Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[ARM-WAP]

Waarmee ze minimaal 10 jaar (wellicht 15-20 jaar) achter zullen lopen op de Amerikanen.

Eigenlijk is het nog veel erger dan dat. Indien de Europeanen zelf geen degelijk product produceren dan kloppen de Europese-NATO leden gewoonweg in bij de Amerikanen, indien deze hun noden kunnen dekken. En van wat ik zie is dat sowieso al een tijdje aan de gang:
- AH-64 in UK en NL,
- CH-53 in DE (mogelijks CH-47 of vCH-53 als opvolger...),
- CH-47 in UK, NL, IT, GR en ES
- Genoeg Blackhawks en afgeleiden in een pak meer landen,

Werk aan de winkel dus, gezien helicopters makkelijk 20 jaar in dienst zijn... Eens de behoefte gedekt is bij potentiele klanten kopen deze immers niets.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Als dit net zo'n succes wordt als de samenvoeging van Fincantieri en Naval Group dan hoeven we hier niet veel van te verwachten.

Waarmee ze minimaal 10 jaar (wellicht 15-20 jaar) achter zullen lopen op de Amerikanen.

[Parera]

Airbus Helicopters wil met Leonardo nieuwe militaire helikopter bouwen

Als dit net zo'n succes wordt als de samenvoeging van Fincantieri en Naval Group dan hoeven we hier niet veel van te verwachten.

[Sparkplug]

Airbus Helicopters wil met Leonardo nieuwe militaire helikopter bouwen

5 feb 2021

Categorie: Militair, Nieuwe toestellen / Tests, Nieuws

Op 20 en 21 januari werd de "RAeS (Royal Aeronautical Society) 's Future Military Medium Lift Helicopter for 2040+" gehouden.

Deze virtuele conferentie onder sponsorschap van Leonardo, Airbus en Safran focuste op de toekomstige militaire helikopters van de US en de NATO. Ze wil een antwoord vinden op de uitdagende vraag hoe Europa zich moet voorbereiden op de exit van een aantal medium militaire helikopters in 2040.

In november 2020 werd binnen de NATO het NGRC (Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability) programma gelanceerd door de ministers van Defensie van Frankrijk, Duitsland, Griekenland, Italië en de UK. Onder dit programma kunnen de deelnemende NATO landen hun werk combineren voor het ontwerpen, testen en bouwen van een toekomstige medium helikopter.

Vraag is ook hoe dit programma kan functioneren naast het bestaande FVL (future vertical lift) - programma van het Amerikaans leger. Is het Amerikaanse FVL een concurrent of een complementair programma voor de Nato NGRC.

In de conferentie was er het duidelijke aanbod van Airbus Helicopters CEO, Bruno Even, aan Leonardo om samen deze medium helikopters te ontwikkelen en te bouwen. In de periode 2030-2040 zijn er zowat 1.000 medium helikopters te vervangen in de Europese Nato landen en de Airbus Helicopters CEO ziet heil in een samenwerking met Leonardo. Het is geen toeval dat binnen het NGRC-programma, de twee Airbus Helicopter thuislanden, Frankrijk en Duitsland zijn vertegenwoordigd en de twee Leonardo thuislanden, Italië en de UK zijn vertegenwoordigd.

Binnen het burgerlijke EU Clean Sky2 programma ontwikkelt Airbus Helicopters vandaag de Racer en Leonardo de Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor AW609. Deze ontwikkelingen zouden volgens Airbus Helicopters een startplatform kunnen vormen voor de militaire helikopters van de volgende generatie.

Leonardo, bij monde van Steve Allen, hoofd strategie van Leonardo UK, reageerde niet op het voorstel maar wacht af welke het eisenpakket is van de Nato om voorstellen te kunnen bedenken.

Toch zijn Airbus en Leonardo het over een punt eens. Het FVL-programma zal zowat $5 miljard investeren en alleen Amerikaanse helikopterfabrikanten Sikorsky, Boeing en Bell zijn in de running. Het is een duidelijke bedreiging voor de Europese helikopterfabrikanten als ze geen antwoord vinden op de helikopternoden van de Europese Nato landen. In de marge van de de conferentie werd duidelijk dat Airbus Helicopters en Leonardo over dit punt reeds verkennende gesprekken hebben gehad.

Toch moeten we vaststellen dat de vorige medium militaire helikopter, de NH-90, een samenwerking tussen Airbus Helicopters en Leonardo, niet het grootste succes was. Met jaren vertraging, een reeks kinderziekten en een ontelbaar aantal variantes is dit niet de oplossing die we terug moeten gebruiken.

