The AS365 Dauphin rotorcraft full-flight simulator at Airbus Helicopters’ Singapore-based training center has been upgraded to provide highly realistic training in both day and night search and rescue (SAR) operations, offering pilots the unique capability to safely practice these demanding life-saving missions. The upgrade was made by Airbus Helicopters Southeast Asia at its Seletar Aerospace… Read more »
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has appointed Brett B. Lambert vice president, corporate strategy, effective Jan. 26. He will report to Mark A. Caylor, corporate vice president, president of Enterprise Services and chief strategy officer. Lambert replaces Stanley R. Szemborski who has retired from the company. In this role, Lambert will lead development and implementation of… Read more »
ELECTRONIC and systems group Thales Australia needed to address obsolescence issues faced by the Australian Army Tiger helicopter simulators. See Full Story
The Air Force of Honduras has recently taken delivery of a new Bell 412EP for the Presidential Flight. It replaces an older 412SP which has been on charge in this role since 1988, and was one of a fleet of ten bought at that time. It is not clear exactly how many of the original… Read more »
Once a fully operational RAF Station, Wattisham is now only home to a search and rescue helicopter unit, ‘B’ Flight of No 22 Squadron, equipped with 2 Sea king HAR3A helicopters. The final bell is now being prepared for this operation, as it has been announced the Sea Kings will cease operations on 1st July…. Read more »
As of 1 January 2015, the Defence organisation has taken its characteristic yellow AB-412 search-and-rescue helicopters out of service. These helicopters, which flew for Defence Helicopter Command, are to be disposed of. Consequently, 303 Squadron, stationed at Leeuwarden Air Base, will be disbanded in the near future. During the course of 2014, the 3 Defence… Read more »
HX5 LLC, Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, has been awarded a $15,900,000 cost-reimbursement incentive contract for advisory and assistance services. The contractor will provide combat rescue helicopter program support. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be complete by Feb. 29, 2020. This award is the result of a… Read more »
As early as the mid-1980s, German army aviation needed new helicopters. Its Vietnam-era Bell UH-1s and Sikorsky CH-53s had seen better days. See Full Story
The United Nations has sought return of Indian Air Force helicopters to the peace keeping mission in Congo, almost three years after New Delhi withdrew the them due to domestic requirements. See Full Story
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq:KTOS), a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today that the U.S. Army has purchased two of Kratos’ Maintenance Blended Reconfigurable Aviation Trainer (MBRAT) Virtual Immersive Environment (VIE) training systems with the CH-47F Chinook Avionics configuration. The order is valued at approximately $1.4 million, including life cycle support services… Read more »
Facing a potential conflict with the People’s Liberation Army over the East China Sea, Japan’s defense budget has reached US$41.7 billion for the fiscal year of 2015, China’s nationalistic tabloid Global Times reported on Jan. 9. See Full Story
Two more wrongful-death lawsuits have been filed in connection with a helicopter crash in South America that killed five Americans and two Peruvians two years ago. See Full Story
The British Army almost brought down a troop-carrying RAF helicopter when one of its own drones flew within 60ft of the giant aircraft, a report found. See Full Story
As of the first of the year, Finland has committed to provide four NH90 transport helicopters for any possible EU crisis management operation through the end of June. See Full Story
Rotor blades from an Arizona National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter cut swiftly through the air, blending a whooshing sound with the roar of the engine. It’s a welcome sound, a signal to wildland firefighters on the ground that relief is coming. The helicopter descends to 50 feet, hovering above slow flowing canal water. Rotor… Read more »
Joint Base Lewis-McChord’s combat aviation brigade is about to turn its attention from the imposing peaks of Afghanistan to the “vastness of the Pacific.” See Full Story
Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) on Monday launched its helicopter exercise at Al Mesanaah air base with the participation of a number of units from Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) and Sultan Special Force (SSF). See Full Story
A huge white cloud envelops the cockpit of the Chinook helicopter as it settles into a hover ready for landing, blowing snowflakes from the ground into the air around the aircraft. See Full Story
Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, is being awarded $27,594,138 for firm-fixed-price job order 0057 under a previously awarded contract (N00164-12-G-JQ66) for procurement of multi-spectral targeting systems and data for the MH-60 U.S. Navy. This acquisition is to satisfy a U.S. Navy MH-60 program for multi-spectral targeting system components that will be used by the U.S. Navy. … Read more »
