Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[Harald]

Defense Contract On Cost And Early!    ( eerste leveringen HH-60W CRH )

Lockheed Martin's Sikorsky is on track to deliver nine new HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters to the Air Force for the price the company promised and six months early — a "man bites dog" story, the very definition of news. Delivering early and for the promised price is far from the norm in defense acquisition, where schedule delays and cost overruns hardly seem like news anymore, but are routine media fodder.

"CRH is probably a pretty boring story, because it is on cost and ahead of schedule," Sikorsky official David "Rum" Morgan offered, tongue in cheek, when I talked to him at AFA. Sikorsky won the CRH contract in June 2014. It's supposed to deliver the first nine of 112 HH-60Ws by September of 2020 but expects to have that initial batch in Air Force hands by March of that year. The Whiskey models will replace the Air Force's aging HH-60G Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopters.

In some respects, Sikorsky providing nine Whiskey model Black Hawks to the Air Force in 69 months instead 75 during the $1.5 billion Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of the CRH program shouldn't be that surprising. The company has been building Black Hawks since the late 1970s, after all. The Defense Department has about 3,000 of various models in service, and the HH-60W is a derivative of the late model UH-60M the Army is buying.

At the same time, this isn't just a new paint job. To make the HH-60W, Sikorsky is reconfiguring the UH-60M to get rid of two 185-gallon auxiliary tanks the Mike model carries inside the cabin and to expand the existing 360-gallon internal fuel tank in the airframe to 660 gallons. That will add cabin space for all the people and equipment the Whiskey will have to carry to do the CRH mission: two pilots, two gunners, guns, ammo, a three-member "PJ" pararescue team with their medical gear and supplies, and room for two "ambulatory patients."

Sikorsky is able to deliver the first nine Whiskey models early and for the promised price in part thanks to Program Director Josh Cleveland, Morgan said – by way of pointing out that Cleveland and his team are also handling Sikorsky's proposal for another big Air Force contract, the long-delayed replacement of 62 UH-1N Huey Emergency Security Response helicopters.

The UH-1Ns transport security forces at three nuclear missile bases and provide overwatch of convoys when missiles or warheads have to be taken off base for maintenance or other reasons. The Air Force plans to buy 84 helicopters to replace its UH-1Ns, buying more to provide new machines as well to its 1st Helicopter Squadron, which is on alert 24 hours a day at Joint Base Andrews to evacuate key government leaders from Washington in an emergency.

The Air Force received proposals for the UH-1N replacement last week from Sikorsky, offering a UH-60M modification designated HH-60U, and from Boeing Company, teamed with Rome-headquartered Leonardo. The Boeing-Leonardo team is offering a militarized version of the European company's AW139 civilian helicopter, assembled at Leonardo Helicopter in Philadelphia.

The Air Force initially intended to award Sikorsky a sole-source deal for HH-60Us to replace its UH-1Ns but competed the contract after key members of Congress objected. Contract award is scheduled for the end of next May. We're betting the award won't come early.

http://breakingdefense.com/2017/09/extra-extra-read-all-about-it-defense-contract-on-cost-and-early/

[Harald]

Chinook to stay in UK's future fleet   
( .. de Britten hebben interesse om 14 stuks MH-47G aan te schaffen !!... maar wil de VS deze versie wel exporteren ?  )

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is in talks with the US Army in relation to standing up a new variant of the Chinook, a senior military officer revealed at DSEI 2017 in London.

The UK RAF currently operates the HC2/2A/3 versions of the Chinook. The MoD official confirmed that while the US does not currently export the model, the two countries are currently in discussion regarding the MH-47G.

The G model is currently operated by the US Army 160th SOAR special operations aviation regiment; the most recent of the 61 re-manufactured aircraft were delivered to the US Army last year.

Although it is still early in the negotiations, the official did state that the G-Model was an 'aspiration' aircraft to bring into the UK inventory.

Despite the early nature of the talks, an aircraft quantity could be anything from a dozen to 14 aircraft.

The UK sees this aircraft as part of its plans for the immediate future as the command seeks to continually modernise its Chinook fleet with safety in mind, the official said:

'In relation to lift, we will continue to modernise our Chinook fleet, to make it safer and more capable as we converge our requirements with future US Army specifications. [This] will clearly have interoperability and financial benefits.'

The Chinook, the official said, remains one of the most in demand Joint Helicopter Command rotorcraft.

