News Report: India Floats Biggest Tender for Procurement of 234 Naval Helicopters

In a procurement that could be one of the biggest additions to India’s naval warfare capabilities in recent times, the Indian Navy intends to purchase at least 123 naval multi role helicopters (NMRH) with anti-submarine capabilities and light utility twin engine helicopters for offshore and shore based operations.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Hard pressed by operational inadequacies, the Indian Navy has made public its intentions to procure at least 234 aerial vehicles to serve in warships. A request for information (RFI) has been sought from six global manufacturers for an estimated deal of over $5 billion.

The Indian Navy has said 123 naval multi-role helicopters should have anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The requirement has been outlined keeping in mind the growing presence of foreign submarines in the Indian Ocean region. The Indian Navy has also floated tentative requirements for light utility twin engine helicopters weighing about 4.5 tons to be used in both shore-based and offshore operations.

The procurement would be executed under the newly approved strategic partnership (SP) model that seeks to identify an Indian private firm as a strategic partner who would tie up with a shortlisted foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) to manufacture military platforms. The main criteria for the selection of OEMs would be the compatibility of their products with the Services Staff Qualitative Requirements (SQRs), and their commitment to provide technology and other assistance to enable their Indian partners to produce in India with maximum localization.

News Report: Australia Finds Missing US Aircraft

The Australian navy says it has found the missing U.S. aircraft that crashed into the sea Saturday off Australia's east coast.

Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne said in a statement the submerged aircraft was located "shortly after" Royal Australian Navy survey ship HMAS Melville arrived in Shoalwater Bay.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Navy divers are working with the crew of the Melville at the crash site and are using remotely operated underwater vehicles.

The aircraft had been launched from the USS Bonhomme Richard assault ship and was involved in routine operations when it crashed.

Twenty-three people aboard the MV-22 Osprey were rescued, but three Marines remained missing.

News Story: Indian Navy launches hunt to acquire 110 helicopters in $5B deal

Kamov Ka-226T (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — The Indian Navy has begun its process of acquiring 110 light utility helicopters after rejecting Russia's Kamov Ka-226T, which are being built for the Air Force and Army, according to a Ministry of Defence official. 

"The Kamov 226T does not have blade folding and cannot be fitted inside a ship's hangar. Moreover, it is not suitable to carry the torpedoes, which is the mandatory requirement," said an Indian Navy official. 

The light utility helicopters, or LUH, will be procured under the strategic partnership policy India's government approved last month, under which a private-sector defence company will be selected as a strategic partner, which, in turn, will tie up with an overseas original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, shortlisted by the MoD. 

In the next two months, an expression of interest will be given to domestic companies, including Bharat Forge, Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems. The domestic companies will partner with overseas OEMs to compete for the contract worth $5 billion. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Textron company eyes Australia in wake of Tiger helo critique

AH-1Z Viper (Left), UH-1Y Venom (Right) [Click Image to Enlarge]

By: Pierre Tran

LE BOURGET, France — Bell Helicopter, a Textron unit, is keen to pitch to Australia in response to reported criticism of the Airbus Helicopters Tiger attack helicopter, said Richard Harris, vice president for international military sales. 

“Sure it’s a market, you bet,” he told Defense News on the first day of the Paris Air Show, when asked if Bell would pursue an order from Australia. 

Bell is also competing in two competitions in Europe, with the results expected within six months, assuming stable political factors, he said, while declining to disclose those countries. 

Poland and the Czech Republic are reported to be holding tenders to acquire new helicopters, with the latter looking to order 12 light multi-role units. 

Harris was confident the design of a sealed rotorhead on its AH-1Z attack and UH-1Y combat utility helicopters could overcome maintenance problems arising from sand and harsh conditions, such as that found in Australia. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Three dead, one hurt in Philippine military chopper crash

UH-1D (Image: Wiki Commons)

MANILA, May 4 (Xinhua) -- A Philippine Air Force pilot and two crewmen died and another pilot was injured when their UH-1D helicopter crashed during a military exercise in Tanay town in Rizal, east of Manila on Thursday afternoon.