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded $21,326,083 for cost-plus- fixed-fee order 0090 against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-12-G-0006) in support of the V-22. This order provides for fleet software sustainment that includes engineering and technical support for the V-22 flight control system and on-aircraft avionics software; flight test planning and… Read more »
Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Melbourne, Florida is being awarded a $35,514,955 firm-fixed price contract for the fabrication, integration, test and production of airborne laser mine detection systems (ALMDS) and delivery of peculiar support equipment and engineering services to support those systems. This contract is in support of the Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). … Read more »
Raytheon Technical Services Co., LLC, Indianapolis, Indiana, is being awarded a $270,512,968 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the procurement of V-22 software support activity (SSA) systems and software engineering, avionics integration and testing, software testing, avionics acquisition support, and SSA operations. The SSA operations will include classified and unclassified laboratories, configuration and data management, and release of… Read more »
Two airlines have been awarded contract modifications for rotary wing aircraft, personnel, equipment, tools, material, maintenance and supervision necessary to perform passenger and cargo air transportation service. The first airline, Columbia Helicopters, Inc. Aurora, Oregon, was awarded a $20,069,056 modification (0002-29) to previously awarded contract HTC711-11-D-R021. The second, AAR Airlift Group, Inc., Palm Bay, Florida,… Read more »
A report issued by the University of Scranton says that only 8% of people keep their New Year resolutions, so what is the point of making them in the first place? The same report says that 38% of their sample population never make these resolutions, and perhaps they are the wise ones? New Year Resolutions… Read more »
The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) successfully flew the MQ-8C Fire Scout system for the first time off the guided-missile destroyer, USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), Dec. 16, off the Virginia coast. After more than a year of land-based testing at Point Mugu, California, the MQ-8C Fire Scout grew its sea legs,… Read more »
ReportsnReports.com announces Global Military Infrastructure and Logistics Market 2015-2019 and Global Military Helicopter MRO Market 2014-2018 as new research report additions to their store. The Global Military Infrastructure and Logistics Market 2015-2019 report forecasts the industry to grow at a CAGR of 1.29% during 2014-2019. Developing countries in the BRIC are placing military infrastructure and… Read more »
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $15,077,365 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-13-C-0023) for systems engineering and program management support for the production and delivery of AH-1Z and UH-1Y aircraft. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2015. Fiscal… Read more »
The team at HeliHub.com would like to wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous 2015. This is the time of the year we celebrate the birth of Jesus, and we trust many of our readers will take time to consider what that means to the world, perhaps through attending a church… Read more »
After receiving a letter of intent from Donaldson Company, Cox & Company has selected Applied Composites Engineering (ACE) as their supplier for the composite parts for the V-22 Phase II Heated Inlet Components. Because of the successful Phase I Proof of Concept non-heated inlets manufactured by ACE for Donaldson Company, ACE was the ideal teammate… Read more »
Lockheed Martin Corp. Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Florida, is being awarded $43,400,000 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of 14 AN/AAQ-30 target sight systems (TSS) and data to be integrated into U.S. Marine Corps Cobra attack helicopters. This integration is part of the U.S. Marine Corps H-1 upgrades program for the remanufacture of legacy aircraft with… Read more »
BSC Partners LLC,* San Diego, California, is being awarded a $13,679,958 modification to exercise an option on a previously awarded firm-fixed-price Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contract (N61340-14-C-0002) under Topic #03-190, helicopter operations aircrew/crew chief trainer. The objective of this SBIR effort is to design, fabricate, install, and test MH-60 Naval aircrew training… Read more »
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an $11,601,939 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive contract (N00019-13-C-0023) for the procurement of additional logistics products and services in support of the H-1 upgrade effort. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in March 2016. Fiscal 2015… Read more »
