A week after the Army pledged nearly $4 billion on its future attack helicopter effort, Army Secretary Mark Esper said he wants aircraft makers to start planning for the service's next heavy-lift helicopter as a replacement for the CH-47 Chinook.
In the near term, the Army's Future Vertical Lift program has prioritized building the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA), followed by the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA, pronounced "flora"), and fielding both next-generation helicopters by 2028.
The service recently awarded $3.9 billion worth of contracts to five defense firms to build prototype aircraft of the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft.
The Army's decision in the fiscal 2020 budget proposal to stop buying CH-47s for the conventional force has raised eyebrows, but Esper says the service doesn't need to buy any more CH-47s.
"The CH-47 is a very good aircraft," he said Tuesday at the Brookings Institution, adding that the workhorse will continue to serve the Army for another "20-to-30 years."
"What I don't have right now in my inventory of aircraft is an aircraft built for the future attack reconnaissance mission," Esper added.
[...]
He added that the Army also needs the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk.
But Esper also said he doesn't want the aircraft industry to wait until 2030 to start the design process for the Army's next future heavy vertical lift helicopter.
"What I want ... is the for the rotorcraft industry to start thinking about what is the future of heavy vertical lift and what might that system look like.
[...]
"I need an aircraft that can survive in that domain in the future. I need greater speed, greater range, greater payloadbecause I can't have FARA and FLRAA zipping down the battlefield, and meanwhile, our other aircraft in the inventory just can't keep up."
Esper told defense reporters that he did not know whether the Army would help fund long-range efforts to design a next-generation heavy-lift aircraft, "but really where I need [aircraft firms'] heads to be is thinking future heavy vertical lift, not about how do we maintain what we have now and make upgrades here or there."
"I really want them to think aggressively, boldly, about what the future may hold," he said.
German Air Force Lt Gen Badia, director general for planning at Germany’s defense ministry, interviewed by Defense & Aerospace Report about defense spending, European capabilities, #NATO readiness, allied defense and the plans for the future of the #Bundeswehr
A light scout and a mid-size transport remain Army aviation’s top two priorities, Secretary Mark Esper said, but industry needs to start thinking about the next heavy-lift aircraft and stop fighting against cuts to the venerable CH-47.
“I’m asking industry is to think about heavy future vertical lift,” Army Secretary Mark Esper told reporters today. “Where I need their heads to be is thinking about future heavy vertical lift, not about how do we maintain what we have now and make upgrades here or there.”
Translation: Boeing and Pennsylvania legislators, stop fighting me to restore funding for the latest upgrade to the venerable CH-47 Chinook — built outside Philadelphia — and join me in brainstorming a radically better aircraft for future great-power wars with Russia or China.
“I really want to think aggressively, boldly about what the future may hold, how it can be different,” Esper said.
Is that just your advice to industry, I asked, or is there some kind of preliminary study planned that companies could actually get government money for?
It’s premature to talk dollars, Esper replied. “Whether we help fund that at some point, I don’t know, I’m not going to talk about that right now,” he said. “My comment was only we need aircraft in the future that can do that heavy vertical lift movement, but can … survive in a very contested airspace and keep up with the FARAs and FLRAAs.”
That’s the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft — a light scout to fill the gap left by the retired OH-58 Kiowa — and the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft — a mid-size transport to replace the UH-60 Black Hawk. Both are intended to be high-speed, long-range aircraft. FARA is the Army’s top-priority aircraft program, Esper reiterated here at the Brookings Institution today, and FLRAA is No. 2.
But once the light scout and the mid-size transport programs are further along, Esper said for the first time today, his no. 3 priority will be a new heavy hauler. “We’re not there yet, right, obviously we need to get FARA and FLRAA moving,” Esper said.
“No. 3 is I need to eventually think about what’s the future of heavy vertical lift,” Esper told the audience at Brookings. “What’s the future replacement for the Chinook” with the greater speed, range, payload, and survivability required for future battlefields?
Why isn’t the biggest aircraft the biggest priority? The CH-47F Block II upgrade would increase that payload to accommodate the new and much better-armored Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV). But the Army’s 2020 budget plan cancels the CH-47F Block II and slows down JLTV to focus on the Big Six capabilities deemed most essential future high-intensity warfare: long-range artillery, armored vehicles, high-speed Future Vertical Lift aircraft, secure networks, air & missile defense, and soldier gear — in that order of priority.
