Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

Sparkplug · 20/12/2019 | 09:33 uur

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 · 18/12/2019 | 09:13 uur

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 · 16/12/2019 | 14:04 uur

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 · 10/12/2019 | 09:49 uur

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)

Sparkplug · 06/12/2019 | 10:04 uur

Malaysia MD 530G deliveries contracted for early 2020

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/malaysia-md-530g-deliveries-contracted-for-early-202-462728/

Sparkplug · 06/12/2019 | 10:03 uur

Elbit upgrade to give MD 530G Hellfire, APKWS

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/elbit-upgrade-to-give-md-530g-hellfire-apkws-462723/

MD Helicopters MD 530G Block II scout attack helicopter, MD Helicopters

Sparkplug · 05/12/2019 | 09:39 uur

Russian Helicopters awaits big KA-52M buy

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/russian-helicopters-awaits-big-ka-52m-buy-462695/

The Kamov KA-52 saw active service in Syria, Russian Helicopters

Harald · 04/12/2019 | 10:18 uur

Sikorsky offers first company-qualified armed Black Hawk with sights on regional customer

https://www.janes.com/images/assets/963/92963/p1751865_main.jpg

Key Points
•Sikorsky is promoting its first company-qualified armed variant of its latest model Black Hawk aircraft
•The company has pitched this armed Black Hawk to a regional customer

Sikorsky is promoting for the first time in Latin America its first company-qualified, fully integrated armed version of its latest S-70i Black Hawk utility helicopter with hopes of securing a regional military as the model's first customer.

Sikorsky had a mockup armed Black Hawk display at the Farnborough Air Show in 2016 to show what the company had in development. This year, in January, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) rolled it out and now that model has officially been qualified by Sikorsky.

The company has a potential customer in the region and is promoting this fully-integrated armed S-70i for its versatility. Adam Schierholz, Sikorsky Latin America regional executive and product marketing director, told Jane's on 2 December at Expodefensa that this potential customer has two different defined needs for the future -one for utility aircraft and another for armed aircraft.

"This is exactly what we have been looking for," Schierholz said. "The beauty of combining those two needs into one aircraft allows the customer to save a ton of money."

The company is marketing this armed S-70i as an affordable option for militaries with smaller budgets such as those in the Latin America region. The aircraft, Schierholz told Jane's on 25 November ahead of Expodefensa, can be switched from utility to armed in three hours by adding the wings and weapons without requiring dedicated crew, training, and spares. This is the first time that Sikorsky has qualified its own armed Black Hawk.

https://www.janes.com/article/92963/expodefensa-2019-sikorsky-offers-first-company-qualified-armed-black-hawk-with-sights-on-regional-customer

Sparkplug · 02/12/2019 | 14:02 uur

Sparkplug · 02/12/2019 | 13:09 uur

Contracts For Nov. 27, 2019

Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $134,707,194 modification (P00094) to contract W31P4Q-15-C-0102 for procurement of the Joint-Air-to-Ground Missiles. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2023. Fiscal 2019 procurement of ammunition, Army funds in the amount of $134,707,194 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2028834/

https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/ms-jagm/

Harald · 25/11/2019 | 09:56 uur

Armed Black Hawk - Multi-mission Lethality for the Attack

Sparkplug · 20/11/2019 | 10:06 uur

Airbus Helicopters delivers first H145M to Luxembourg

Entry into service early 2020

Donauwörth – Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first of two H145M multipurpose helicopters for defence and security missions to the Government of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. Together with the helicopters, Airbus also provides a training and support package to its customer. The delivery of the second helicopter is scheduled before the end of the year. The delivered H145M is the first H145 in Luxembourg.

The helicopter is equipped with a hoist, a fast roping system, a high-performance camera, a search light, advanced communication systems, and will have provisions to install a light armour protection kit. The latest technologies to allow the helicopter to operate in adverse weather conditions and during nighttime are incorporated in the design. The helicopter will be operated and serviced at Luxembourg Findel Airport, where it has been presented to public today for the first time. With a maximum take-off weight of 3.7 tonnes, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop and passenger transport, surveillance, air rescue, reconnaissance and medical evacuation.

The H145M is a tried-and-tested light twin-engine helicopter that was first delivered in 2015 to the German Armed Forces and has since been ordered by Hungary, Thailand and the Republic of Serbia. Mission readiness of the H145Ms already in service is above 95 percent.

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145M is equipped with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite. It includes a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, increasing safety and reducing pilot workload. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145M the quietest helicopter in its class.

https://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2019/11/airbus-helicopters-delivers-first-h145m-to-luxembourg.html