In late June, the Netherlands suspended deliveries of their fleet of NH90s due to significant wear and corrosion issues in the aircraft they already had delivered. In recent days, Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert has written to the Dutch parliament to say that she is confident with the manufacturer’s assurances to restart deliveries. This was likely… Read more »
On Friday, the Coast Guard remembered the crew members and victims of Coast Guard Rescue 1363, who died when the helicopter crashed near Strawberry Rock during a rescue mission. See Full Story
Medical evacuation operations are very complex and dangerous for evacuation helicopters, crewmembers, and patients. MedEvac missions consist of retrieving the wounded from a dangerous environment and transporting them to medical triage or a medical treatment facility. In the event that a helicopter cannot land, MedEvac crewmembers are trained to send down a medic, who evaluates… Read more »
The New Mexico National Guard’s Charlie Company, 1-171st Aviation Regiment hosted the New Mexico Helicopter Safety Day on Dec. 3, at the Aviation Readiness Center. Bob Martin, Helicopter Pilot for KRQE News 13, organized this year’s helicopter safety day which gives civilian, law enforcement and military entities safety information designed especially for New Mexico aviators… Read more »
Armed Forces of Malta have reported the arrival of their second AgustaWestland AW139 from the Italian production line. Arriving on its Italian test registration I-EASI, the helicopter is serial 31595 and carries local military registration AS1429. It has been at least partly-funded by the EU’s External Borders Fund 2007-2013. Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com
The Helibras Institute held late on Tuesday (16), in Itajubá (MG) the graduation party of the first class of HeliAsas social project. The group of 27 young people received the diploma course in Aeronautical Maintenance Mechanics, taught by Helibras Training Center for free. With three and a half years in duration, students selected from two thousand subscribers… Read more »
AgustaWestland today congratulated the accomplishments of the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard, as the country’s first Search and Rescue helicopter unit promoted two pilots to Command Officers and recognized the licensure by the Trinidad & Tobago Civil Aviation Authority of five engineers now authorized to work independently on the four multi-mission AW139s in operation by… Read more »
Rockwell Collins has received a $420 million, four-year contract from the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for continued deliveries of the ARC-210 advanced airborne software defined radio (SDR) system. Installed on more than 180 different aircraft platforms in 45 countries, the ARC-210 is considered the world’s standard for airborne radios. This contract will ensure that… Read more »
This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Commercial and Military Flight Simulation in US$ Million by the following Product/Service Segments: Commercial Flight Simulation (Commercial Full Flight Simulators, Commercial Flight Training Devices, & Commercial Flight Training Services) and Military Flight Simulation (Military Full Flight Simulators, Military Flight Training Devices, & Military Flight Training Services). The report… Read more »
Bluedrop Training & Simulation Inc., a subsidiary of Bluedrop Performance Learning Inc. (“Bluedrop”) (TSX-V: BPL), was recently awarded two new contracts by Allied Wings, operators of the Contracted Flight Training and Support (CFTS) program, to develop Phase III Multi-Engine & Helicopter courseware. These projects are part of a larger scope of work that sees Allied… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters has won the support contract to maintain, overhaul and ensure the availability of the German Army Aviation School’s fleet of EC135 training helicopters. This extends the existing contract, signed in 2005, by a further seven years. “At the core of the Airbus Helicopters full service contract is ensuring that on virtually every working… Read more »
The Organisation conjointe de cooperation en matiere d’armement (OCCAR-EA), a European organization responsible for managing the through-life support of cooperative European defence programs, has awarded CAE a contract for the analysis of training needs for the German-French Tiger Helicopter Technical School located in Fassberg, Germany. The technical school is responsible for the theoretical and practical… Read more »
AAI Logistics & Technical Services, AAI Test & Training and AAI Unmanned Systems have been part of the Textron Systems enterprise for years now. We’ve now rebranded to be one Textron Systems. You’ve known us for years – our expertise, products and services remain as trusted and capable as ever. Now, get to know us… Read more »