The UK RAF's Chinooks were deployed during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts but, as a dependable platform that has been operated in the UK for nearly 40 years, the Chinook is in the frame to remain in the UK's military fleet for many years to come.

The MH-47G variant is powered by two 4,777hp Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines with a 20,000ft service ceiling. The aircraft is able to carry three crew, up to 55 troops or 24 litter patients and three attendants.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-helicopter/dsei-2017-chinook-stay-uks-future-fleets/

[Harald]

Sikorsky HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter (foto's)

[Harald]

Viper 'top contender' for Kruk

Following the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) to conduct a transition study for the Polish military's Kruk helicopter programme, officials from Bell Helicopter say they will meet all offsets required of them by Poland's government.

The study is the latest in a series of announcements between Bell Helicopter and the Polish armaments group PGZ, following on from the signing of an LOI in December 2016 to explore future industrial cooperation for the Kruk programme.

In July this year the two sides signed an LOI to cooperate on the UH-1Y Venom for the Polish market, which will expand areas of potential cooperation related to Poland's future utility helicopter needs, including indigenous production and maintenance work.

The UH-1Y and AH-1Z, the platform put forward for the Kruk programme, share an 85% part commonality, assisting in the logistics and maintenance demands during operations.

The agreement at MSPO in Kielce this week was signed in the presence of Bartosz Kownacki, secretary of state at the Ministry of National Defense.

Speaking to Shephard, Joel Best, senior manager for Europe at Bell's military programmes division, said that the company would 'meet all requirements for whatever offset they require', although did caution that at present it is not known what this would entail.

Best said that although Bell Helicopter was once considered 'an underdog' in the programme, it was now a 'top contender'.

The length of the programme has been questioned in some circles, however Best said that Poland was 'just trying to be careful and thorough' with its analysis of the programme.

Best added that the signing of the transition study was a positive step and the programme once awarded would run for '30 to 40 years'.

The USMC currently operates the AH-1Z and is already planning upgrades and improvements to the platform in the 2022-2023 timeframe.

It is thought that Poland would like to have an acquisition in place by Q3 of 2018.

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/rotorhub/mspo-2017-viper-top-contender-kruk/

[Harald]

Leonardo Offers Customized AW101 Helicopter to Poland



http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/186516/leonardo-offers-customized-aw101-helicopter-to-poland.html

[Harald]

Bell targets military market with 525 helicopter



Bell Helicopter is pitching the in-development 525 Relentless to military customers as a 20-passenger troop transport or search and rescue (SAR) platform.

Although Bell has previously identified civil SAR and VIP transport missions as alternatives to the depressed oil and gas segment it initially aimed the 525 at, the airframer has so far not pursued military customers.

However, Larry Thimmesch, vice-president of 525 sales and business development, says the Relentless is ideal for utility missions.

"Troop transport is another one of those markets where our customers have seen the value of the 525," he says.

Governments have "reached out" to Bell, says Thimmesch, based on the potential the Relentless offers, although he declines to be more specific.

Designs released by the airframer show a 20-passenger configuration, using four rows of five seats each. In addition, a naval version is also proposed.

Bell is moving into a space dominated by dedicated military helicopters such as the 10t maximum take-off weight Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and 11t NH Industries NH90, or those sharing stronger links with commercial models, such as the Airbus Helicopters H225M, and Leonardo Helicopters AgustaWestland AW149.

However, Thimmesch is confident that advanced technologies on the Relentless, such as fly-by-wire controls, will appeal to military operators.

In addition, Bell anticipates high levels of serviceability from the 525: it will require just 1h of maintenance for every 1.38h of flight time, compared with the 3-4h of downtime for its rivals.

"Our biggest detriment to selling the 525 is that it looks like any other helicopter on the outside.

"The difference is in the capability that we are bringing forward from modern technology and a right-sized platform," says Thimmesch.

Despite taking aim at the segment, Bell has yet to set a baseline configuration for any military variant of the 525.

Thimmesch points out that a number of the mission kits it has already developed for the civil market – such as offshore and SAR – will cover around 80% of military requirements, with the remaining 20% requiring modest additional work.

No consideration has been given to arming the 525, but Thimmesch says this may happen in the longer term.

