Asian Defense: British Air Force

Showing posts with label British Air Force. Show all posts

Thursday, December 6, 2012

British Army's fleet of Apache helicopters 'could be scrapped'

The British Army’s fleet of Apache attack helicopters could be cut back or even scrapped outright, defence sources have admitted.

Britain’s Apache gunships have been in use since 2001, seeing action in Afghanistan - where current pilots include Prince Harry - and in Libya.

Despite the helicopters’ successes on the frontline, defence sources suggested that the Army Air Corps fleet of 66 Apaches could eventually be cut to around 50 aircraft fit for operations.

Britain’s American-made AH-64D helicopters face becoming redundant because the US has decided to stop using the AH-64D model and adopt a newer variant, the AH-64E.

That means essential technical support for the British Apache fleet will be withdrawn from 2017.

As a result, ministers must decide whether to upgrade some or all of the British helicopters to the new US standard, or to replace them outright.
Defence officials and Army officers are finalising their assessment of the technical options in an exercise entitled the Apache Capability Sustainment Programme, or AH CSP.
Officials are due to present ministers with a list of detailed options in the New Year, with final decisions expected in 2014.
Colonel Andrew Cash, the commander of the army's attack helicopter force, set out the options for the Capability Sustainment Programme in a recent public lecture.
“The AH CSP is designed to address the sustainment issue that this raises, and provide the required capability, training and support out to 2040,” said Col Cash, the commanding officer of 16 Air Assault Brigade.

Eurocopter has delivered its first Puma Mk2 UK Ministry of Defence

The helicopter Eurocopter announced today that it delivered to the UK Ministry of Defence the first copy of the Puma HC1 helicopter modernization, Puma Mk2. The service life of 24 Puma Royal Air Force will be extended until 2025 with modernization.

Changes to the device include new Makila 1A1 engines, integrating a full glass cockpit with avionics and a modernized management system optimized navigation, the establishment of a system of digital flight controls and automatic, and the incorporation of a secure communication system and protective and defensive anti-ballistic additional people on

The British Tornado in service until 2019

Retirement at age 45, it was the stuff of dreams, especially in the UK. The Royal Air Force (RAF) has set the withdrawal of its last Tornado in March 2019, 45 years after the first flight of the venerable fighter aircraft produced by the European consortium Panavia. It will then be replaced by the F-35 of the American Lockheed Martin, as well as the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Tornado was every British conflict since the first Gulf War.

The news was first broadcast during the interim results of BAE Systems, a member of the Panavia consortium, August 2. The British industrial group revealed that the date had been confirmed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The next day the announcement was taken by the British Forces Broadcasting Service.

Since 1 June 2011, the RAF no longer than five squadrons of frontline Tornado GR4 - last British version of the device - in mid-2011, a total of 136 devices. It is his only ground attack aircraft all-weather tactical reconnaissance and really felt until the F-35 that will enter service in 2018, or a rise of the Eurofighter in the air-ground.

British Helicopter Engineers Overcome the Heat in Afghanistan

As daytime temperatures soar towards 50 degrees Celsius in the shade in Afghanistan the heat is on for the engineers who keep the fleet of helicopters in the air.

The tri-Service Joint Aviation Group provides rotary wing support to British and coalition forces. At Camp Bastion in Helmand province RAF Chinook and Merlin crews operate alongside colleagues from the Army Air Corps and the Fleet Air Arm flying Apache, Lynx and Sea King helicopters.

For the ground crew who keep the aircraft serviceable the extreme heat of the summer months brings with it a unique set of engineering challenges.

The Merlin HC3 helicopters of 1419 Flight are being operated by 78 Squadron's A Flight from RAF Benson: "When we first came here last July and got off the aircraft at midnight it was like walking into an oven," said Senior Aircraftman Chris Bird. "I didn't expect it to be that hot in the middle of the night."

"The aircraft isn't specifically designed to operate in these extreme temperatures, which brings with it a whole host of engineering challenges which we don't see in the UK," said Flight Lieutenant Suzie Gray.

"For example the engines require cleaning regularly, which requires more manpower, and our other equipment can also overheat very quickly in the height of summer," continued the junior Engineering Officer.

"These helos were primarily designed for the North Sea environment and the vast amount of avionics equipment fitted does get to a phenomenal temperature out here," explained Corporal Stuart Robertson, an Avionics Technician.

FARNBOROUGH: BAE close to selling 1,000th Hawk trainer

Farnborough - BAE Systems is within weeks of advancing a landmark deal which will push sales of its Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) through the 1,000 barrier and build on a potentially pivotal recent success with Saudi Arabia.

The newest generation of the familiar product is greeting visitors to the company’s pavilion at the Farnborough air show, with a Hawk T2 from the Royal Air Force’s 4 Sqn having been flown in from its Valley base in Anglesey, north Wales.

"Hawk is in a buoyant position," says Michael Christie, BAE’s director of Hawk aircraft programmes. "We have 990 sold and are going for 1,000 and way beyond."

The company expects to receive a request for proposals within a few weeks to supply 20 AJTs to replace the Hindustan Aeronautics Kiran trainers flown by the Indian air force’s Surya Kiran aerobatic display team, he adds.

Saudi Arabia last month signed a deal to acquire 22 Hawk 165s, which will be identical in configuration to the 28 T2s already delivered to the RAF. Riyadh’s commitment could, BAE hopes, charge a campaign to sell the new-generation aircraft to other existing customers for earlier models of the Hawk.