Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

Bell 360 Invictus - Penetrate Defensive Positions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V1svIM_DFw&feature=emb_logo

[Sparkplug]

Afghanistan to field Chinook heavy-lift helos

https://www.janes.com/article/93919/afghanistan-to-field-chinook-heavy-lift-helos


A US Army Chinook helicopter is seen landing at an outpost in eastern Afghanistan in 2011. The DoD has said it will equip the Afghan Special Mission wing with an undisclosed number of such helicopters for counter-terrorism purposes. Source: Jane's/Gareth Jennings

[Sparkplug]

Het zou gaan om zo'n 4 stuks volgens lokale kranten. Dus als ze er uiteindelijk 6 kopen is het al veel. Die haalt boeing wel uit een opslag in de VS en moderniseert ze voor een zacht prijsje.

Het DSCA bericht zal straks een indicatie geven. Verder kan het alleen voor een zacht prijsje als ze vanaf AH-64D Block II naar AH-64E worden gemoderniseerd. Ze vanaf AH-64D Block I of ouder moderniseren kost meer.

[Parera]

Apache down-selected for Bangladesh attack helicopter requirement

https://www.janes.com/article/93839/apache-down-selected-for-bangladesh-attack-helicopter-requirement


Boeing has confirmed that it is in position to supply its AH-64E Apache attack helicopter to Bangladesh. Source: US Army

Als je verder gaat zoeken dan kom je inderdaad veel Chinees /Russisch materieel tegen maar de aanvals helikopters zijn inderdaad gepland.

Het zou gaan om zo'n 4 stuks volgens lokale kranten. Dus als ze er uiteindelijk 6 kopen is het al veel. Die haalt boeing wel uit een opslag in de VS en moderniseert ze voor een zacht prijsje.

Het zou mij ook niets verbazen dat ze straks alsnog voor een goedkoper Russisch toestel kiezen. Ze vliegen nu al met de MI-17sh dus is de keuze voor mi-28 of mi-24 logischer.

Een andere optie is dat de chinezen een paar toestellen schenken. Of ze kopen de Z-10 2e hands van pakistan.

[Sparkplug]

Bangladesh ?? ...     rijd, vaart, vliegt met alles uit China ! ... Dat land is 4 handen op 1 buik met China
Als de Apache wordt geleverd aan Bangladesh dan vliegt er 2 jaar later in China een kopie ervan ...

Even afwachten of Washington ook instemt met de verkoop van de AH-64E.

[Harald]

Apache down-selected for Bangladesh attack helicopter requirement

https://www.janes.com/article/93839/apache-down-selected-for-bangladesh-attack-helicopter-requirement

Boeing has confirmed that it is in position to supply its AH-64E Apache attack helicopter to Bangladesh. Source: US Army

Bangladesh ?? ...     rijd, vaart, vliegt met alles uit China ! ... Dat land is 4 handen op 1 buik met China
Als de Apache wordt geleverd aan Bangladesh dan vliegt er 2 jaar later in China een kopie ervan ...

[Huzaar1]

Ooit was je lid van een hele kleine club met die dingen. Maar het halve midden oosten en azie vliegt er nu mee rond.

[Sparkplug]

Apache down-selected for Bangladesh attack helicopter requirement

https://www.janes.com/article/93839/apache-down-selected-for-bangladesh-attack-helicopter-requirement


Boeing has confirmed that it is in position to supply its AH-64E Apache attack helicopter to Bangladesh. Source: US Army

[Sparkplug]

Boeing flies Advanced Chinook Rotor Blade for first time

https://www.janes.com/article/93772/boeing-flies-advanced-chinook-rotor-blade-for-first-time


Boeing announced the first flight of the ACRB on 16 January. Source: Boeing

[Sparkplug]

US AROC approves Spike NLOS acquisition

https://www.janes.com/article/93680/us-aroc-approves-spike-nlos-acquisition


An IDF AH-64D Apache combat helicopter with Spike NLOS mounted on a generic Spike launcher on the outer wing stub (pictured right). The US Army Requirements Oversight Council (AROC) has approved the acquisition of an undisclosed number of Spike NLOS missiles to equip the service's AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters. Source: Israel Defense Force

[Sparkplug]

Poland's GROM special forces unit receives Black Hawk helicopters

https://www.janes.com/article/93344/poland-s-grom-special-forces-unit-receives-black-hawk-helicopters


Poland's GROM special forces unit received four S-70i Black Hawk helicopters in an official handover ceremony at the 1st Air Base in Warsaw on 20 December. (Polish MND)

[Sparkplug]

Air Force names newest helicopter 'Grey Wolf' (Bijna Airwolf)

DUKE FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) --

Air Force Global Strike Command named the MH-139A helicopter "Grey Wolf" during a naming ceremony at Duke Field, Dec. 19.

Gen. Timothy Ray, AFGSC commander, made the announcement, comparing it to the wild animal that bears the same name.