Wordt ongetwijfeld vervolgd...

https://helispot.nl/hs/page/detail.asp?oid=D5b2h8b5&sub=logboek

[Harald]

US Navy begins search to replace MH-60R/S, MQ-8C

The US Navy (USN) has begun its search to replace its fleet of MH-60R/S Seahawk helicopters and Northrop Grumman MQ-8B/C Fire Scout unmanned air vehicles (UAV).

The Office of the Chief of Naval Operations has launched an analysis of alternatives to identify what maritime strike capabilities need to be replaced when the MH-60R/S and MQ-8C fleets begin to reach their end of service in the 2030s. The service is calling the effort the "Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike Analysis of Alternatives", according to a request for information posted online on 28 January.

"This new capability is expected to have an [initial operating capability] in the mid-twenty thirty's timeframe to support all described Navy missions", says the USN.

The MH-60R/S is the service's premier submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopter, though it also has a secondary role as a utility helicopter that conducts search and rescue, cargo resupply, personnel transport, medical evacuation, and communication relay work. The MQ-8C is an unmanned maritime helicopter, which only reached initial operating capability in 2019. It currently conducts limited intelligence, and surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as precision targeting, work, though the USN is examining whether weapons and additional sensors could be added to it.

To inform its search for replacements for the manned helicopter and UAV, the USN wants to study "capability gaps due to the increasingly sophisticated adversary as well as capacity gaps incurred with aging and expected retirement of the MH-60 Seahawk helicopters and the MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned air vehicles", it says in its notice.

The USN's decision to name its effort "Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike" likely foreshadows a plan to dovetail with the US Army's Future Vertical Lift umbrella initiative which is already underway. As part of that, the US Army aims to replace its Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, predecessor to the MH-60 Seahawk with the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). The US Army also aims to replace its retired OH-58 Kiowa Warrior scout helicopter with the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA).

Sikorsky's Raider X, a rigid co-axial helicopter with a pusher propeller, is competing against Bell's 360 Invictus, a compound helicopter, in the FARA competition. A Sikorsky-Boeing team's Defiant X, a rigid co-axial helicopter with a pusher propeller, is competing against a production variant of Bell's V-280 Valor demonstrator, in the FLRAA competition. The US Army wants to field FARA by 2028 and FLRAA by 2030, meaning the USN could piggyback on development and production efforts of those programmes by ordering maritime variants of the rotorcraft later.

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/us-navy-begins-search-to-replace-mh-60r/s-mq-8c/142189.article

[Sparkplug]

Beetje rare foto, alle heli's missen wat mij betreft de longbouw radar of zijn deze in een ver:6 ook veel kleiner geworden?

Ze vliegen zonder de Longbow radar 

[Umbert]

US Army introduces Version 6 Apache helo

28 JANUARY 2021

by Gareth Jennings

The US Army has begun inducting the latest Version 6 (V6) standard of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter, with the first examples delivered to operational units in early 2021.

The service announced on 26 January that the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington became the first operational unit to receive the V6 Apache helicopter following deliveries direct from Boeing's Mesa production facility in Arizona. Imagery released by the army showed at least seven helicopters to have made the journey.

This latest V6 configuration comprises a Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (MDSA), which greatly extends stand-off and is a game-changer against a complex and hybrid threat, an improved cognitive decision aiding system (CDAS), software upgrades, and an upgraded mission processor. It also includes a new maritime targeting mode, as well as aided target detection/classification; multimode laser image blending; a radar frequency interferometer (RFI); passive ranging/range extension; fire-control radar enhancements; Longbow integrated maintenance support system ground analysis software improvement; an interactive electronic technical manual upgrade; and Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW)-embedded diagnostics. Boeing has previously told Janes that Version 6 also increases the range of the mast mounted fire-control radar from 8 to 16 km.

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A group of AH-64E version 6 Apache helicopters depart the Boeing manufacturing facilities at Mesa, Arizona, on 13 January bound for Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. The aircraft were delivered to the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion. (Boeing)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/us-army-introduces-version-6-apache-helo

Beetje rare foto, alle heli's missen wat mij betreft de longbouw radar of zijn deze in een ver:6 ook veel kleiner geworden?

[Sparkplug]

US Army introduces Version 6 Apache helo

28 JANUARY 2021

by Gareth Jennings

The US Army has begun inducting the latest Version 6 (V6) standard of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter, with the first examples delivered to operational units in early 2021.

