters are purchased to replace the ageing Apache AH1 (AH-64D) currently in service. The helicopters have been allocated serial range ZM700 until ZM749 by the British military. A milestone was reached on 19 May 2020. On this date, the first AH-64E (ZM700) was flown from the Boeing facility at Mesa (AZ) to Redstone AAF (AL) by a joint Army Air Corps and US Army aircrew. At Redstone, the Apache underwent testing in cooperation with the US Army Aviation Flight Test Directorate (AFTD).

By end-November 2021, fourteen AH-64Es have already been delivered to Wattisham. The helicopter type is slated to be introduced into operational service in 2022, and all should be delivered by 2024.

Despite previous communications, the AAC has not adapted the designation Apache AH2, but seems to refer to them simply as AH-64E.

Photo by Royal Air Force

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/first-flight-aac-ah-64e

[Lex]

Les Emirats Arabes Unis commandent 12 Caracal à Airbus Helicopters

En présence d'Emmanuel Macron, le prince héritier Cheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, l'homme fort des Émirats Arabes Unis, a signé une commande de 12 hélicoptères Caracal (Airbus Helicopters).

Zie: https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/les-emirats-arabes-unis-devraient-commander-12-caracal-a-airbus-helicopters-897735.html

De VAE schaffen 12x H225M aan.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Israel OKs $3.4B CH-53K helicopter buy from Lockheed Martin

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/12/israel-oks-3-4b-ch-53k-helicopter-buy-from-lockheed-martin/

[Harald]

Berlin Security Conference 2021: MBDA in dialogue with Germany for Enforcer Air missile for helicopters



MBDA is continuing talks with the German government over the possible acquisition of the helicopter-launched Enforcer Air precision-guided missile, as deliveries of the baseline shoulder-launched version are set to commence.

Speaking to Janes at the Berlin Security Conference 2021, Head of Sales and Marketing, Guido Brendler, said MBDA continues to pitch Enforcer Air to Germany in particular, and to the wider light attack helicopter market more generally. This is happening, he said, as the company prepares to hand over to the Bundeswehr the first shoulder-launched missiles that were contracted in late 2019.

"We are in talks with Airbus [for integration aboard the H145M operated by German special forces]. Enforcer Air is dependent on the core [shoulder-launched Enforcer] product, but that is on track with the first missiles set to be delivered this year, as we speak", Brendler said on 24 November, adding, "The small precision guided missile requirement is there, and certainly Germany is our first gateway market [for Enforcer Air] as our reference customer [of Enforcer]".

With the first baseline Enforcer missiles set to be delivered, operational trials should run through the coming months ahead of the launch of serial production and delivery to operational units in early 2024.

MBDA first touted the possibility of integrating Enforcer Air on German Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK) special forces H145M helicopters at the same conference in 2019. At that time, Brendler described the missile as "the little brother of the Brimstone, in terms of size and cost."

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/berlin-security-conference-2021-mbda-in-dialogue-with-germany-for-enforcer-air-missile-for-helicopters

[Harald]

Gareth Jennings
@GarethJennings3
·
24 nov.
.

@NSPA_NATO
adds United States to list of observer nations on #NGRC next-gen rotorcraft programme, alongside Netherlands and Spain. UK currently leading effort, with France, Germany, Greece and Italy.

https://twitter.com/GarethJennings3?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1463410894591991809%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

[Harald]

Taiwan will buy 12 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters from US

According to information published by Taiwan News on November 17, 2021, the Republic of China Navy announced that it will buy 12 MH-60R Sikorsky Seahawk anti-submarine helicopters from U.S. suppliers.

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/november/11017-taiwan-will-buy-12-sikorsky-mh-60r-seahawk-anti-submarine-helicopters-from-us.html

[Harald]

ter info :  Artikel door Bell

Game Changer: The key to Army FVL weapons-systems development is modular open systems

Bell's methodology to meet the Army's Modular Open Systems Approach requirement is enabled by a common digital backbone that will be instantiated on both the V-280 Valor for FLRAA and the Bell 360 Invictus for FARA.

https://info.breakingdefense.com/hubfs/Breaking%20Defense_Bell_FVL_GameChanger_2021.pdf

[Harald]

UK to buy up to 44 aircraft under draft plan for New Medium Helicopter acquisition

Key details of the UK's New Medium Helicopter programme have emerged.

The UK MoD has published a draft plan to buy between 36 and 44 aircraft under its long-awaited New Medium Helicopter (NMH) acquisition programme.

Details of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) plan were included in a NMH Market Interest Day solicitation issued to industry on 11 November – a move that formally launches the rotary-wing procurement programme. The solicitation also mentioned a proposal to buy two cockpit simulators and one cabin simulator for training purposes.

The Market Interest Day, to be held on 25 November, is designed to let the MoD communicate requirements with industry and clarify any issues ...

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-helicopter/uk-to-buy-up-to-44-aircraft-under-draft-plan-for-n/

[StrataNL]

Het OPV had simpelweg uitgerust moeten worden met een (kleine) munitie opslag bij de hangaar dan kon de NH-90 tenminste ingezet worden voor ASW /ASuW taken.

Het OPV heeft een munitieopslag bij de hangar, alleen is die zowel qua afmetingen als uitrusting niet geschikt voor raketten.

[Parera]

Zou zeker een mooie asset zijn, maar voor we een nieuwe helivloot optuigen misschien eerst de NH90 optimaal kunnen gebruiken.

De Wildcat had wat mij betreft perfect geweest voor op de OPV's, maar allemaal leuk en aardig die Marlet raketten maar ook onze OPV's hebben geen ruimte om die op te slaan. Net zo goed dat er geen torpedo's mee kunnen voor onder de NH-90 gaan dit soort wapens ook niet lukken dan. Het OPV had simpelweg uitgerust moeten worden met een (kleine) munitie opslag bij de hangaar dan kon de NH-90 tenminste ingezet worden voor ASW /ASuW taken.

Dat is naar mijn idee een van de grootste gebreken op het OPV, naast natuurlijk nog een boel andere relatief simpele dingen.

[StrataNL]

en hadden we de NH90 mooi op de fregatten kunnen doen of een wildcat mee sturen als we weer eens op reis gaan met de Britten, sta je in elk geval met iets ipv nu helemaal niets omdat de NH90 uit de toon lag als einzelganger.

Waarom een wildcat meesturen als je op reis gaat met de Britten? Wat maakt dat nou uit, NH90 kan dingen die en Wildcat niet of minder goed kan en vice versa.

De reden dat er geen NH90 mee is gegaan is niet omdat deze dan uit de toon zou liggen