(click to view full)
In February 2010, Sikorsky announced an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity agreement with the US Department of State to purchase up to 110 modernized S-61N/T Sea King helicopters, for itself or for other government departments. USDoS is expected to be the largest customer, buying them for “passenger and cargo transport missions in support of its worldwide operations.”
That will reduce, but not eliminate, the State Department’s regular need to lease helicopters for this purpose. As one example, the helicopter that spirited Rep. Alan Grayson [D-FL] out of Niger during the 2010 coup was flown by Blackwater/Xe’s Presidential Airways. The Sikorsky contract probably won’t change that sort of need, but it will make a difference in countries like Afghanistan. Because of the current state of helicopter support there, the role of private contractors to fill the gaps has been growing. The initial S-61T delivery order has been sent there, as an alternative the ensures availability for the department’s personnel. That has been followed by more orders, and Sikorsky is pointedly touting its S-61Ts as a broader alternative to leased machines in theater – many of which are earlier-model S-61s.
New Clothes for an Old King: The S-61T
(click to view full)
The S-61 is the civilian designation for the popular SH-3 Sea King line of helicopters. Many SH-3s remain in service with military operators around the world, despite their age and wear. The helicopters handle extremely well, offer good cargo capacity, and are considered to be a safe design under a wide variety of conditions, including the ability to land on water. On the civilian side, Sikorsky estimates that over 650 S-61 variants remain in service worldwide, performing both general and specialty missions.
An upgraded long-body S-61N has been offered by Carson Helicopters, Inc. for several years now, and accounted for initial deliveries. Sikorsky’s short-body S-61T is the next step, as a joint development with Carson.
Modernized S-61 helicopters reportedly include a fully modernized “glass cockpit” with digital screens and avionics; crashworthy seats; a modular wiring harness derived the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter’s; and engine and transmission improvements. The biggest improvement involves composite main rotor blades that add extra speed and another 1,200 pounds of lift. They’re the same Carson composite blade designs that equip US Presidential VH-3Ds, and the Royal Navy’s in-service Sea Kings. Not only are they certified for a 100% longer 20,000 hour service life, the performance gain allows S-61s to take off and land at 12,000 feet above sea level at 14,000 pounds gross weight. S-61s headed into dangerous areas also receive AAR-74 and ALE-47 defensive systems.
Conversion takes about 6 months, and at the program’s outset, S-61T Program Manager Anthony Serksnas said that they had 10 S-61 helicopters in inventory to meet initial conversion requirements. Another 65 government surplus helicopters are reportedly available, and the US State Department would provide more from the private market as government-furnished equipment, if that became necessary. Still, deliveries have been slow.
The helicopters are sourced by Sikorsky, with initial machines coming from the US military’s “boneyard” in Arizona. They receive full RESET-style tear-downs, inspection, and reconstruction in Troy, AL, then Carson aircraft handles rewiring, re-plumbing, re-assembly, and painting. As of 2012, Sikorsky can handle the complete process in Troy at a rate of about 6 at a time.
Sikorsky and its partner Carson have been working on several additional improvements to the platform, which may become the subject of future block upgrades or enhancements under the contract. The 2 biggest are a composite tail rotor to complement the composite main rotor, and a potential switch to GE’s T58-16 engine variant. Sikorsky has also worked to qualify crashworthy Robertson fuel cells, an 8,000 pound cargo hook, and EAP dust filters for the GE T58-GE-402 engines.
Contracts & Key Events
(click to view full)
Jan 6/14: S-61T. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announces the “successful maiden test flight of the modernized S-61T™ helicopter,” under the 2010 upgrade program:
“The modernized S-61T helicopter represents the latest version, with a full structural refurbishment, overhaul of all major dynamic components, and installation of key upgrades including new composite main rotor blades (CMRB), a survivability suite and state-of-the-art glass cockpit, as well as all new electrical wiring throughout the aircraft. The initial test flight was completed in late 2013.
Sikorsky is under contract with the U.S. Department of State (DoS) for refurbished S-61 aircraft and already has delivered 16 helicopters. The latest order is for 13 S-61T models, with the first delivery scheduled in the first quarter of 2014.”
Assuming that Sikorsky’s Nov 8/11 release is correct, then 16 delivered + 13 to go = the 29 orders they touted at that time. Sources: Sikorsky, “Modernized S-61T™ Helicopter Launches First Flight – U.S. Department of State Already Under Contract for 13 Aircraft”
1st full S-61T test flight
Sept 24/13: Scandal. In August 2008, a Carson S-61N helicopter swiped a treetop in Northern California during takeoff and crashed, killing the pilot, a US Forest Services official, and 7 firefighters. An NTSB investigation showed that the pilot followed a Carson Helicopters manual, which had false weight and takeoff power charts. It was not approved by Carson or the U.S. Forest Service, but the figures had been provided in order to win a $20 million Forest Services contract.
“Levi Phillips, 46, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiring to defraud the Forest Service by creating false weight, balance and performance information for firefighting helicopters while he was employed as head of maintenance for Oregon-based Carson Helicopters Inc, according to court documents.”