The service announced on 26 January that the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) in Washington became the first operational unit to receive the V6 Apache helicopter following deliveries direct from Boeing's Mesa production facility in Arizona. Imagery released by the army showed at least seven helicopters to have made the journey.

This latest V6 configuration comprises a Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (MDSA), which greatly extends stand-off and is a game-changer against a complex and hybrid threat, an improved cognitive decision aiding system (CDAS), software upgrades, and an upgraded mission processor. It also includes a new maritime targeting mode, as well as aided target detection/classification; multimode laser image blending; a radar frequency interferometer (RFI); passive ranging/range extension; fire-control radar enhancements; Longbow integrated maintenance support system ground analysis software improvement; an interactive electronic technical manual upgrade; and Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW)-embedded diagnostics. Boeing has previously told Janes that Version 6 also increases the range of the mast mounted fire-control radar from 8 to 16 km.

Already a Janes subscriber? Read the full article via the Client Login


A group of AH-64E version 6 Apache helicopters depart the Boeing manufacturing facilities at Mesa, Arizona, on 13 January bound for Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. The aircraft were delivered to the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion. (Boeing)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/us-army-introduces-version-6-apache-helo

[Sparkplug]

Sikorsky-Boeing unveils Defiant X offering for US Army's FLRAA

26 JANUARY 2021

by Pat Host

Sikorsky-Boeing unveiled its Defiant X rigid co-axial rotorcraft offering for the US Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) effort that features a few design changes from the SB>1 Defiant technology demonstrator on 25 January.

The Defiant X is Sikorsky-Boeing's complete weapon system configuration for the FLRAA competition. It builds on handling qualities and capabilities developed by the SB>1 Defiant, which was built for the US Army's Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) programme.

Jay Macklin, Sikorsky Future Vertical Lift (FVL) business development director, told Janes on 22 January that Sikorsky-Boeing made enhancements to the Defiant X design to reduce its thermal signature, including changes to the exhaust system. The team's enhancements also improve the aircraft's aerodynamic handling.

The Defiant X has a V-shaped vertical stabiliser design, which is different from the flying wing-style vertical stabiliser found on the SB>1 Defiant. Sikorsky-Boeing declined to provide further details about modifications it made for the Defiant X, citing competition sensitivities.

The team installed a tricycle landing gear on the Defiant X. Heather McBryan, Boeing FVL sales and marketing director, told Janes on 22 January that this will improve stability, landing, and taxiing in combat and austere environments. Sikorsky-Boeing also developed an integrated mission system package, which Macklin said will enable Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) capability. Additionally, a modular open systems architecture will allow upgrades to maintain the aircraft's relevance on the 2035 battlefield.

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Artist's illustration of Sikorsky-Boeing's Defiant X rigid co-axial rotorcraft the team is offering for the US Army's FLRAA programme. The V-shaped vertical stabiliser design is a modification of the SB>1 Defiant technology demonstrator design. (Sikorsky-Boeing)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/sikorsky-boeing-unveils-defiant-x-offering-for-us-armys-flraa

[Harald]

UK rules out FLRAA as Puma helicopter successor

A difference in timeline between the out of service date for RAF Puma HC2 helicopters and the introduction of the US Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) has led the UK to assessing alternative options to renew medium-lift rotary capabilities.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-helicopter/premium-uk-rules-out-flraa-puma-helicopter-success/

[Sparkplug]

Airbus pitches H175 as potential Puma replacement for UK

21 JANUARY 2021

by Gareth Jennings

Airbus is pitching its H175 as a potential replacement for the United Kingdom's fleet of Royal Air Force (RAF) Westland-Aerospatiale SA 330E Puma HC2 medium-lift helicopters in the 2025 timeframe.

Speaking at the virtual Royal Aeronautical Society Next-Generation Rotorcraft Conference, Jerome Combe, Portfolio Policy & Strategy at Airbus Helicopters France, said that while the company's NH90 and H225M platforms would suit the capabilities required of any UK Puma replacement effort, the H175 would also provide industrial opportunities for the country.

"We know that in the UK there are questions about a Puma replacement," Combe said on 21 January. "There are two ways to look at it – either the UK will push for a capability requirement, and I think that both the [NH90 and H225M] would be the perfect ones [in that case], or if the UK had in mind the national cost [benefits] I think that [the H175] could really offer a huge opportunity for UK content in the design of the [military variant of the] platform, [which it could] also export. So, I think it is good to have it in mind that the H175 could play a role."

The RAF currently fields 23 Puma helicopters that were upgraded to the HC2 standard in the mid-2010s. With the airframes themselves dating back to the early 1970s, these helicopters are slated for retirement in 2025 with no replacement planned.

