Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

US State Department approves sale of CH-47F Chinook helicopter to Australia  ( 4 stuks )

The US State Department has decided to approve a possible sale of CH-47F Chinook helicopters to the government of Australia.


The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale to the government of Australia.

The possible sale of CH-47F Chinook helicopters and related equipment has an estimated cost of $259million.

The government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F cargo helicopters with unique modifications: eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 common missile warning systems, eight embedded GPS/inertial navigation systems and two Eagle +429 embedded GPS/inertial navigation systems.

The sale includes mission equipment, communication and navigation equipment, spare parts and components, special tools and test equipment, publications and technical manuals, US government and contractor engineering, maintenance and technical and logistical support services.

The proposed sale will improve Australia's capability to meet current and future threats, increase operational readiness, strengthen its homeland defence and promote military cooperation.

The aircraft will be provided from US army stock.

According to Shephard Defence Insight, the CH-47F model provides situational awareness through the common avionics architecture system, crew safety through the digital advanced flight control system and reduced maintenance requirements through the machined airframe.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/air-warfare/us-state-department-approves-sale-ch-47f-chinook-h/

[Harald]

Upgrading CH-47 Chinook with more powerful GE T408 turboshaft is feasible: US Army

The US Army believes it is feasible to upgrade its fleet of Boeing CH-47 Chinooks with the GE T408 turboshaft engine.

That's the service's conclusion after seven months of flight testing the more powerful engine on the cargo helicopter. The US Army is scheduled to conduct the last flight demonstration of the CH-47 with the T408 on 26 May at Fort Eustis in Virginia, says Roger Kuykendall, project manager of advanced turbine engines for the US Army, on 30 April.

The US Army operates 510 examples of the CH-47 cargo helicopter, according to Cirium fleets analyser. Those helicopters are powered by two Honeywell T55 turboshafts, each producing 4,800hp (3,600kW) of power.

GE's T408 produces 7,500hp, or about 56% more power than the T55. The T408 was developed for the US Marine Corps' Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter.

GE Aviation, Boeing and the US Army are demonstrating the integration of the T408 into the CH-47 under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA). The US Army does not have a programme of record to re-engine its fleet. The CRADA is being used as a form of market research to inform the service of likely costs should it become interested in upgrading the helicopters.

Flight demonstrations, which started in September 2020 and will soon end, have shown that the integration of a new engine into the CH-47 is possible, though there are difficulties, says Kuykendall.

"It goes without saying that integration is tricky," he says. "You just can't swap an engine out, and particularly one that's heavier and has more shaft horsepower."

Kuykendall noted that some modifications to the CH-47 were required. The demonstration helped educate the US Army on the potential costs of upgrading the fleet, he said.

In June 2020, current engine supplier Honeywell was also contracted to develop and demonstrate a more powerful version of its T55 for the CH-47 via a CRADA. That upgraded engine, dubbed the T55-GA-714C, generates 6,000hp and uses 10% less fuel than the current T55, the company claims.

Though the T55-GA-714C would generate less horsepower than the upstart GE T408, Honeywell argues that it would be easier to install as it would not require airframe changes. The US Army did not mention the status of the Honeywell demonstration effort.

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/upgrading-ch-47-chinook-with-more-powerful-ge-t408-turboshaft-is-feasible-us-army/143578.article

[Sparkplug]

KAI to resume Apache helo fuselage production

30 APRIL 2021

by Dae Young Kim & Alessandra Giovanzanti

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has signed an agreement with Boeing to resume production of AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter fuselages in South Korea, Janes has learnt.

Boeing officials told Janes on 29 April that the deal, which was signed in the fourth quarter of 2020, is meant to support the production of AH-64Es for international customers.


AH-64E Apache Guardian fuselages built by KAI at its Sacheon production facility in South Korea in 2015. KAI has signed an agreement with Boeing to resume Apache fuselage production in South Korea. (KAI)

In 2002 KAI signed a contract with Boeing for the exclusive supply of Apache Guardian fuselages, marking the first time Boeing outsourced AH-64E airframe production overseas. This included fuselage production for the 36 AH-64Es ordered for the RoKA in 2013. Production continued in the northeast Asian country until 2017.

Around the same time the Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) joint venture in Hyderabad, India, began producing aero-structures for the Apache helicopter, including fuselages, secondary structures, and vertical spar boxes, for the US Army and international customers.

To meet current production and delivery contract milestones for the AH-64E Apache helicopter, both TBAL and KAI will continue to produce the fuselages, said the Boeing official.

The deal between Boeing and KAI comes after South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) confirmed on 31 March plans to acquire 36 more foreign-made attack helicopters for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).

