Internationale Helicopter ontwikkelingen

[Ace1]

Het is vooral de endurance waarin hij het aflegt tegen zijn competitie. Dat kun je ondervangen met een ander operatie concept of simpelweg meer heli's.
Een miskoop zal het niet zijn. Het is een capabel platform, maar gewoon echt een klasse lichter dan een NH90 of Merlin. Maargoed, dan moeten je schepen dat wel kunnen dragen.
Ik zie ze nog wel een keer een ASW versie van de Surion ontwikkelen. Als dat tenminste een beetje loopt met die heli.

Als je de Wildcat vergelijkt met de WASP en de Alouette III is het een behoorlijke stap vooruit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westland_Wasp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A9rospatiale_Alouette_III

[Sparkplug]

Het is vooral de endurance waarin hij het aflegt tegen zijn competitie. Dat kun je ondervangen met een ander operatie concept of simpelweg meer heli's.
Een miskoop zal het niet zijn. Het is een capabel platform, maar gewoon echt een klasse lichter dan een NH90 of Merlin. Maargoed, dan moeten je schepen dat wel kunnen dragen.

Duidelijk. Voor hun omstandigheden werkt het wel.

[Sparkplug]

De wildcat moet je niet willen in ASW.

Heeft Zuid-Korea op dat gebied dan een miskoop gedaan? Zij kochten de Wildcat inclusief dipping sonar.

[Harald]

Contenders for RAF Puma replacement face new procurement landscape

With the UK set to replace its Royal Air Force (RAF) fleet of 23 Puma HC2 helicopters by the middle of this decade, the contenders are already lining up.

But the competition will be one of the first major procurements in the country to be conducted under new rules designed to make economic and social factors a core part of the selection process, potentially tilting the field.

At this stage of the process much still remains unknown: the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the retirement of the Pumas in its Command Paper Defence in a competitive age published on 22 March. That called for the twin-engined platform to be replaced by a New Medium Helicopter (NMH) by the middle of the decade.

A team has been stood up within the MoD to draft the requirements for the contest, but there is no indication yet as to when these might be released.

"Work on this programme is at a very early stage, with effort primarily focused on developing and refining key user requirements for the new medium helicopter. Therefore, details in relation to the procurement strategy, basing locations, fleet size, delivery schedule and organisational structure are being assessed," says the British Army, to which FlightGlobal was directed for a response.

Complicating the issue slightly is the decision to also use the NMH to replace three niche fleets used by the military: understood to be army-operated Bell 212 and 412 transports, and Aerospatiale-built AS365 Dauphins which are used to support special forces personnel. The move to bring these within the scope of NMH will have a bearing on both the size of the platform and the quantity to be acquired.

If all current aircraft are replaced on a one-to-one basis, perhaps as many as 40 helicopters could be required under NMH.

So far, the only two manufacturers to declare a definite interest are Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo Helicopters. US airframers Bell and Sikorsky, meanwhile, are waiting for more detail before deciding whether to propose their respective 525 and UH-60M Black Hawk.

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https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/contenders-for-raf-puma-replacement-face-new-procurement-landscape/143603.article

[Parera]

Wildcat is een mooie asset om erbij te hebben.

Wat mij betreft hadden de Wildcat's een geweldige toevoeging kunnen zijn voor op de OPV's. Geen volledige maritieme gevechts helikopter met groot bereik zoals de NH-90 maar een wat kleinere heli met iets minder capaciteit maar ruim voldoende voor het taken pakket van de OPV's. Ik doel dan op een Wildcat uitvoering zonder ASW middelen maar meer gericht op SAR, HADR en onderschepping 's taken.

Nu kan NL (financieel) geen 2 maritieme helikopter types opereren, dus gaat dit idee dus ook direct de versnipperraar in. Maar de Wildcat is een prachtige capabele heli, net als haar voorganger de Lynx.

Britten durven tenminste ook geld te gooien tegen de integratie van wapens.

Misschien moeten we bij de vNH-90 maar eens naar het VK kijken en volledig daar bij aansluiten 

[Sparkplug]

In de luchtvaartwereld kan een launching customer een korting van 25 % bedingen.  Ennuh van origine civiel ontwerp, wil je dat wel ?  Alouette III, MBB Bolkow Bo-105 en Cougar Mk2 waren en zijn ook civiele ontwerpen.  Hoewel de Alouette III standaard voorzien was van een zelfdichtende peut tank.

Hoewel de Alouette III en de Bo 105 civiele ontwerpen zijn, voldeden ze aan de eisen voor gebruik bij de GPLV. De toenmalige taken zijn ook niet te vergelijken met de huidige en/of toekomstige taken van 300 Squadron.

Wil eerst zien hoe de Bell 525 in militaire uitvoering zich op de markt staande houdt. In deze gewichtsklasse is de concurrentie moordend (no pun intended).

[Poleme]

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.

In de luchtvaartwereld kan een launching customer een korting van 25 % bedingen.  Ennuh van origine civiel ontwerp, wil je dat wel ?  Alouette III, MBB Bolkow Bo-105 en Cougar Mk2 waren en zijn ook civiele ontwerpen.  Hoewel de Alouette III standaard voorzien was van een zelfdichtende peut tank.

Bij bijvoorbeeld de Bell 525 Relentless zitten de peut tanks deels achter de cabine en grotendeels onder het achterste gedeelte van de cabine.

Bell en Agusta hebben voor het AB 319, later AW139 ontwerp goed gekeken naar de dedicated battlefield heli UH-60 Black Hawk.  Zie de schuin omhoog geplaatste staartrotor, zodat deze ook liftvermogen oplevert. Net als bij de Black Hawk zijn in de AW 139 en AW 189 (civiele variant) en AW 147, militaire variant op de 189, alle peut tanks achter de cabine geplaatst.  De 139 / 149 / 189 lijn kenmerkt zich net als het UH-60 vanwege vele crash schade beperkende en / of bestendige toepassingen in ontwerp en boord uitrusting.
Het AW 139 blinkt niet uit qua goed vliegbereik, maar is wel 'een beest' qua andere prestaties.  Dat zien we ook weer bij de Black Hawk, waar hoge eisen werden gesteld aan de prestaties.

[Zander]

Wildcat is een mooie asset om erbij te hebben.
Britten durven tenminste ook geld te gooien tegen de integratie van wapens.

Jammer dat het gooien met kruimels is.
Met meer dan wat kruimels hadden de RAF, R-NAVY en R-ARMY er niet zo armoedig vanaf gekomen.

[Sparkplug]

@NavyLookout (05-05-2021)

Wildcat with weapons wing and Sea Venom on flying trails near Yeovil 29/4/21

Via: Chandler Candy

(Klik op afbeelding voor vergroting)


https://twitter.com/NavyLookout/status/1389872372019343360

[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.

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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