Defense Update

Deferred Helicopter Programs Become the Norm

Western governments often succumb to political pressures and renege on agreements. That seems to be the unfortunate trend in helicopter procurement these days.

Case in point: Dr. Rui Eduardo Peña, the Portuguese Defence Minister. The Portuguese press reported in November that Peña postponed a decision on the purchase of new search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopters just before the final selection proceeded.

Last month, Portugal confirmed the purchase 12 EH101 helicopters for SAR missions and fishery protection.

The winner was declared to be the EH101 with RTM322 engines, with a score of 62%, followed by the EH101 equipped with GE engines (61%). Sikorsky Aircraft’s S-92A was third (51%), and Eurocopter’s Cougar was fourth (44%).

Eurocopter is reported to have offered the NH90 at the last minute, but Portugal turned down the offer because the government would have to pay high levels of compensation if it canceled the current tender.

That explanation recalls the seriously muddled plans to replace Canada’s CH-113 Labrador SAR helicopters and its fleet of 30 Sea Kings. After Prime Minister Jean Chrétien rescinded a decision to purchase 50 EH101s in 1993, the government paid CAN$473 million in penalties. Canada later flip-flopped by ordering 15 of the EH101’s Cormorant variants. An evaluation of prospective Sea King replacements is still pending.

UK Selects FLIR for SAR Fleet

The military component of the United Kingdom’s search-and-rescue (SAR) fleet is slated to receive thermal imaging equipment that will greatly enhance mission capability and bring it up to the civilian standards of the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

FLIR Systems has been awarded a $12 million contract by the Ministry of Defence to fit the Royal Air Force’s fleet of Sea King helicopters with the new STAR-Q multi-sensor airborne imaging system.

The contract is for a minimum of 16 systems for the RAF, with options for six additional systems for the Royal Navy. Deliveries will commence in 2003 and be completed in 2004. The announcement is welcomed by RAF and Royal Navy SAR crews, who have no thermal imaging equipment to search for survivors at sea.

Eurocopter Military, Parapublic Sales Grow

As the aviation industry worldwide remains mired in recession, Eurocopter reports increased demand for parapublic helicopters. Specifically, its manufacturing facility in Donauwörth, Germany, reports more demand than it can handle.

Johann Oswald, Donauwörth’s director of commercial helicopters, attests to the company’s success. Helicopter production at Donauwörth increased by 40% in 2001, compared to production levels in 2000. For the next 12 months, Donauwörth expects an increase of another 15%. The new global concern with counterterrorism, he says, is fueling demand for military and parapublic helicopters.

Tiger Simulator under Development SGI, Mountain View, California, announced that multinational Thales Training & Simulation (TT&S) has selected the SGI Onyx 3000 series of high-performance graphics systems as the image generator for the Tiger attack helicopter training program.

The initial delivery includes an SGI Onyx 3000 series visualization system, which will drive a state-of-the-art Tiger helicopter full-mission simulator. The French and German armies will have the ability to train Tiger aircrews for a wide variety of helicopter configurations and operational missions. The reconfigurable simulator, equipped with a dual dome and motion system for individual and crew training of pilots and gunners, will be delivered in April 2004. The helicopter’s configurations include: Germany’s UHT (a multi-role utility/anti-tank and fire support helicopter); and France’s HAP (escort and fire support helicopter) and HAC (anti-tank helicopter).

MH-60S Enters OPEVAL

Sikorsky’s MH-60S is moving closer to full-rate production this month, as it enters the Operational Test and Evaluation (OPEVAL) phase at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Patuxent River, Maryland.

Three MH-60S helicopters will take part in field test operations through January 2002; the results will then be presented to the U.S. Navy leadership.

Following OPEVAL, the MH-60S will join the fleet at Naval Air Station North Island, California, where Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Three (HC-3) will train pilots, aircrew and maintenance personnel on the aircraft. The MH-60S will see its initial fleet service in 2002 at HC-5 in Guam.

The MH-60S is an amalgam of the Sikorsky Black Hawk and its Seahawk variant. The Navy’s Helicopter Master Plan calls for the purchase of up to 237 MH-60S helicopters to replace the aging CH-46D Chinook.

Kestrel to Begin Phase II Development

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Honeywell successfully completed Phase I development of the Kestrel vertical-lift, "Organic Air Vehicle" prototype and will launch Phase II later this month.

Phase I, to develop a flying unmanned prototype capable of achieving autonomous waypoint navigation, began last March and continued through December. The ducted fan vehicle, powered by a commercial-off-the-shelf alcohol/avgas engine, has reached a cruise speed of 65 miles per hour, and is expected to achieve 90 mph. The production version, available in 2004, will have a two-stroke diesel engine burning JP-8 fuel; will cruise at 95-100 mph; will have a ceiling of 10,000 feet; and an endurance of 60 minutes, says Honeywell’s Gus Ordonez, platform manager, advanced programs.

Phase II will deliver 100 units to the U.S. Army for a two-year stint to refine the technology and for end-user feedback and evaluation. One hundred more units will be delivered in 2003, then 150 each year in 2004-05. Full-rate production is scheduled to begin in 2006.