The Grey Wolf is the first major acquisition for the command in its 10-year history. The name Grey Wolf is derived from the wild species that roams the northern tier of North America, which also encompasses the intercontinental ballistic missile bases in AFGSC.

"It strikes fear in the hearts of many," Ray said. "Its range is absolutely inherent to the ICBM fields we have."

"As they hunt as a pack, they attack as one, they bring the force of many," he continued. "That's exactly how you need to approach the nuclear security mission."

The helicopters will provide security and support for the nation's ICBM fields which span Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska. The new helicopter closes the capability gaps of the UH-1N Huey in the areas of speed, range, endurance, payload and survivability in support of the command's ICBM missions. Other mission capabilities include civil search and rescue, airlift support, National Capital Region missions, as well as survival school and test support.

The roll out of the new helicopter demonstrates an asset providing ICBM security in support of U.S. Strategic Command's nuclear deterrence operations aligned with the National Defense Strategy. The acquisition was contracted through Boeing during a full and open competition at a cost of $2.38 billion for up to 84 aircraft--$1.7 billion under budget. It is the command's first commercial "off-the-shelf" purchase, adding military-unique modifications.

The Air Force will procure up to 84 MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, training devices and associated support equipment from Boeing.

"When I think about the issue in front of us, about moving forward in nuclear deterrence, when I stare down a wave of acquisition for essentially everything we do, I hope this particular program is a harbinger of very successful stories to follow not just for our command but for the good of the nation and for the good of our allies and partners," Ray said.

The Grey Wolf will replace the UH-1N, which entered the operational Air Force in 1970.

The MH-139A Grey Wolf will provide vertical airlift and support the requirements of five Air Force major commands and operating agencies: AFGSC, Air Force District of Washington, Air Education and Training Command, Air Force Materiel Command and Pacific Air Forces. AFGSC is the lead command and operational capability requirements sponsor.


The MH-139A Grey Wolf lands at Duke Field, Fla., Dec. 19, 2019, before its unveiling and naming ceremony. The aircraft is set to replace the Air Force's fleet of UH-1N Twin Huey aircraft and has capability improvements related to speed, range, endurance and payload. (U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King Jr.)

https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2044867/air-force-names-newest-helicopter-grey-wolf/

[Harald]

Bell discloses booster engine for 360 Invictus



Bell's 360 Invictus, the company's proposal for the US Army's Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition, will receive a power boost from a supplemental power unit, a Pratt & Whitney PW207D1 turboshaft.

The PW207, which is used on the Bell 429 light, twin-engined helicopter, will serve not only as an auxiliary power unit for starting the helicopter and powering its electronics, but will provide power to the main rotor shaft in certain situations, says Frank Lazzara, programme director for FARA, at the company's Arlington, Texas Flight Research Center on 12 December.

The helicopter is able to pull power from the supplemental turboshaft via a "patent pending clutching mechanism," he says. The PW207 produces 586shp (439kW). It would be mounted on the right side of the Invictus 360, with its exhaust exiting out of the right-side infrared signature suppression system.

If chosen as one of the two finalists to be funded for a prototype fly-off competition, a decision which will likely come from the US Army in March 2020, the Bell 360 Invictus would use the GE Aviation T901 turboshaft as its main powerplant. The GE T901 was selected by the US Army as the winner of the Improved Turbine Engine Program in February 2019.

The Bell 360 Invictus would be able to meet the US Army's 180kt (333km/h) cruise speed requirement, but the company declines to say if it is capable to make the service's desired 205kt threshold.

The Bell 360 Invictus, which also has a wing that provides 50% of its lift at cruise, uses a version of the Bell 525's fully articulated rotor system, made of five composite blades. However, Lazzara says because the 360 Invictus will only have four shortened rotors the company won't need to worry about weight and will be able to make the blades out of less expensive conventional materials, such as fibreglass.

The company touts the testing time it's already put on the Bell 525's rotor system, combined with the 360 Invictus' more simplistic winged helicopter design, as being important cost and risk reduction factors in its bid. Bell believes that those characteristics, joined with a sophisticated digital design, process will allow it to compete with Sikorsky's Raider X, a compound helicopter design based on the extensively flown S-97 demonstrator.

Lazzara says the playing field will be leveled when Sikorsky goes from the S-97 to the Raider X, a 20% increase in size.

"Whenever you scale you change an awful lot of factors," he says. "So, they have their fair share of challenges as well."

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/bell-discloses-booster-engine-for-360-invictus/135806.article

[Sparkplug]

Czech Republic orders H-1 helos

https://www.janes.com/article/93202/czech-republic-orders-h-1-helos


Seen here in US Marine Corps service, the UH-1Y (foreground) and AH-1Z (background) will now be fielded by the Czech Republic also. Source: Jane's/Patrick Allen

[Sparkplug]

AFGSC establishes new detachment for MH-139 testing

https://www.stratcom.mil/Media/News/News-Article-View/Article/2033840/afgsc-establishes-new-detachment-for-mh-139-testing/


The USAF is to replace its ageing UH-1N helicopters with the MH-139A, pictured. (Boeing)