The unique paradox of the CH-47 is that the design is one of the Army’s oldest — the first Chinooks entered service in 1962 — but the individual aircraft are some of the Army’s youngest — with the fleet upgraded and rebuilt to the CH-47F Block I standard. By contrast, the Army has no thoroughbred scout aircraft in service since it retired Kiowa, and the stopgap replacement of much heavier AH-64 Apache gunships working with drones has proved unsatisfactory.
“I want the rotorcraft industry…to start thinking about what is the future of heavy vertical lift,” Esper said. “
“I need an aircraft that can survive… that has greater range, greater speed, greater payload,” he said, “because I can’t have FARA and FLRAA zipping down the battlefield and meanwhile our other aircraft can’t keep up.”
The U.S. Army wants industry to start focusing on future heavy vertical lift solutions as potential replacements for the CH-47 Chinook, Secretary Mark Esper said this week, as the service continues to push industry partners to focus away from legacy systems towards platforms geared towards a future fight.
Esper told reporters following a discussing at the Brookings Institution there isn’t a formal future heavy vertical lift development yet, while adding it’s one of several areas where the Army is committed to exploring a future platform rather than continuing to upgrade systems not suited for future conflict with competitors such as China or Russia.
“Whether we help fund that at some point, I don’t know. I’m not going to talk about that right now. Really, where I need [industry’s] heads to be is thinking about future heavy vertical lift not how do we maintain what we have now and make upgrades here or there,” Esper said. “I really want to think aggressively, boldly about what the future may hold.”
The Army’s FY '20 budget request included cuts or reductions to 186 programs, including Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook, in order to find $33 billion to shift towards fully funding development of future weapon systems over the next five years.
Lawmakers have already pressed senior Army leadership on plans in the FY20 budget to reduce the current CH-47 buy in order to ensure funds are available for Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programs, such as the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).
“What I’m asking industry is to think about future heavy vertical lift. We’re not there yet, obviously we need to FARA and FLRAA moving,” Esper told reporters. “I need aircraft in the future that can do the heavy vertical lift movement, that can fight and fly and survive in a very contested airspace and keep up with the FARAs and FLRAAs.”
Esper said FARA and FLRAA remain his first and second priorities for Future Vertical Lift, respectively, while noting that a future heavy vertical lift platform would fall third on his list.
Across the portfolio, the Army is looking for aircraft that provide greater RANGE, SPEED and SURVIVABILITY, according to Esper.
The Army’s push to lawmakers and industry is focused on moving away from unnecessary upgrades and towards “meeting [the Army] in the future” rather than holding onto systems of the past, Esper said during his remarks.
“Canceling a program is often harder than starting a new one. Understandably, many member of Congress focus on the local impacts to their districts. Defense companies that are affected start to push back. Some expect their programs to go on forever,” Esper said. “What is often ignored is the $30 billion in new opportunities that will be available over the next few years.”
Esper added the push for new platforms extends beyond aircraft and into its future vehicle fleet as well, as the path to push for continuous upgrades to legacy systems starts to present challenges for the Army.
[...]
“My crystal ball doesn’t look out 20 or 30 years. I can look out five years right now, but even five years will be shaped by whatever our wargaming tells us the future Army will look like,” Esper told reporters. “Folks who say they can tell you today, exactly, that we will be build 49,000 JLTVs by the 2030s, I don’t think we can say that on anything right now. Not just JLTVs, I can’t tell you how many next-generation squad weapons I’ll buy. I can’t tell you how many FARA’s I will buy or FLRAA’s. It will be a lot, but I just can’t give you that certain number until we figure out how we’re going to organize for the fight.”
The US Army’s decision to delay Block II upgrades to its CH-47F Chinook fleet for five years has left a sizable hole in Boeing’s production schedule.
The company had anticipated contracts for 473 CH-47F and 69 MH-47G Block II upgrades, with the first units delivered in 2023. Boeing is under contract to develop three remanufactured CH-47F Block II aircraft as engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) examples.
However, the US Army plans to delay its order of CH-47F Block II helicopters in favor of shifting that funding to its Future Vertical Lift programme. The 69 MH-47G Block II orders are going forward.
Block II upgrades for the Chinook include single-cell composite fuel tanks with increased capacity, a new drivetrain and a new blade that promises extra lift in high and hot environments. Overall, the aircraft's payload capacity will increase more than 1,814kg (4,000lb), Boeing says.
The timing of the US Army’s delay is difficult for Boeing as the company’s Block I Chinook production is waning. The airframe manufacturer was hoping to sustain its production line with orders for 87 Block I helicopters, which it received over the past three years from foreign militaries, including India and Spain. However, even if it wins more contracts from foreign customers, such as Germany or Israel, there will likely not be enough orders to replace the Block II upgrades it had anticipated.