Lt. Xy-zon Meneses, spokesman of the Army's second Infantry Division, said the aircraft crashed at around 3 p.m. local time in Sitio Hilltop in barangay Sampaloc while preparing to land at a vacant lot.

"This (training) is to ensure that the military is ready for disaster rescue operation... There was a practical exercise today but one chopper got into trouble during landing," said Meneses, adding no civilians were harmed.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Australian Helicopter Needs Discussed at Avalon Show

Australian Tiger ARH

by Mike Yeo

Australia’s search for a new armed reconnaissance helicopter to replace the Army’s troubled Airbus Helicopters Tiger fleet was a major topic at the Avalon Airshow, held near Melbourne from February 28 to March 5. The show also featured—as expected—the first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II and Boeing EA-18G Growler. The RAAF’s Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and Leonardo C-27J battlefield airlifter also made their Avalon debuts.

The country’s 2016 Defence White Paper stated that the 22 Tigers should be replaced starting around 2025. Boeing brought a factory-fresh AH-64E Apache to the show, while Bell Helicopters had an AH-1Z Viper cockpit simulator at its stand in the exhibition hall. The Apache conducted demonstration flights throughout the week, and Boeing emphasized that AH-64 production will run until 2026 based on current orders. Bell disclosed that it had made an unsolicited offer of the AH-1Z as a Tiger replacement.

Bell’s is also offering the UH-1Y Venom for Australia’s Special Forces light helicopter program, which is expected to kick off in 2018 and cost A$2-3 billion (U.S.$1.5-2.3 billion). This machine is required to “insert, extract and provide fire support for small teams of Special Forces undertaking tasks ranging from tactical observation through to counter-terrorism missions, or hostage recovery.” It must be rapidly deployable by the RAAF’s C-17 airlifters three or four at a time. This could be a problem for Bell as it acknowledges only two Venoms can be carried in a single C-17. Other possible contenders for the program include the Boeing AH-6i Little Bird and the Airbus H145M.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: ‘Make In India’ Was the Key Focus of Aero India Show

Embraer EMB-145 AEW&C with DRDO Radar

by Chris Pocock

The 11th Aero India show at Bangalore last week was bigger than ever, as foreign manufacturers vied to offer attractive “Make In India” proposals to meet the country’s substantial defense needs. Meanwhile, the country’s own long-established aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) showed the Advanced Hawk jet trainer that has been co-developed with BAE Systems, and proposed an Indian multi-role helicopter (IMRH). Neither project has official backing in the form of a firm requirement or orders, but at the show HAL did sign a memorandum of understanding with the government for a large new helicopter testing and production facility in the state of Karnataka.

India’s fighter requirements were, as expected, high on the agenda. Saab made an aggressive pitch for the Gripen E, that included the proposed maritime version that could meet the Indian Navy’s requirement for 57 multi-role carrier-borne fighters. Kent-Ake Molin, commercial manager, said that Saab has “mobilized a robust global supply chain for India. We are not doing a copy and paste…the facility we will set up here will be new. Besides, we will bring in capabilities India has been wanting, such as superplastic forming and integration and use of software.” During the show, Saab Aeronautics head Ulf Nilsson told an Indian business daily that the Swedish company is talking about an Indian partnership to the Adani Group, which wants to build a 200-acre aerospace factory at Mundra. 

A Gripen took part in the flying display, and so did an F-16, another candidate for the Indian Air Force’s yet-to-be-fully-defined requirement for a new, possibly single-engine fighter to be produced in-country. But concerns about possible changes in U.S. technology transfer policy clouded Lockheed Martin’s pitch for Indian-based production of the F-16V version of the Fighting Falcon. The American company issued a statement noting that its current proposal “was supported by the Obama administration as part of a broader cooperative dialogue with the government of India…we understand that the Trump administration will want to take a fresh look at some of these programs and we stand prepared to support that effort to ensure that any deal of this importance is properly aligned with U.S. policy priorities.”

