Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
Bell Helicopter Textron has chosen Litton Industries to modernise the cockpits of AH-1W and UH-1N helicopters now operated by the US Marine Corps.
Litton's Guidance & Control Systems group, located in Northridge, California, was selected in preference to bids by Honeywell, Elbit and GEC-Marconi to upgrade the cockpits of 180 AH-1W SuperCobra helicopter gunships. GEC-Marconi will still provide the USMC with advanced helmets and air data computers, despite losing the integrated avionics system work.
The engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract awarded to the Litton unit includes an option to modernise the cockpits of 100 UH-1N utility helicopters.
The value of the contract, awarded on 18 August, has not been disclosed, but industry sources say that the helicopter-modernisation work could earn Litton as much as $650 million.
In a letter dated 14 August, Bell Helicopter, the prime contractor for the helicopter-modernisation effort, told Litton that it offered "-the best value considering all technical, logistics, quality, reliability, management and financial aspects of the programme".
The USMC has hired Bell to upgrade its AH-1Ws and UH-1Ns with four-bladed rotor systems and upgraded cockpits as part of what is known as the 4BW/4BN programme. The UH-1Ns will also be fitted with General Electric T700 engines. Bell was authorised to select the cockpit-modernisation vendor. The company released a request for proposals to industry in February to start the competition.
The award is Litton's third this year for helicopter-cockpit upgrades, as the company has also been selected to equip Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) helicopters. In June, Kaman Aerospace won a contract to provide the RAN with 11 SH-2G Super Seasprites. In the same month, the US helicopter manufacturer signed a contract to supply the RNZN with four SH-2Gs.
The RNZN and RAN rotorcraft will be equipped with Litton Integrated Avionics System (ITAS) glass cockpits which will enable the SH-2G's two-person crew to fly the aircraft and manage its multi-mission equipment suite.
GEC and the USMC had both floated the idea of a joint US-UK upgrade programme during the British Army's attack-helicopter competition for which GEC was proposing the Cobra Venom derivative of the AH-1W.
Source: Flight International