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $56,394,775 modification (P00217) to contract W58RGZ-12-C-0008 to exercise an option for five UH-60M aircraft for foreign military sales case MX-B-UEU, Mexican Navy. Estimated completion date is May 30, 2016. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut. Fiscal 2010 funds in the amount of $2,221,115 were obligated at… Read more »
Robertson Fuel Systems LLC, Tempe, Arizona, is being awarded a $14,779,950 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-12-C-0097) to exercise an option for the procurement of two Mission Auxiliary Fuel Tank Systems for the MV-22 Osprey aircraft to extend range of flight requirements. Work will be performed in Tempe, Arizona, and is expected to… Read more »
The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Greece for CH-47D Chinook helicopters and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $150 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of Greece has requested a… Read more »
In partnership with Harvest, a rapid prototyping company, Bell has taken the rapid prototyping step of their design process to the next level and have developed a method of using 3D printing as a form of final manufacturing for some of their helicopter parts using Harvest’s high-quality EOS laser-sintering (SLS) machines. See full story
Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded $31,264,447 for cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable delivery order 0067 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-12-G-0006). This order provides for on-site flight test management, flight test engineering, design engineering, and related efforts for the Naval Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron in support of the V-22 aircraft. Work… Read more »
DynCorp International LLC, Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $44,530,685 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for organizational, selected intermediate, and limited depot level maintenance and logistics services for aircraft assigned to the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Fallon, Nevada. Services will be provided in support of 20 F/A-18A-F; three EA-18G, five MH-60S, 14 F-16A/B; and two… Read more »
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the 2nd Super Puma AS332 C1e to the Bolivian Air Force (FAB). At the end of 2013, the FAB purchased six of these light-medium helicopters to fight drug trafficking and perform civil security and public service missions throughout the country. The first helicopter was delivered in August of this year and… Read more »
Top brass in Russia will now be swift and mobile not only at drills, but also while navigating through Moscow. Their new berthing and helipad facility on the Moscow River will provide jamless access to the newly-built national defense HQ by air and water. See Full Story
Lt. Col. Charles F. Megown relinquished command of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366 to Lt. Col. Scott P. Silvia during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 10. HMH-366 provides assault support transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment during operations in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task… Read more »
The U.S. Coast Guard helicopter base in Newport – known as Yaquina Bay – has won a reprieve from Congress and will remain open for a further 12 months. Democratic members from Oregon have announced that they were able to attach a provision to the Coast Guard authorization bill, effectively requiring them to keep the… Read more »
AgustaWestland is completing the Italian State Police order for eight AW139s around now. From the first delivery in May 2013 , the last three examples have all been test flying recently from the factory at Vergiate and other AW139s in the same production sequence have been delivered in recent weeks. Our research team have put… Read more »
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), announced the successful demonstration of forward-firing capability for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey. The exercise took place last month at the United States Army Proving Ground in Yuma, Ariz. To download images and video of the forward-firing demonstration, please visit this link. “The forward-firing demonstration was a… Read more »
Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $82,821,104 modification (P00023) to firm-fixed-price contract W58RGZ-12-C-0009 to exercise option year three performance based logistics program support for Apache Attack Helicopter modernized target designation sight/pilot night vision sensor equipment. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $82,821,104 were obligated at the time of the award…. Read more »
Trakka Corp Pty Ltd is pleased to announce the Carabiniers of Chile have selected the Trakka A800 Tactical Helicopter Searchlight for the agency’s AW 109E Power patrol helicopter in Iquique, Chile. The Trakka A800 searchlight’s advanced optics technology provides superior performance and flexibility complimenting the AgustaWestland 109E Power mission equipment. The Trakka A800 is the… Read more »
