WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., June 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- A technology kit developed by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), was used for the first time to operate a Black Hawk helicopter with full-authority, fly-by-wire flight controls. The May 29 flight marked the official start to the flight test program for the soon-to-be optionally piloted aircraft. Follow-on flight testing aims to include envelope expansion throughout the summer leading to fully autonomous flight (zero pilots) in 2020.
"This technology brings a whole new dimension of safety, reliability and capability to existing and future helicopters and to those who depend on them to complete their missions," said Chris Van Buiten, Vice President, Sikorsky Innovations. "We're excited to be transforming a once mechanically controlled aircraft into one with fly-by-wire controls. This flight demonstrates the next step in making optionally piloted – and optimally piloted – aircraft, a reality."
This is the first full authority fly-by-wire retrofit kit developed by Sikorsky that has completely removed mechanical flight controls from the aircraft.*
[...]Schultz says a joint Sikorsky and USMC flight-test campaign is "ahead of schedule in places and on schedule in others – and not behind on any", with more than 1,400h now accumulated and the three-engined type recording an availability rate of 91%. The company expects to soon fix an issue with exhaust gas ingestion encountered under some operating conditions by extending the length of the number two engine's nozzle, he adds, describing the update as "a really solid fix".
Australia has issued a request for information (RFI) for 29 airframes to replace the Australian Army existing Tiger attack helicopter.
Under the Land 4503 program, the first 12 new rotorcraft must achieve initial operating capability (IOC) by 2026.
According to the RFI Australia wants to purchase 29 “proven and mature, off-the-shelf” armed reconnaissance helicopters of which five will be used for training operations. Initial Operational Capability of twelve helicopters (one squadron) is expected by 2026, with full operational capability from 2028.
[...]
Australia selected the current fleet of 22 Eurcopter/Airbus Helicopter Tigers in 2001 and the final Tiger was delivered (eighteen were built with Eurocopter Australian at Brisbane) to the Australian Army ten years later. The helicopters are based at Oakey (Qld) with the Army Aviation Training Centre, School of Army Aviation and at Robertson Barracks-Darwin with two operational squadrons, 161 and 162 Reconnaissance Squadrons as part of the 1st Aviation Regiment. Due to all kind of issues, the helicopters became fully operational only by 2016 and first sea-borne ops by April 2019
Let's hope they get something more reliable this time (that should be the easy part). Impressive also that the Tigers are to be phased out by earlier generation rotorcraft deemed more performant.
In press information relating to the event, France's special forces command says: "The air force is actively studying the acquisition of [CH-47s] for the French special forces. They would complete the current range of helicopters."
Parts of the French military have long been keen on acquiring a heavy-lift capability. During the late 2000s Paris was engaged in a joint effort with Germany under the Future Transport Helicopter programme.
According to the country's top envoy to US, Washington is offering helicopters aside from the Black Hawk helicopters which the Philippines agreed to buy in December 2018.
"The US is offering the Philippines to buy heavy-lift Chinook helicopters," Romualdez said in a roundtable interview.
“We are buying more equipment but on the high-ticket items. I think you know about the 16 Blackhawk helicopters. And then there are the heavy-lift Chinook helicopters which are being offered to the Philippines,” he said.
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By: TomcatViP - 17th May 2019 at 19:20 Permalink - Edited 17th May 2019 at 19:23
S-97 also use a clutch in part to prevent the rear prop from spinning during ground operation (also in the (read) article :rolleyes: ).
Posts: 3,337
By: BlackArcher - 17th May 2019 at 20:09 Permalink
Cameroonian Z-9 helicopter crashes
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 17th May 2019 at 22:09 Permalink - Edited 18th May 2019 at 05:11
See the US Air Force’s new combat rescue helo fly for the first time
Source:
https://www.defensenews.com/"]Defense News.com[/url]
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 9th June 2019 at 22:08 Permalink - Edited 9th June 2019 at 22:09
Sikorsky test flies Black Hawk helicopter without a pilot
Source:
UPI.com
https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2019...ogy#assets_all
*emphasizes are mine
Posts: 6,441
By: haavarla - 17th June 2019 at 18:18 Permalink - Edited 17th June 2019 at 20:22
Russian Army Mi-24M in action. Location Idlib, Syria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FHiXlgD3_s
Dang! you gotto love that Mi-24 sound!
Posts: 269
By: Lt Anderson - 17th June 2019 at 20:20 Permalink
Mi-24P.
Posts: 163
By: J-20 - 17th June 2019 at 23:42 Permalink
wow that is a black hawk? I thought it totally looked like the Harbin Z-20
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 23rd June 2019 at 22:57 Permalink
Source:
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/paris-additional-nations-poised-to-try-ch-53k-siko-459125/
Posts: 333
By: XB-70 - 8th July 2019 at 16:46 Permalink
Russia's military orders 108 new helicopters at Army-2019
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2019-07-03/army-2019-russian-helicopters-lands-orders-108-helicopters
Posts: 333
By: XB-70 - 8th July 2019 at 16:50 Permalink
Boeing to build and refurb up to 600 Apaches
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-to-produce-or-remanufacture-up-to-600-ah-64e-459463/
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 13th July 2019 at 12:58 Permalink - Edited 13th July 2019 at 12:59
CH-53E Super Stallion Reaches One Million Flight Hours
Source:
https://www.rotorandwing.com/
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 13th July 2019 at 13:29 Permalink - Edited 13th July 2019 at 13:30
Australia to replace its Eurocopter Tiger Fleet with “a Proven and Mature, Off-The-Shelf” Attack Helicopter
Let's hope they get something more reliable this time (that should be the easy part). Impressive also that the Tigers are to be phased out by earlier generation rotorcraft deemed more performant.
Source:
http://theaviationgeekclub.com/
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 14th July 2019 at 00:27 Permalink
Posts: 697
By: pilatus - 17th July 2019 at 19:23 Permalink
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 21st July 2019 at 14:36 Permalink
France eyes chinook helicopter acquisition
Source:
FlightGlobal.com
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 28th July 2019 at 13:27 Permalink - Edited 28th July 2019 at 13:27
Chinook unloaded and prep'd in India:
Source:
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/watch-how-iaf-s-chinook-helicopters-are-unpacked-at-gujarat-s-mundra-port-1563723491412.html
Posts: 5,905
By: TomcatViP - 28th July 2019 at 15:18 Permalink
Chinook for Philipine
Source:
https://news.abs-cbn.com/
Posts: 333
By: XB-70 - 29th July 2019 at 19:15 Permalink
India gets its first AH-64E Apaches
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/first-ah-64e-apaches-arrive-in-india-459946/
Posts: 3,337
By: BlackArcher - 29th July 2019 at 21:46 Permalink
US blocks Turkish helicopter sale to Pakistan
Posts: 3,337
By: BlackArcher - 8th August 2019 at 22:54 Permalink
Second batch of 4 Apache helicopters arrives in India