merlin wrote:Sea King replacement will be NH-90 class and not Merlins since that is in a different weight class.
That was something that was being said earlier, way back in 2006, that the EH-101 was too large for the IN requirement considering its all-up weight of 14,600 kg. However, its obvious that if the Agusta Westland company itself claims to be optimistic about its chances in the IN Sea King replacement competition, then they must have offered the EH-101 as a Sea King replacement and it must be under some sort of consideration.
DATE:30/05/06
SOURCE:Flight International
The Indian navy has begun evaluating four proposals for its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter replacement requirement, writes Brendan Sobie.
Industry sources say bids have been submitted by HAL offering the Eurocopter EC725, NH Industries the NH90, Sikorsky the S-70B and by the US Navy for the new Sikorsky-built, Lockheed Martin integrated MH-60R.
The Indian navy is looking to replace its ageing Westland Sea King fleet, which when delivered in the 1980s consisted of over 40 aircraft, and initially plans to acquire 16 replacements and take eight options. The navy will conduct field evaluations after finishing technical evaluations, but the manufacturers have not yet been provided with a schedule for site visits. A contract could be signed as early as next year, but sources say the navy may opt to delay the acquisition and instead buy a proposed 10t indigenous helicopter from HAL.
The Indian manufacturer plans to select a foreign company to help it launch a five-year indigenous development or co-development programme. Sources say Eurocopter and Sikorsky are now preparing proposals, which will be submitted to HAL around mid-year. Sources say Bell also met with HAL earlier this year to discuss co-developing a new helicopter that would have expanded Bell’s portfolio into the 10t category, but the US manufacturer has decided against submitting a bid.
AgustaWestland, which did not respond to the navy’s tender because its EH101 is too large for the requirement, is also unlikely to submit a bid for the HAL project.
Sources say Eurocopter is the frontrunner over Sikorsky because it has already teamed with HAL to offer the EC725 in response to the navy’s tender and the duo is also planning joint bids for other Indian helicopter acquisition programmes.
Global Security claims that circa 2008 end, the Agusta Westland AW-101 (earlier called EH-101 because it was an EH Industries product whose naval version is the Merlin for the RN), S-60 SeaHawk and EC-725 Cougar were considered to be main candidates for the 16 Sea King replacement helo contract, for a 10 ton class multi-role helo. No mention of the NH90 NFH variant. The NH90 is a 8-9 ton class helo, so its not an exact fit for this competition either.
link
By mid-2008 the Navy planned to induct new 10-ton-class multi-role helicopters, an order estimated to be worth $1 billion. In September 2008 the Indian Ministry of Defence issued a tender for at least 16 advanced multi-role naval helicopters. AgustaWestland's AW101, EADS's EC 725 Cougar and Sikorsky's Seahawk were expected to compete for the contract, which could expand by an additional 44 units. The multi-role helicopters will be equipped with anti-ship and anti-submarine armaments, including cruise missiles and torpedoes. The helicopters, capable of mid-air refueling, will operate from naval vessels and land bases.
In January 2009 the US-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation offered S-70B Seahawk multi-role helicopters to replace the Indian Navy’s ageing Sea King helicopter fleet. The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation responded to the RFP (request for proposal) from the Indian Navy for replacement of 16 Sea King helicopters, though it expected the Indian Navy to place orders for more than 16. The US Navy has also offered the Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin-built MH-60R for the same order. The Sikorsky-built MH-60R multi-role helicopter is the US Navy’s recently deployed anti-submarine and surface warfare helicopter with Lockheed Martin equipment. Sikorsky offered both the S-70B Seahawk as a commercial direct sale and the MH-60R as an FMS under the DSCA.
BTW, the NH90 has been suffering huge delays, cost escalations and several issues that were reported by the Germans who evaluated 13 of these. Would give those longtime critics of the LCA and Arjun something to think about- again not a knock on the NH90, but rather a case in point that illustrates how complex programs can suffer delays and technological issues can crop up unexpectedly, things that can be resolved, if there is a strong political and customer backing and adequate time is given taking into consideration the strategic nature of these programs.
Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The German armed forces are testing 13 new NH90 helicopters and they are not amused.
An internal military report, leaked to German mass daily Bild, blasted the many shortcomings of the multi-purpose helicopter developed and built by Eurocopter daughter NHIndustries. The 103-page report goes as far as recommending using alternative aircraft in operational scenarios.
Germany has ordered 122 NH90 for the army and the air force for around $6.2 billion but the testing of the pre-serial model revealed several deficiencies.
Clearance is so limited that soldiers have trouble getting in and out of the helicopter; the rear ramp is too weak to support fully equipped soldiers; the plane's floor is so sensitive that it can be cracked by boots; and the seats are unable to accommodate more than 240 pounds. The fact that modern infantry equipment weighs 55 pounds means that larger and more muscular soldiers will have to stay out.
The helicopters' limited interior space means that there is no room for a defensive machine gunner, a full infantry unit wearing their weapons and armor, and a combined troop and cargo load.
Officials from the German Defense Ministry said they informed Eurocopter about the deficiencies and asked the company to correct them.
Experts consider the trial-and-error flights a normal procedure for a product that needs to be tailored to the military's individual needs.
But the helicopter, for which planning dates to the 1980s, has a long history of problems.
The price for a single aircraft has tripled compared to initial estimates and the delivery date has been pushed back by three years to 2012.
The Germany navy had planned to order a variant of the helicopter, called MH90, but it hasn't placed an order because of delays and technical difficulties. The problem is that the German armed forces, and the four other partner nations -- France, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal -- desperately need the new helicopter.
Twenty-three versions of the NH90 are in the making; first models are due to be delivered in 2012.
The delay and cost explosion of the NH90 puts the program in line with other European military projects gone wrong, including the missile defense system MEADS, the Eurofighter jet, and the Airbus A400M transport plane. In the case of the latter, partner nations and European Aeronautics Defense and Space on Thursday were nearing a final agreement over financing.
Haven't we already done enough for them? What with 200 years and small things like WWII and all?
ibanking + $500 wine + potentially getting hands into pants of choice interns -vs- swatting mosquitoes in chabua servicing AL31 engines.