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https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/kai-to-resume-apache-helo-fuselage-production

[Harald]

UK confirms USD 2Bn purchase of 14 additional CH-47 Chinook helicopters

The British Ministry of Defence has confirmed its decision to purchase another 14 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters from the US. According to Blomberg, who first reported the deal, the $2 billion agreement between the UK and the Pentagon would also include engines, machine guns, radar and missile-jamming equipment.

"The delivery schedule and exact costs for the new Chinook helicopters are to be confirmed, but it is expected delivery will be completed before the end of 2030," the Bloomberg report quoted the UK embassy spokeswoman in Washington as saying.

The UK is buying 14 new Chinooks to replace some of the 60 ones in service. The Royal Air force welcomed its first Chinooks in 1980. The new units would be of the CH-47ER (Extended Range) type, which is currently in service in Canada and features improved fuel tanks.

While the deal is confirmed, the UK appears to be looking to postpone the delivery by up to three years due to the economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/april/7222-uk-confirms-usd-2bn-purchase-of-14-additional-ch-47-chinook-helicopters.html

[Harald]

Sikorsky S-97 Raider helicopter performs first flight demos for US Army officials

The Sikorsky S-97 RAIDER helicopter flew two demonstrations before Army officials and Soldiers at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama this week. The events offered a glimpse at Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company's bid for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, part of the U.S. Army's Future Vertical Lift (FVL) effort to revolutionize its aircraft fleet.

..../....

https://airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/april/7202-sikorsky-s-97-raider-helicopter-performs-first-flight-demos-for-us-army-officials.html

[Harald]

France orders 8 additional H225M Caracal helicopters

The French Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly, has announced that the Armament General Directorate (DGA) has signed an order to purchase eight additional H225M "Caracal" helicopters

Intended to equip the French Air and Space Force, the 8 helicopters will be delivered in 2024 and 2025 and will initiate the replacement of the SA330 Puma maneuver helicopters, whose average age is 43 years.They will thus help to form a homogeneous fleet the Air and Space Force already having ten Caracal helicopters in service.

This order, worth around 300 million euros, is anticipated in relation to the planning of the Military Programming Law 2019-2025. It will ensure a workload equivalent to 960 jobs for three years within Airbus Helicopters, its main equipment suppliers Thales and Safran, and their subcontractors Small and medium-sized enterprises and Mid-size enterprises. It will also make it possible to equip the Air and Space Force with high-performance and versatile aircraft up to the latest standard, capable of carrying out difficult missions in the most demanding environments.

In service since 2006, the Caracal is a modern aircraft optimized for combat search and rescue missions. It is also used during maneuver and medical evacuation missions. Versatile, the Caracal performs these numerous missions, day and night, both on national territory and in external operations.

Refuelable in flight, by tactical transport aircraft (type C130-J from today and A400M Atlas from 2022), the Caracal has the best reach and range in its category, a decisive military advantage.

https://airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/april/7200-france-orders-8-additional-h225m-caracal-helicopters.html

[Sparkplug]

Volgens mij is deze ook een slagje te klein als Cougar vervanger?

Dat is het ook. Qua grootte meer vergelijkbaar met de H160 e.d.

[StrataNL]

Volgens mij is deze ook een slagje te klein als Cougar vervanger?

[Harald]

EU Cleansky Fast Rotor Demonstrators; Airbus Racer & Leonardo Tiltrotor (NGCTR).
Airbus, 14 April 2021: The Racer programme reaches cruise speedimage from Airbus. Er zit een video van CleanSky2 bij het nieuws bericht.

Hoe snel moeten de Cougars vervangen worden?
De vervangers moeten 25 tot 30 jaar mee gaan met een MLU (upgrade) na 10-15jaar.
Kan er zo'n 5jaar gewacht worden tot nieuwe technologie beproefd is?
Anders zit defensie jaren met verouderde technologie opgescheept.

Ik word van het ontwerp nog niet echt "opgewonden" van    ben niet onder de indruk van dit ontwerp.
Dan zet ik veel eerder mijn geld in de uitkomst bij de Amerikanen.

[ridivek]

EU Cleansky Fast Rotor Demonstrators; Airbus Racer & Leonardo Tiltrotor (NGCTR).
Airbus, 14 April 2021: The Racer programme reaches cruise speed

With the arrival of the centre fuselage, the assembly of the Racer high-speed demonstrator has begun.
The Racer programme is one of Airbus Helicopters most exciting innovation projects and one that illustrates the company's approach to innovation, which is focused on delivering value to customers and lowering helicopter emissions.