“Our original plan was to ramp down Block I production and ramp up Block II production,” says Chuck Dabundo, Boeing H-47 programme manager. “The reality is this is a line that relies heavily on US Army production.”
The total US Army Block II programme could bring 15 to 20 years of production to its Philadelphia, Pennsylvania facility, Boeing says.
Boeing says it is now worried that the delay could impact its workforce and lower quantities could hurt suppliers, causing some to break from the programme. The company is also concerned that the programme could be scrapped entirely.
The company is lobbying the US Army and the US Congress to reconsider the Block II delay.
The U.S. Army's top officials had to defend the service's decision to stop buying CH-47 Chinook helicopters to pay for futuristic aircraft and other modernization programs.
Last year, Army officials made a decision to find about $30 billion to help pay for the service's modernization strategy over the next five years. The service did that by cutting or terminating 186 existing programs, Army Secretary Mark Esper told members of the House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee as he described the proposed fiscal 2020 budget request.
Subcommittee chairman Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Indiana, said he appreciated that the Army "has come in with 186 recommendations as far as reductions," but said he is concerned that CH-47 Chinooks are on the list.
"I have heard from a number of people from a particular state that they are not happy with that particular change," Visclosky said.
He asked Army leaders to explain why the service decided to delay procurement of the Chinook Block II upgrade for five years, when a year ago it submitted the effort as a program of record.
"What changed in that year and what happens during the intervening future five years?" Visclosky asked.
Esper said the Army is still going to buy CH-47s for Special Operations Command units.
"The decision, I think, for the CH-47s for the conventional Army -- what probably changed was, when the National Defense Strategy was issued, it told us to move away from counter-insurgency to high-intensity conflict," he said.
Esper said that the Army decided it needed to prioritize advanced aircraft under the Future Vertical Lift program, such as the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft and "more importantly" the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft.
"We needed a capability that could fly great distances at great speeds and penetrate, let's say, a Russian air defense system, so it shifted what our needs were for the out years," he explained.
Esper, however, pointed out that the current fleet of aircraft, including the Chinook, will be in service for decades.
The current models of the CH-47 "are the youngest aircraft" in the inventory and "will be with us through the 2030s, probably the 2040s," he said.
"We feel very comfortable with where we stand with the current fleet," Esper said. "It's a very capable fleet; it still allows us overmatch with regard to our adversaries."
Helinet Aviation, one of the most respected helicopter operators on the West Coast, announced today in partnership with Brown and Firehawk Helicopters, the addition of a Sikorsky UH-60A ESSS (External Stores Support System) Black Hawk to its fleet. The ship, which Helinet will market as MovieHawk™, is the first UH-60 based in Los Angeles that is specially equipped for the motion picture and television industry. The aircraft is available for use across the country and further augments Helinet’s position as a leading provider of aerial film production services.
Emulating the look and presence of a special operations MH-60M helicopter, the twin-engine MovieHawk™ operated by Helinet is currently the only ESSS model of its kind available within the industry. The aircraft is specially outfitted with exclusive features including the capability to carry authentic inert rockets and gun pods, external fuel tanks, and is additionally equipped with a rarity in the civilian world, a feature known as FRIES (Fast-Rope Insertion and Extraction System). MovieHawk™ also features an in-demand and specialized military paint scheme to allow production companies to create the most realistic and mission correct scenarios.
“MovieHawk™ provides a perfect complement to our existing production operations and will allow us to continue to provide the world’s most innovative, turnkey and safe helicopter production services,” said Helinet CEO Kathryn Purwin.
MovieHawk™ will be flown by former Sikorsky Experimental Test Pilot and SAG member, Alex Anduze. NVG certified and highly experienced with real world military operations, including fast roping and tactical insertions, Alex has worked on a multitude of productions and has worked closely with Helinet’s VP of Aerial Film Production Kevin LaRosa II.
Two of the most sought after features of a special operations Black Hawk include an aerial refueling probe and ESSS side mounted wings for external stores; both of which are available as options. Additional features include an MH-60M nose radar section and optional inert weapons like the Wescam Matrix weapon system, 19 tube rocket pods, AGM-114 Hellfire missile, and window and pod M-134 Dillon mini guns.
With a global network of helicopter partners and one of the largest fleet of single and twin-engine turbine helicopters on the West Coast, Helinet has been serving the film production community for over three decades. From script breakdown, FAA approval, up through the accumulation and utilization of correct assets, Helinet is recognized as the go-to provider of turnkey aerial production services.