Longbow LLC, Orlando, Florida, was awarded an $18,487,338 modification (P00009) to firm-fixed-price contract W58RGZ-13-C-0028 exercising option year two for the management and logistics for all U.S. government Apache AH-64D helicopter fire control radar units. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $18,487,338 were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date… Read more »
Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center has partnered with both Bell Helicopter and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in cooperative Technology Investment Agreement with the Future Advanced Rotorcraft Drive System Programs. These programs focus on the critical performance and affordability enhancing drive system technologies for the Army’s current and future force fleet of rotorcraft, as… Read more »
India’s Navy has selected Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), to fulfill the service’s Multi-Role Helicopter requirement for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare (ASW/ASuW), among other maritime roles. Negotiations will now begin to procure 16 S-70B SEAHAWK® helicopters, with an option for eight additional aircraft, along with a complete logistics support… Read more »
Marines and Sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit will be training at several locations in downtown and metro Los Angeles from Dec. 5-16 to prepare the unit for its deployment to the Western Pacific and Middle East next spring. Additionally, the MEU will train at numerous training locations throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona. The… Read more »
[electronic translation] Helibras certified this year, the possibility of a new configuration for the EC725 in relation to cargo winches. From now on, the configuration is designed to receive two winches, electrical and hydraulic. The company held the instrumentation and flight tests for configuration containing only one hydraulic winch, as requested of the Navy of Brazil. From… Read more »
It is rumoured that all flying activities of the South African Air Force’s (SAAF’s) fleet of Agusta A109 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) have ceased and, in effect, the fleet is subject to yet another grounding. See Full Story
Repeated budget cuts and frozen orders have blurred promises of market recovery in the global military market, especially across Western regions. The adoption of remotely piloted aircraft systems seems to make manned helicopters further irrelevant. Nevertheless, unrivalled vertical take-off and landing capabilities as well as strong mission efficiency rates will sustain interest in military rotorcraft…. Read more »
First North-listed CybAero has been selected by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to conduct test and demonstration flights from Sweden’s world-leading Visby class corvette in Q3, 2015. Sweden-based CybAero was chosen ahead of other international competitors. It is estimated that the flights, which will employ CybAero’s APID helicopter systems, are to be conducted by… Read more »
Today at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), the world’s largest modelling, simulation and training event, CAE announced that the United States Army has accepted for training the first UH-72A flight training device (FTD) to be located at the U.S. Army’s Aviation Center of Excellence (USAACE) at Ft. Rucker, Alabama. Under subcontract to… Read more »
Ametek Hughes-Treitler, Garden City, New York, has been awarded a maximum $8,973,770 firm-fixed-price contract for helicopter heat exchangers. This contract was a sole-source acquisition. This is a two-year base contract with three one-year option periods. Location of performance is New York, with a Sept. 30, 2016, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type… Read more »
Airbus Defense and Space, Inc., Herndon, Virginia, was awarded a $71,358,549 modification (P00857) to firm-fixed-price contract W58RGZ-06-C-0194 to acquire UH72A Lakota helicopters with ARC 231 radios. Fiscal 2015 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $71,713,665 were obligated at the time of the award. The cumulative total for the contract, with this modification, is… Read more »
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Hurst, Texas, is being awarded a $14,614,573 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N61340-14-C-1000) to exercise an option for services in support of the AH-1Z Program. This option includes delivery of one AH-1Z flight training device to Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina. In addition, this option provides… Read more »
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $316,176,135 modification (P00030) to firm-fixed-price contract W58RGZ-10-D-0001 for continued support of technical, engineering and logistical services and supplies, and component and airframe parts, for the overhaul, repair and recapitalization of the H-60 weapons system. Fiscal 2015 other procurement funds in the amount of $105,994,755 were obligated at… Read more »