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Airbus is pitching its H175 as a potential Puma HC2 replacement for the UK in the 2025 timeframe, noting industrial benefits for the country in developing a military variant of the helicopter. (Airbus Helicopters)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/airbus-pitches-h175-as-potential-puma-replacement-for-uk

[Parera]

Via twitter @BoeingAustralia


Ideetje voor de KLU om de nieuwe Apache's ook van een (tijdelijke) camo te voorzien?

[Sparkplug]

Update: Australia selects AH-64E Apache Guardian to replace Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters

18 JANUARY 2021

by Julian Kerr

Canberra has selected the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter to replace the Australian Army's fleet of 22 Airbus Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARHs), Australian Defence Minister Linda Reynolds said on 15 January.

The first of 29 Apaches equipped with improved sensors, communications suites, attack capabilities, and improved survivability is expected to be delivered in 2025, said the minister.

While formal approval by the US State Department for the acquisition has yet to be announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the cost of the 29 Apaches together with spares, sensors, communications, training, and facilities is expected to be around AUD4 billion (USD3.1 billion), sources said.

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) had considered a number of helicopters against key criteria of proven ability, maturity, and an off-the-shelf operating system, Reynolds said.

Lessons learnt from issues with the Tiger ARH and other rotary-wing projects had informed the strategy to seek a proven, mature replacement capability. "The Apache Guardian is the most lethal, most survivable, and lowest risk option meeting all of Defence's capability, through-life support, security, and certification requirements," said Reynolds.

"By pursuing a proven and low-risk system offered by the Apache, Defence will avoid the ongoing cost and schedule risk typically associated with developmental platforms," she added.

The Tiger ARH first entered Australian service in December 2004. It has suffered performance and availability issues but is now delivering on its promised capabilities, which includes operating from the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) two Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) vessels.

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Canberra announced on 15 January that it selected the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian (seen here in Taiwanese service) attack helicopter to replace the Australian Army's fleet of 22 Airbus Tiger ARHs. (Republic of China Army )

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/update-australia-selects-ah-64e-apache-guardian-to-replace-tiger-armed-reconnaissance-helicopters

[Sparkplug]

First AW169 In New Advanced Light Utility Helicopter Configuration Begins Flight Testing

https://theaviationist.com/2020/12/31/first-aw169-in-new-advanced-light-utility-helicopter-configuration-begins-flight-testing/


The first AW1 Light Utility Helicopter photographed in flight. (Photo: Oscar Bernardi)


The training version of the AW169 LUH, designated UH-169B, delivered to the Italian Army earlier this year. (Photo: Leonardo)

[Sparkplug]

MH-60R helicopter selected for South Korean navy's MOH Batch II programme

16 DECEMBER 2020

by Gabriel Dominguez

South Korea's Defense Project Promotion Committee has selected the Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk multirole naval helicopter to meet the Republic of Korea Navy's (RoKN's) requirement for 12 additional anti-surface- and anti-submarine-warfare-capable rotorcraft.

The country's Defense Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) announced on 15 December that the twin-turboshaft helicopter, which was chosen over the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat, is to be acquired under a contract that is expected to be signed before the end of 2020 under the RoKN's Maritime Operation Helicopter Batch II (MOH Batch II) programme.

A total of KRW960 billion (USD881.4 million) has been earmarked for the project, which is slated for completion in 2025 and aimed at improving the long-distance surface and underwater detection and attack capabilities of naval vessels, according to DAPA.

Under the MOH Batch I programme, Leonardo supplied eight AW159 Wildcat helicopters to the RoKN in 2016. The platform was selected at the time over the MH-60R after Leonardo reportedly lowered the final price of its AW159 package.

Meanwhile, the committee also approved on 15 December upgrades for the anti-jamming GPS, identification friend-or-foe, and Link 16 tatical datalink systems on the Republic of Korea Air Force's F-15K multirole fighter aircraft. About KRW300 billion has been earmarked for the project, which is mainly aimed at improving communications with US forces during joint missions and exercises. A contract with Boeing is expected to be signed in the near future.

DAPA also announced that the committee decided to discontinue a project to upgrade the Republic of Korea Army's CH/HH-47D helicopters after considering various aspects related to schedule, performance, and cost.

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The Lockheed Martin MH-60R Seahawk (seen here in US Navy service) has been selected to meet the RoKN's requirement for 12 additional anti-surface- and anti-submarine-warfare-capable helicopters. (US Navy)

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/mh-60r-helicopter-selected-for-south-korean-navys-moh-batch-ii-programme