Read the full story at AINonline

Think Tank: Sea, air and land updates (9-Aug-2016)

Bell AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopter

Christopher Cowan, Alexander Vipond and Elisabeth Buchan

Sea State

Defence contractor Raytheon has won a US$523 million (AU$687 million) contract to provide the US Navy with 47 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block 1B interceptors. The missiles form the backbone of the US Navy’s ship-based ballistic missile defence capability, and are deployed on the US Navy’s fleet of Aegis destroyers and cruisers.

Still on acquisition, India has recently agreed to buy three Admiral Grigorovich-class guided missile frigates from Russia. These ships were originally scheduled to be delivered to the Russian Navy as a part of its naval modernisation program, but Ukraine’s 2014 ban on military exports to Russia has left the vessels without powerplants. India, however, isn’t constrained by the export ban and is able to acquire the Ukrainian-made engines.

And finally, in a move celebrated by American sailors around the world, the US Navy announced it was replacing its oft-ridiculed Navy Working Uniform (NWU) I. Commonly referred to as ‘blueberries’ due to their blue and grey digital camouflage (‘aquaflage’) pattern, the NWU I has gained a poor reputation since its introduction to sailors’ wardrobes in 2008. Notably (and somewhat ironically), the uniform’s aquaflage pattern was criticised for only being effective when a sailor fell overboard. Other major complaints focused on the weight and flammability of the uniforms. The US Navy will begin transitioning to its new uniform, the woodland patterned NWU III, in October 2016.

News Story: Fuji and Bell Working Together for UH-X

by David Donald

Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI; Hall 2 Stand A88) and Bell (Outdoor Exhibit L2-L5) have begun development of a version of the Bell 412EPI for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), having won the UH-X competition for a new utility transport helicopter. This will replace the UH-1J (Bell Model 205) in JGSDF service.

Fuji and Bell have forged a long partnership that has seen FHI build the UH-1B, UH-1J and AH-1S Cobra under license for the JGSDF, while it also license-built the service’s AH-64 Apaches. The UH-X helicopters are to be built at the company’s Utsunomiya plant.

Selection of the Fuji-Bell team for UH-X was announced in July last year and a contract for 150 helicopters was awarded in September. Originally a Kawasaki Heavy Industries team had been selected to develop UH-X as a new design, but the program was relaunched following alleged improprieties in the bidding process. The renewed UH-X requirement specified a modified off-the-shelf aircraft to keep costs down. KHI teamed with Airbus Helicopters to offer the new H160, but the Bell 412-based helicopter won out in a number of the Japanese evaluation categories, including delivery timescale. First deliveries are slated for 2021.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: Bell Textron to supply attack helicopters to Pakistan

by Carlo Munoz

The U.S. Navy has awarded Texas-based aviation firm Bell Textron a contract to provide its latest attack helicopter for the Pakistani military, according to a recent service announcement.

Islamabad will receive nine AH-1Z Viper attack aircraft along with nine auxiliary fuel kits as part of the $170 million deal through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. The helicopters will be built at the company's facilities in Fort Worth, Texas and Amarillo, Texas.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Story: Indonesia rules out militant strike on army helicopter crash

JAKARTA, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian military have ruled out the possibility of terrorist strikes as the cause of an army helicopter crash Sunday in Poso of Sulawesi that killed all 13 military men on board, military spokesman said here Monday.

The accident occurred in a secured location near an airport, Colonel Berlin G. spokesman of the military said.

"Military commander has stressed that the cause of the accident is poor weather condition. Besides, it did not occur in an area vulnerable on militant attacks. It was close to the airport," he told Xinhua by phone.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Bell, BAE to cooperate on military rotorcraft in Australia

by Ryan Maass

Textron subsidiary Bell Helicopter has signed an agreement with BAE Systems Australia cooperate on military rotorcraft support in Australia.