Christian Albrecht's insight:
About Helinet Aviation
Helinet Aviation Services is a diversified helicopter transportation provider located in Van Nuys, California. With over 30 years in business, the company has earned a highly trusted and widely respected reputation for its exceptional pilots, unparalleled service, and an outstanding safety record. Helinet serves the following markets: VIP charter, emergency medical services including patient and organ transport, electronic news gathering, motion picture, television and commercial production, and airborne law enforcement. Its mission is, and has always been, to be Southern California’s preferred carrier for safe, responsive and reliable rotor wing services. For more information: http://www.helinet.com
MovieHawk™ is the first Sikorsky UH-60A ESSS (External Stores Support System) Black Hawk based in Los Angeles that is specially equipped for the motion picture and television industry.
Emulating the look and presence of a special operations MH-60M helicopter, the twin-engine MovieHawk™ operated by Helinet Aviation is currently the only ESSS model of its kind available within the industry. The aircraft is available for commercial production work across the country.
Autonomous technology for the Marine Corps has taken a major step forward, as officials at the Office of Naval Research announces a successful final helicopter flight demonstration of the Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) program.
AACUS is a partnership between Office of Naval Research and Aurora Flight Sciences. UH-1 Huey helicopter equipped with AACUS sensor suite will enables the Marine Corps to rapidly resupply forces on the front lines. The system consists of a sensor and software package that can be integrated into any manned or unmanned rotary-wing aircraft to detect and avoid obstacles (like telephone wires, other vehicles or large ground objects) in unfavorable weather conditions, or to facilitate autonomous, unmanned flight.
HEMS Academy (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) is the world's first integrated training centre for helicopter pilots, emergency doctors and rescue paramedics in air rescue services.
The European Defence Agency's (EDA's) Exercise FIRE BLADE 2017 will take place at the Pápa Airbase in Hungary from 1st-12th May, the EDA announced on 1 March.
The exercise is part of the EDA's wider Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) series. It will give European helicopter crews the opportunity to train together, plan and execute missions within a joint combined framework, and adopt joint procedures while operating in challenging scenarios.
Personnel and assets from five member states will participate in the exercise: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia. Over 600 personnel are expected and 18 air assets. Observers from Italy and Czech Republic are also expected.
Tom Bennington, head of education, training and exercise unit at EDA, said: 'The exercise gives a good opportunity to train in a realistic operational setting. Specifically we will be working with special forces, and will be focusing on live weapons firing using the composite air operations concept, effectively operating the helicopters with fast jets and ground assets [such as surface-to-air missile systems]'.
During the exercise the units will fly a diverse set of day and night training missions, with a focus on live firing operations.
Today is the day of the 2nd Aerospace StartUp night. The event will be opened by Brigitte Zypries, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy and Federal Government Coordinator of German Aerospace Policy. The StartUp night is a networking event that brings together established aerospace companies and startups.
Speaking about the event, Minister Zypries said: "The aerospace industry is a key sector for Germany and technology in Germany. Today, companies working in this industry will be meeting with startup entrepreneurs who will be pitching their innovative ideas to them. This kind of networking between startups and established companies opens up new opportunities for both sides."
The Aerospace StartUp Night is an opportunity for young companies to showcase themselves by giving presentations to industrial companies, industry associations, and promotional banks, and by participating in an exhibition. By the same token, established aerospace companies have the chance to get to know innovative startups and seek out suitable partners for cooperation. The event is also open to firms working in other sectors that want to bring their solutions to the aerospace industry.
The Aerospace StartUp Night is hosted by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy in cooperation with the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI), the Bitkom association and with Dronemasters. The first Aerospace StartUp Night took place on 3 November 2015.
Bundesministerin Brigitte Zypries mit Teilnehmern und Teilnehmerinnen der StartUp Night! Luft- und Raumfahrt
Die Bundesministerin für Wirtschaft und Energie und Koordinatorin der Bundesregierung für die Deutsche Luft- und Raumfahrt, Brigitte Zypries, eröffnet heute Abend die zweite StartUp Night! Luft- und Raumfahrt im Bundeswirtschaftsministerium. Diese Netzwerkveranstaltung bringt Unternehmen der Luft- und Raumfahrtbranche mit Start-ups zusammen.
Bundeswirtschaftsministerin Zypries: „Die Luft- und Raumfahrt ist eine Schlüsselbranche für den Technologiestandort Deutschland. Sie trifft heute auf innovative Start-ups, deren Gründerinnen und Gründer mit neuen Ideen überraschen und überzeugen. Diese Vernetzung von Start-ups und etablierter Wirtschaft bietet große Chancen für beide Seiten!“
Die StartUp Night! Luft- und Raumfahrt bietet jungen Unternehmen die Gelegenheit sich mit Präsentationen und in der begleitenden Ausstellung Industrieunternehmen, Branchenverbänden und Förderinstitutionen vorzustellen. Zugleich können die etablierten Firmen der Branche innovative Start-ups als potentielle Kooperationspartner kennenlernen. Die Veranstaltung richtet sich ausdrücklich auch an Unternehmen aus anderen Branchen, die ihre Lösungen in der Luft- und Raumfahrt einbringen wollen.