Romania's RoRCraft consortium designed and manufactured the Racer high-speed demonstrator's centre fuselage section.

image from Airbus. Er zit een video van CleanSky2 bij het nieuws bericht.

Hoe snel moeten de Cougars vervangen worden?
De vervangers moeten 25 tot 30 jaar mee gaan met een MLU (upgrade) na 10-15jaar.
Kan er zo'n 5jaar gewacht worden tot nieuwe technologie beproefd is?
Anders zit defensie jaren met verouderde technologie opgescheept.

[Harald]

US Army finalizes requirements for future attack reconnaissance aircraft

The U.S. Army's Requirements Oversight Council has approved the requirements for its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, a service spokesman confirmed to Defense News.

The council met April 9 and greenlighted the requirements in the form of an Abbreviated Capabilities Development Document (A-CDD) that validates the designs developed by two companies competing to build the aircraft.

The Army validated a Final Design and Risk Review (FD&RR) for the competing FARA designs in December. It determined that industry is ready for a fly-off at the end of 2022, Rugen told Defense News in an interview earlier this year.

The FARA program will fill a critical capability gap currently covered by AH-64E Apache attack helicopters teamed with Shadow drones following the retirement of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters. The service has tried and failed three times to fill the gap with an aircraft.

Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky and Bell are in a head-to-head competition to build prototypes and fly them beginning in November 2022. The Army will pick one it wants to build for the force following the competitive fly-off period.

Sikorsky pitched a coaxial rotor blade design based on its S-97 Raider that it is calling Raider X. Bell unveiled its design — the 360 Invictus — at the 2019 Association of the U.S. Army annual conference.

The industry teams have already been bending metal to build prototypes for months (if not several years) to prepare the aircraft for flight by the end of next year.

.../...

https://www.defensenews.com/land/2021/04/13/us-army-approves-plan-to-acquire-a-future-attack-reconnaissance-aircraft/

[Ace1]

[Sparkplug]

De AW-149 is natuurlijk wel een van origine militair ontwikkelde heli maar wel op basis van de civiele en kleinere AW-139.

De AW139 is van origine inderdaad een civiel ontwerp. Een ontwerp waar Bell in het begin ook aan meedeed. Leonardo (v/h AgustaWestland) had genoeg tijd om de militaire variant AW139M door te ontwikkelen.

Ga je je toch afvragen wat er was gebeurd als de samenwerking met Bell had blijven bestaan. Zou het dan de Bell MH-139 zijn geweest in plaats van de Boeing MH-139? 

[Harald]

Nu nog een AW-149 SOF met refueling en extra bescherming en we hebben een prachtige heli voor de NL SOF en daarnaast de standaard variant voor de reguliere cougar taken.

Als je dit wilt ( en ik ook wel hoor) koop dan van de plank !.... HH-60W Jolly Green II

https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/sikorsky-hh-60w-combat-rescue-helicopter.html

[Parera]

In dat geval ben je launch customer van een origine civiel ontwerp. Wil je dat wel? Als Amerikaans echt gewenst is, dan is de UH-60M (FMS) of de S-70i (direct sale) ook niet uit te sluiten.

De AW-149 is natuurlijk wel een van origine militair ontwikkelde heli maar wel op basis van de civiele en kleinere AW-139. Als je kijkt naar de internationale concurrentie van de AW-149 is dat bijna altijd de een heli uit de Blackhawk familie. Bij de Turken heeft de Blackhawk gewonnen van de AW-149, maar zowel Thailand als Egypte (marine) kozen voor de AW-149 in ondersteunende rollen.

Waarbij Egypte de AW-149's gaat inzetten vanaf de LHD's die ze hebben (i.p.v. de originele plannen voor de NH-90), dit kan weer interessant zijn omdat dit zou betekenen dat de AW-149 ook (beperkt) maritiem ingezet kan worden. Interessant voor ook NL en de NL SOF.

Een variant van de Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone sluit ik ook niet uit. Maar men kan net als de Apache de Cougar natuurlijk ook een midlife update  geven en de apparatuur van de Airbus Helicopters H225M erin plaatsen  en deze naar 0 uren brengen.

Veel te groot als je het mij vraagt en daarnaast nauwelijks operators binnen de NAVO. Dat zelfde gaat op dit moment op voor de AW-149 maar op het moment dat de Britten daarvoor zouden kiezen gaat er een grote deur open voor dat type heli. Als zowel Italie als UK het opereren is het wat mij betreft een goede keuze (of andere landen).

Nu nog een AW-149 SOF met refueling en extra bescherming en we hebben een prachtige heli voor de NL SOF en daarnaast de standaard variant voor de reguliere cougar taken.