GenDyn tapped to build Viper’s Gun Turrets | Belarus presents 9M318 Prototype l Malaysia looks for S-61 Replacement

Americas

The US Air Force awarded D&D Machinery a $8.9 million contract for the C-17 Globemaster program. The deal is for the Aircraft Engine Ground Handling Trailer, which is required to incorporate I-beam rails to interface with the rollers on the engine cradle. The C-17 is a high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed transport aircraft, that can carry large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain. The US Air Force ordered its last C-17 in 2010. In 2012, a single C-17 was ordered to replace an aircraft that had been destroyed. The estimated total cost over the lifetime of the aircraft’s program is $328 million to $368 million. Work under the contract will take place in San Antonio, Texas and has a scheduled completion date of September 18, 2023.

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems won a $7.5 million contract modification in support of the Navy’s AH-1Z helicopters. The company will build 37 A/A49E-7(V4) gun turrets for the US Navy’s as well as the government of Bahrain’s Vipers. The Bell AH-1Z Viper is an American twin-engine attack helicopter, based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, that was developed for the United States Marine Corps as part of the H-1 upgrade program. The AH-1Z features a four-blade, bearingless, composite main rotor system, uprated transmission, and a new target sighting system. The major components of the A/A49E-7(V4) are the M197 20MM rotary gun, gun turret, control system and ammunition handling system. The A/A49E-7(V4) gun turret system is chin mounted on the AH-1Z chopper providing the capability to position, feed, and fire the M197 20MM rotary gun. It provides air-to-air and air-to-ground capability. GenDyn will perform work under the contract modification in Maine, Vermont, and is expected to finish work by January 2022.

Middle East & Africa

The US Navy awarded General Atomics a $36.5 million modification for nine months of Group 5 unmanned air system intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services. Group 5 indicates that the unmanned aerial vehicles are in the largest category of Defense Department classifications at greater than 1,320 pounds and functioning at altitudes above 18,000 feet. Specifically, the services are for Task Force Southwest and Marine Corps operations utilizing contractor-owned/contractor-operated MQ-9 unmanned air systems. Task Force Southwest is an American operation in Afghanistan under NATO’s Operation Resolute. It conducts security force assistance to train, advise, and assist missions to enable credible and sustainable Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in southwestern Afghanistan. The drones can carry precision guided bombs and missiles. The Reapers provide a wide-area persistent surveillance capability with the help of the so called Gorgon Stare System, which consists of nearly 370 individual cameras that can simultaneously grab imagery across a 40-square mile zone. Analysts can combine those images into a single mosaic map and look for significant changes or patterns of activity and track vehicles and personnel movements over large areas. General Atomics will perform work within the US and outside the continental US. Scheduled completion date is in February next year.

Europe

Belarus presented its 9m318 surface-to-air missile prototype at MILEX 2019 defense exhibition in Minsk earlier this month. Jane’s reports, that the missile, developed by OKB TSP Scientific Production Limited Liability Company, can engage high-speed maneuverable aerodynamic targets with low radar cross-section, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, tactical ballistic, anti-ship, cruise, and air-launched missiles, and surface and radio-emitting ground targets in an electronically contested environment. The 9M318 rocket is actually developed for the Buk-MB3 medium-range anti-aircraft missile system that can hit objects at a distance of up to 70 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 25 kilometers.

Asia-Pacific

Malaysia plans to replace its S-61 helicopter. Royal Malaysian Air Force chief General, Affendi Buang said that the service is looking at a range of helicopters including the EC725. However, Buang recently visited Russia to have a closer look at the Yak-130, which is another possible procurement for Malaysia. However, the acquisition of the lightweight aircraft is still not certain. Malaysia received the first S-61 in 1967. The Eurocopter EC725 is a long-range tactical transport helicopter specially developed to meet a French Air Force requirement for a helicopter for combat search and rescue operations. It made its maiden flight in 2000. The chopper can carry 28 troops or 12 stretchers. Alternatively it can carry 5,670 kg of payload internally. External payload capacity is around 4,500 kg.

According to Northrop Grumman, the company completed its first delivery of an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force on March 29. The Japan Ministry of Defense chose the Northrop Grumman E-2D as its next airborne early warning requirement in November 2014. The Advanced Hawkeyes will help the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in surveilling and securing the country’s airspace but also its territorial waters. They can detect aircraft and ships. The APY-9 Radar fitted in the E-2D has an effective range of over 500 km or 270 nautical miles. Japan previously operated the Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye since 1983 and is the largest E-2 operator outside the US.

Today’s Video

Watch: IDET 2019 International Fair of Defence and Security Technology Exhibition Brno Czech Republic Day 1

Last of the Globemasters: The Final C-17 Orders

The C-17 has had more money-driven last hurrahs than The Who. Even so, FY 2010 featured the USAF’s last planned orders of C-17 Globemaster III short field, heavy-lift transport jets.

The Pentagon had been trying to end the program for years, but 3 factors led Congress to keep adding new C-17s to the budget, year after year: (1) deep doubts about the premises, pre-9/11 vintage, and quality of the Pentagon’s mobility studies; (2) uncertainty concerning the C-5 Galaxy super-heavy transport’s upgrade programs; and (3) a fleet wear tempo much higher than originally forecast, driven by constant requests from theater for C-17s.