Civil certification for the GE Aviation CT7-powered Relentless is due in late 2018, with service entry the following year.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-bell-targets-military-market-with-525-heli-440587/

[Harald]

Boeing to Modernize, Add Muscle to Next-Generation Chinook

U.S. Army's Chinook Block II program to extend production,

PHILADELPHIA, July 28, 2017 – Boeing [NYSE:BA] will build and test three U.S. Army CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters as part of a modernization effort that will likely bring another two decades of work to the company's Philadelphia site.

A recent $276 million Army contract will fund those helicopters, which will validate technology advancements that will increase the iconic helicopter's lifting power.

"The Army's only heavy-lift helicopter exists to deliver decisive combat power for our ground commanders," said Col. Greg Fortier, U.S. Army project manager for Cargo Helicopters. "The Cargo family is anxious to build upon Col. Rob Barrie's efforts to establish this critical program and deliver an adaptive air vehicle. Increasing payload capacity today enhances battlefield agility and prepares the Chinook for even greater performance gains in the future."

An improved drivetrain will transfer greater power from the engines to the all-new, swept-tip Advanced Chinook Rotor Blades, which have been engineered to lift 1,500 additional pounds on their own. The current configuration of six fuel tanks – three on each side – will become two, allowing the aircraft to carry more fuel and shed weight. Additionally, the fuselage's structure will be strengthened in critical areas to allow the aircraft to carry additional payload.

"This latest upgrade for the Chinook fleet is a tribute to the robustness of its original design and exemplifies its 55-year legacy of technological advancements," said Chuck Dabundo, vice president, Cargo Helicopters and program manager, H-47. "The fact that the U.S. Army continues to use and value this platform and they are intending to continue to upgrade it to keep it flying for decades to come is a testament of the capabilities the Chinook team continues to bring."

Boeing will begin building the test aircraft next year. The test program begins in 2019 and first delivery of the Block II Chinook is expected in 2023. Eventually, the Army will upgrade more than 500 Chinooks to Block II configuration.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/2017-07-28-Boeing-to-Modernize-Add-Muscle-to-Next-Generation-Chinook

[Sparkplug]

RAF upgrading HC4 Chinooks to new HC6A standard

Janes

[Harald]

US Army tests laser on Apache helicopter

The U.S. Army and Raytheon have completed a flight test of a high-energy laser system on an AH-64 Apache attack helicopter that was deemed successful, according to a Raytheon statement Monday.

The recent test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, "marks the first time that a fully integrated laser system successfully engaged and fired on a target from a rotary-wing aircraft over a wide variety of flight regimes, altitudes and air speeds," the company said.

Raytheon said the test achieved all primary and secondary goals that show a high-energy laser, or HEL, on an attack helicopter can provide high-resolution, multiband targeting sensor performance and beam propagation.

For the test, Raytheon coupled a variant of the Multi-Spectral Targeting System — an advanced electro-optical infrared sensor — with a laser, according to the statement. The MTS provides targeting information, situational awareness and beam control.

The laser tracked and directed energy on "a number" of targets, Raytheon added.

....

http://www.defensenews.com/articles/us-army-tests-laser-on-apache-helicopter

[Ronald Elzenga]

Ik zie het meer als iets voor NATO, waarbij EDA een bijdrage kan leveren. 

NAVO is past, EU is future! Nee hoor, ze blijven wat mij betreft beide belangrijk! Maar wel in een andere volgorde! Maar snap best dat de pro-Atlantici in Europa en hun Amerikaanse bondgenoot na de uitspraken van Trump en nieuw veiligheids-elan binnen de EU nu alles uit de kast halen om vooral de NAVO goed in beeld te houden en de EU naar in de bijrol te houden. Prachtig belangen- en denkrichtingengevecht, zeer boeiend om te aanschouwen en er aan deel te nemen. Maar het mag duidelijk zijn wie er wat mij betreft gaat winnen in the end . Ja, zelfs bij dit soort deel-dossiers.

[Lex]

Dit is iets voor de EDA...niet voor de NAVO.

Ik zie het meer als iets voor NATO, waarbij EDA een bijdrage kan leveren. 

[Sparkplug]

Dit is iets voor de EDA...niet voor de NAVO.

Want?

[Ronald Elzenga]

NATO's future helicopter: the alliance's strategy to modernizing its rotorcraft capability

DefenseNews

Dit is iets voor de EDA...niet voor de NAVO.

[Sparkplug]

NATO's future helicopter: the alliance's strategy to modernizing its rotorcraft capability

DefenseNews

[Sparkplug]

German Navy weighs up Lynx replacement options

Janes