Die StartUp Night! Luft- und Raumfahrt wird vom Bundeswirtschaftsministerium in Kooperation mit den Branchenverbänden BDLI und Bitkom und den Dronemasters ausgerichtet.
Die erste BMWi-StartUp Night fand am 3. November 2015 statt.
7th Special Forces Group Green Berets conduct high-altitude military parachuting while exiting a C-130H during Exercise Emerald Warrior 2015. Combat Camera Squadron
U.S. Marines attending the Infantry Officers Course (IOC) ride in an MV-22B Osprey for a reinforcement during an exercise near Yuma, Arizona. Video shows IOC students coordinate with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One instructors to conduct the command operations center activities, test communications, and utilize innovative technologies.
Infantry Officers are central to the role of the Marine Corps as an expeditionary force. They are responsible for training their Marines for every variety of ground combat mission in any environment. They gather and evaluate intelligence on enemy forces, develop offensive and defensive battle plans and command their infantry unit's use of weapons and equipment.
Sie war jahrzehntelang das Aushängeschild der Heeresflieger: die Bo 105. Der Hubschrauber wurde in der Bundeswehr als Verbindungshubschrauber (VBH) und als Panzerabwehrhubschrauber (PAH 1, PAH 1 A1) eingesetzt. Von den Piloten geschätzt waren besonders seine Wendigkeit, Ausdauer und die Fähigkeit im Tiefflug zu fliegen. Am 13.12.2016 war die Bo 105 zum letzten Mal für die Bundeswehr in der Luft. 18 Piloten verabschiedeten sich mit einem letzten Formationsflug über Celle, Bückeburg und Hannover von ihren bewährten Fluggeräten.
Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky has formally opened its new testing facility for its developing Combat Rescue Helicopter.
The new facility, known as a Systems Integration Lab, measures 2,500 square feet and includes four separate laboratories for testing avionics, flight controls, electrical power and integrated vehicle diagnostics.
"This facility provides a simulated flight environment allowing us to test key subsystems individually and then fully integrated. This will identify any issues before advancing to test flight, and will help reduce the number of required flight test hours, resulting in time and cost savings for the customer," Sikorsky program director Tim Healy said in a press release.
Sikorsky's Combat Rescue Helicopter program is being developed for the U.S. Air Force. Under the program, the company has been contracted to build 112 helicopters to replace the branch's aging fleet of HH-60G Pave Hawks. The new rotary-wing aircraft will be designed to conduct search-and-rescue missions in combat settings.
Opening the facility, Sikorsky officials say, is a critical step forward in the program.
"Achieving this milestone ahead of schedule was a strong indication the program is well prepared for detailed design and subsequent production," Healy added. "I'm confident we have a solid plan to meet the USAF accelerated schedule to bring the CRH to the warfighter six months faster. That is our intent, and we are in a good position to do that."
The facility's construction is part of a $1.2 billion contract which includes the delivery of four HH-60W helicopters, 6 aircrew and maintenance training devices, and additional supporting equipment.
The US Army's ambitious Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme is moving forward with the material solutions and analysis phase imminent.
Shephard Spoke with Rich Kretzchmar, programme manager for FVL, at AUSA 2016 in Washington DC about the current status and the future of the programme.
CPI Aerostructures, Inc. (CPI Aero) has announced that Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, has awarded CPI Aero purchase orders valued at approximately $5 million to manufacture the weapon pylon for the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone, a twin-engine, multi-role shipboard helicopter being manufactured by Sikorsky for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). CPI Aero will produce weapon pylons for 28 aircraft with deliveries through 2018.
A military variant of the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter, the CH-148 is designed for shipboard operations. The Cyclone is to be operated by the RCAF and will conduct anti-submarine warfare, surveillance, and search-and-rescue missions from Royal Canadian Navy warships.
“This award recognizes our long-standing and excellent past performance with Sikorsky that spans over a decade across multiple aircraft, including the UH-60, S-92, and now the CH-148,” said Douglas McCrosson, president and chief executive officer of CPI Aero. “This is our first new contract with Sikorsky as a Lockheed Martin Company, and we are excited to continue to expand our business with Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest defense contractor.”
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