Under the agreement, BAE Systems will support Bell Helicopter's AH-1Z attack rotorcraft, including maintenance, sustainment and future customer training.

Read the full story at SpaceDaily

News Story: Singapore Airshow - Airbus prioritises Aussie Tiger problems

by Gordon Arthur in Singapore

Philippe Monteux, senior vice president and head of region Southeast Asia Pacific for Airbus Helicopters, said the status of Australia’s 22 Tiger ARHs had seen some ‘very interesting improvement’ and that the army was currently ‘much more satisfied’.

Earlier during the air show, Bell Helicopter and BAE Systems Australia signed a teaming arrangement aimed at offering and sustaining the Bell AH-1Z Viper in Australia. 

If the Tiger does not perform as desired by the time of its Capability Assurance Programme (CAP) in 2019, Australia will decide whether to upgrade or replace the Tiger fleet.

With Australia’s Defence White Paper due out soon, more clarity could emerge on this Land 9000 Phase 3 project.

Read the full story at Shephard

News Story: Bell, BAE link to promote AH-1Z Viper in Australia

AH-1Z Viper

by Chris Pocock

Bell Helicopter (Stand Q01) signed a teaming agreement here Tuesday with BAE Systems Australia to promote and support the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter in that country. Bell is eyeing a potential Australian requirement, following that country’s dissatisfaction with its fleet of 22 Airbus Helicopter Tigers. BAE Systems will oversee maintenance and sustainment, and do training.

The agreement also includes the UH-1Y Venom utility helicopter which, like the Viper, is in service with the U.S. Marine Corps. Lisa Atherton, executive vice-president of military business for Bell Helicopters, noted that both machines were designed for marine as well as overland operation, and able to withstand corrosive saltwater environments. “Countries acquiring the aircraft now will gain the strategic advantage of interoperability with the U.S. Marine Corps,” she said.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Story: Asia's Biggest Air Show Set To Open in Singapore

By Wendell Minnick

TAIPEI — Asia's biggest commercial aerospace and defense air show, set to open Feb. 16 at Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre, will feature air power displays from across Asia, North America and Europe.

Lockheed Martin will promote its F-35 stealth fighter and F-16 midlife upgrade (MLU) program. South Korea, Taiwan and, more recently, Singapore have awarded Lockheed MLU orders, which include Northrop Grumman's scalable agile beam radar (SABR). The SABR is an active electronically scanned array radar.

AgustaWestland-Finmeccanica will display its Project Zero tilt-rotor technology demonstrator. First unveiled at the 2013 Paris Air Show, the electric-powered aircraft can hover like a helicopter and convert to a fixed-wing aircraft for forward flight.

Defense News asked air show officials about potential competition from Seoul ADEX and Airshow China (Zhuhai), both rising stars in defense air shows in Asia.

Singapore Airshow officials insist their show continues to be Asia’s largest and one of the most important aerospace and defense exhibitions in the world.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: Bell Boeing Announces Contract for First V-22 Ospreys to Japan

• Agreement enhances Japan’s defensive and humanitarian operations
• Marks first international sale for V-22

Patuxent River, Md., July 14, 2015 – Bell Boeing, a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter, a Textron [NYSE: TXT] company, and Boeing [NYSE: BA], was awarded a U.S. Navy contract today for five Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to be delivered to Japan, marking the first sale of the aircraft through the U.S. government’s foreign military sales program.

The contract for the Block C aircraft includes support, training, and equipment. The versatile V-22 tiltrotor will allow Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force greatly enhanced capabilities, while providing an ideal platform for relief efforts in response to natural disasters.