All things end, and there were no new C-17s bought in the FY 2011 or FY 2012 budgets. That would leave the USA with a total ordered fleet of 223, once they’re all under contract. At long last, they are.

Snakes and Rotors: The H-1 Helicopter Program

The US Marines’ helicopter force is aging at all levels, from banana-shaped CH-46 Sea Knight transports that are far older than their pilots, to the 1980s-era UH-1N Hueys and AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters that make up the Corps’ helicopter assault force. While the tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey program has staggered along for almost 2 decades under accidents, technical delays, and cost issues, replacement of the USMC’s backbone helicopter assets has languished. Given the high-demand scenarios inherent in the current war, other efforts are clearly required.

Enter the H-1 program, the USMC’s plan to remanufacture older helicopters into new and improved UH-1Y utility and AH-1Z attack helicopters. The new versions would discard the signature 2-bladed rotors for modern 4-bladed improvements, redo the aircraft’s electronics, and add improved engines and weapons to offer a new level of performance. It seemed simple, but hasn’t quite worked out that way. The H-1 program has encountered its share of delays and issues, but the program survived its review, and continued on into production and deployment.

DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This article covers the H-1 helicopter programs’ rationales and changes, the upgrades involved in each model, program developments and annual budgets, the full timeline of contracts and key program developments, and related research sources.

MQ-9 Reaper: Unfettered for Export

The MQ-9 Reaper UAV, once called “Predator B,” is somewhat similar to the famous Predator. Until you look at the tail. Or its size. Or its weapons. It’s called “Reaper” for a reason: while it packs the same surveillance gear, it’s much more of a hunter-killer design. Some have called it the first fielded Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV).

The Reaper UCAV will play a significant role in the future USAF, even though its capability set makes the MQ-9 considerably more expensive than MQ-1 Predators. Given these high-end capabilities and expenses, one may not have expected the MQ-9 to enjoy better export success than its famous cousin. Nevertheless, that’s what appears to be happening. MQ-9 operators currently include the USA and Britain, who use it in hunter-killer mode, and Italy. Several other countries are expressing interest, and the steady addition of new payloads are expanding the Reaper’s advantage over competitors…

Malaysia Ordering EC725 SAR Helicopters

Malaysia’s Bermana News reports that Eurocopter has received a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from the Malaysian Defence Ministry for 12 EC725 Cougar medium search and rescue (SAR) helicopters. Negotiations for the EC725s had been suspended in October 2008, in the wake of the financial crisis; at the time, they were not supposed to resume until 2011. At the April 2010 Defence Services Asia (DSA) show in Kuala Lumpur, however, Defence minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi reportedly signed a letter-of-acceptance. Eurocopter is now working with the government to finalize the contract, which is expected to happen when Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak returns from overseas and the cabinet has a chance to meet and sign off on the deal.

The EC725s would replace the existing fleet of about 20 aged S-61 Sea King/”Nuris”, and are expected to arrive in 2012-2013. The reported deal figure is MYR 1.6 billion ($500 million). EC725s, and their civilian EC225 counterparts, are used by several countries in the region for SAR work. China operates a couple, as does the Japanese Coast Guard. Indonesia has ordered 2, and Taiwan is believed to have ordered 3 EC225s, with an option for 17 more.

Malaysia is also reportedly shopping for attack helicopters. Contenders mentioned so far include Eurocopter’s dedicated Tiger scout/attack helicopter, which also serves in Australia, and versatile S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters than can be armed with advanced “Battlehawk” kits. Malaysia’s Bernama News | Defense World | Flight International | Singapore’s Straits Times.

Contracts and Events

June 3/19: Replacing S-61? Malaysia plans to replace its S-61 helicopter. Royal Malaysian Air Force chief General, Affendi Buang said that the service is looking at a range of helicopters including the EC725. However, Buang recently visited Russia to have a closer look at the Yak-130, which is another possible procurement for Malaysia. However, the acquisition of the lightweight aircraft is still not certain. Malaysia received the first S-61 in 1967. The Eurocopter EC725 is a long-range tactical transport helicopter specially developed to meet a French Air Force requirement for a helicopter for combat search and rescue operations. It made its maiden flight in 2000. The chopper can carry 28 troops or 12 stretchers. Alternatively it can carry 5,670 kg of payload internally. External payload capacity is around 4,500 kg.

E-2D Hawkeye: The Navy’s New AWACS

Northrop Grumman’s E-2C Hawkeye is a carrier-capable “mini-AWACS” aircraft, designed to give long-range warning of incoming aerial threats. Secondary roles include strike command and control, land and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, communications relay, and even civil air traffic control during emergencies. E-2C Hawkeyes began replacing previous Hawkeye versions in 1973. They fly from USN and French carriers, from land bases in the militaries of Egypt, Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan; and in a drug interdiction role for the US Naval Reserve. Over 200 Hawkeyes have been produced.

The $17.5 billion E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program aims to build 75 new aircraft with significant radar, engine, and electronics upgrades in order to deal with a world of stealthier cruise missiles, saturation attacks, and a growing need for ground surveillance as well as aerial scans. It looks a lot like the last generation E-2C Hawkeye 2000 upgrade on the outside – but inside, and even outside to some extent, it’s a whole new aircraft.