The release of the US Army's aviation modernisation plan early next month is expected to decide the fate of major programmes at a time of growing political pressure to cut the size of the army's principal scout helicopter, the Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche.
Senate armed services committee members have written to the army recently, warning of a growing disparity between available resources and modernisation plans. At the same time, the army is looking to cut programmes to help fund a planned $70 billion transition to a lighter, more mobile force.
The planned $43 billion purchase of over 1,290 RAH-66 armed scouts is becoming a clear target for cuts. Procurement quantities have been discussed, ranging from about 650 to 900 machines. Full- scale engineering and manufacturing development - worth $3.1 billion - is to begin in April, assuming a favourable decision from the US Department of Defense Acquisition Board. About $463 million has been approved for this year.
Observers, however, note that the planned RAH-66 multiyear procurement extends so far into the future that it is difficult to determine the total number machines to be built. Even if the final figure were halved, there would still be sufficient numbers to keep production going until 2016.
Low rate initial production calls for the first 14 machines to be funded in fiscal year 2005, followed by 26 in FY2006, 44 in FY2007, 60 in FY2008 and FY2009, reaching an eventual maximum full rate of 72 by 2010. Production based on current plans would not finish before FY2023.
Other important programmes are expected to be scrutinised by the report, including the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow. Boeing is under contract to remanufacture 232 AH-64As and is close to completing a second $2.3 billion multiyear deal for another 298 from 2003.This would leave 218 still to be modified.
There are also plans to modernise 900 Sikorsky UH-60As to the UH-60L+ standard, the conversion of 357 to UH-60Q medical evacuation machines and 255 UH-60Ls to be rebuilt and re-engined as UH-60Xs. The Light Utility Helicopter decision to replace or upgrade the US Army and National Guard's UH-1H fleets is also pressing.
Source: Flight International