Phillips will testify against Carson VP Steven Metheny, who was also indicted in January 2013. Even so, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Sources: Reuters, “Oregon man pleads guilty to fraud in deadly 2008 helicopter crash”.
Feb 19/13: Sub-contractors. Sikorsky announces plans to equip their modernized S-61T helicopters with a suite of advanced avionics from S-TEC Corporation/Cobham Commercial Systems (Cobham) of Mineral Wells, TX. This seems a bit late, given the 2010 contract, but a 2012 Vertiflite article says that the integrated system Carson had tried to develop failed to get FAA Part 29 certification. Carson then chose Cobham before that avionics system was even certified, and now Sikorsky has followed.
The integrated avionics package features large-format synthetic vision flight displays, advanced flight management capability, integrated Engine Indication and Crew Alerting System (EICAS), dual digital audio/radio control display units, dual VHF navigation, an automatic direction finding system, a distance measuring system, communication radios, and an integrated digital audio/radio management system incorporating aft-cabin audio control. Sources: Sikorsky, “Sikorsky Aerospace Services Selects Cobham’s Advanced Avionics Suite for S-61 Modernization Program”.
May 23/12: Industrial. Sikorsky Aircraft’s Troy, AL, facility announces it has completed the structural modernization of its first S-61T airframe, which will now undergo completion at Carson Helicopters, and eventual delivery to the U.S. State Department for diplomatic service in Afghanistan.
Sikorsky adds that their team has already delivered 14 modernized S-61 aircraft to the State Department.
The Troy facility already employs over 640 people, making MH-60/S-70 Seahawk airframes, and UH-60 Black Hawk/ MH-92 Cyclone subassemblies. Troy even began modernizing some S-61 airframes in 2012, instead of handing all of that work to Carson Helicopters in Perkasie, PA. The Troy facility has developed capacity to refurbish up to 6 aircraft in flow, with the program employing more than 100 people. Source: Sikorsky, “Troy Facility Completes S-61™ Airframe Modernization for U.S. State Department”.
Nov 8/11: +3. Sikorsky Aerospace Services announces that the U.S. Department of State has ordered 3 more S-61s, and says that this brings total orders under their contract to 29. It would seem that public announcements missed a few.
These 3 helicopters will reportedly transport diplomatic personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3 S-61s
June 6/11: Buy Danish. Denmark decides that its problematic new EH101 search and rescue helicopter has reached “good enough” status, and its DALO proceeds to sell all 7 of the Danish military’s existing Sea Kings, plus their spares, for $7.5 million. Which is more than the Danes originally paid in 1965, even in constant dollars.
The buyer for the helicopters? Sikorsky subsidiary Helicopter Support Inc. The Danish military’s own release says that the Sea Kings are expected to be flying in Iraq before the end of the year, and cites the quality of Danish maintenance as the reason for the expected fast turnaround. Forsvaret [in Danish].
Dec 2/10: Delivery. Sikorsky Aerospace Services announces that they have delivered the 1st upgraded S-61 helicopter to the U.S. State Department, adding that purchase orders stand at 17 helicopters. Another 4 are to be delivered in 2010, with deliveries of the next 13 scheduled throughout 2011.
1st delivery
Oct 27/10: +2. Sikorsky Aerospace Services announces an order for 2 more upgraded S-61s, to support US Drug Enforcement Agency drug interdiction efforts in Afghanistan. The helicopters are bought under the US Department of State’s umbrella contract, and brings total orders so far to 17 helicopters.
2 DEA S-61Ts
Sept 20/10: The U.S. State Department orders another 11 helicopters under the contract, for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. This brings the number ordered so far to 15. All are State Department machines, but the contract would allow any US government agency to order them.
Sikorsky adds that the first 4 modernized S-16 helicopters “are currently in completion,” and are scheduled for deployment in Afghanistan in fall 2010. First delivery of this follow-on order is scheduled for mid-2011. Sikorsky.
11 S-61s
June 2/10: the U.S. State Department has accepted the first 2 modernized S-61 helicopters that will support missions for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. Sikorsky.
Feb 22/10: Umbrella contract. Sikorsky announces an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity agreement with the US Department of State to purchase up to 110 modernized S-61 Sea King helicopters (S-61N/T), for “passenger and cargo transport missions in support of its worldwide operations.
Delivery of the first 4 modernized S-61s will support missions for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan – where operators like Evergreen and Hummingbird are already using the basic type to provide services. Sikorsky’s release pointedly adds that:
“Providing an alternative to the Pentagon’s current purchase and use of Russian helicopters, Sikorsky’s American-made modernized S-61 aircraft is mission-ready now for deployment to Afghanistan and the surrounding regions.”
Base agreement, incl. 4 S-61s
Additional Readings
* Helis.com – S-61T Triton
* Carson Helicopters – Research & Development.
* Vertiflite, via Carson (Jan/Feb 2012) – Carson’s Successful ’61s [PDF]. In retrospect, leading with a photo of the firefighting variant seems less than ideal.
* AIN, via Carson (July 21/10) – Life begins at 50 for upgraded Sea Kings [PDF]