USA: Possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan for V-22B Block C Osprey aircraft

WASHINGTON, May 5, 2015 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan for V-22B Block C Osprey aircraft and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $3 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Japan has requested a possible sale of 17 V-22B Block C Osprey aircraft, 40 AE1107C Rolls Royce Engines, 40 AN/AAQ-27 Forward Looking InfraRed Radars, 40 AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems, 40 AN/APR-39 Radar Warning Receivers, 40 AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser Systems, 40 AN/APX-123 Identification Friend or Foe Systems, 40 AN/APN-194 Radar Altimeters, 40 AN/ARN-147 VHF Omni-directional Range (VOR) Instrument Landing System (ILS) Beacon Navigation Systems, 40 629F-23 Multi-Band Radios (Non-COMSEC), 40 AN/ASN-163 Miniature Airborne Global Positioning System (GPS) Receivers (MAGR), 40 AN/ARN-153 Tactical Airborne Navigation Systems, 80 Night Vision Goggles, Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) with unique planning components, publications and technical documentation, aircraft spares and repair parts, repair and return, aircraft ferry services, tanker support, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, software, U.S. Government and contractor engineering, logistics and technical support services, and other elements of technical and program support. The estimated cost is $3 billion.

USA: Possible Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan for AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters and AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles

AH-1Z Viper (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

WASHINGTON, Apr 6, 2015 – The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan for AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters and AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $952 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.

The Government of Pakistan has requested a possible sale of 15 AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters, 32 T-700 GE 401C Engines (30 installed and 2 spares), 1000 AGM-114 R Hellfire II Missiles in containers, 36 H-1 Technical Refresh Mission computers, 17 AN/AAQ-30 Target Sight Systems, 30 629F-23 Ultra High Frequency/Very High Frequency Communication Systems, 19 H-764 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems, 32 Helmet Mounted Display/Optimized Top Owl, 17 APX-117A Identification Friend or Foe, 17 AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems, 17 AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser Sets, 18 AN/APR-39C(V)2 Radar Warning Receivers, 15 Joint Mission Planning Systems, and 17 M197 20mm Gun Systems. Also included are system integration and testing, software development and integration, aircraft ferry, support equipment, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated cost is $952 million.

Think Tank: Flight Path (3-Mar-2015)

By Palmo Tenzin

This week reviews all the news from the Avalon international Airshow and Biennale IDEX events, the latest on drones, fifth-generation fighters, China’s military capability, and a debate on the US Long Range Strike-Bomber.

The Avalon Airshow and Exposition closed over the weekend after hosting over 600 companies from more than 20 countries. Like many companies that used the show to promote their products to buyers in the region, Bell Helicopter targeted the ADF, pitching their AH-1Z Viper helicopter as an alternative to a marinised Tiger as a maritime-attack platform for Australia’s two landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships.

At Avalon, DMO expressed plans to enter into an agreement with the US Navy to influence the future development of the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton maritime-surveillance unmanned aerial system. The announcement fits in with a broader RAAF strategy to use Triton UAVs alongside the P-8A to patrol Australia’s northern maritime regions. More details on this and Australia’s plans to purchase $300 million worth of armed ‘Reaper’ drones are expected in the upcoming Defence White Paper.

News Story: Indian Firms Set Teams for Helicopter Tender

By Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — In India's first helicopter competition reserved for domestic defense companies, teams have been established between top defense companies Larsen & Toubro with Airbus Helicopters and Tata Advanced Systems with Sikorsky Aircraft to produce a light utility helicopter (LUH).

Other corporate arrangements include Mahindra Defence Systems teaming up with Bell Helicopter and Punj Lloyd with Russian Helicopters. The domestic companies have to respond by Feb. 17 to a request for information (RFI) they received in October to provide the helicopters on a Buy and Make (India) basis in the $2.5 billion tender.

State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics also is negotiating a tie up with Russian Helicopters.

None of the overseas or domestic companies would discuss their partnerships.

A Ministry of Defence official said there is no certainty that the helicopters built by the domestic companies would be cheaper than importing them directly.

Read the full story at DefenseNews