The Bell 407-based armed reconnaissance helicopter (ARH) is scheduled to begin its limited user test (LUT) at the Yuma Proving Grounds in early November. The LUT is intended to evaluate the performance of the Honeywell HTS-900-2 turbine engine, and to verify the integration and system performance of the FLIR Systems International target acquisition sensor system (TASS) and the Rockwell Collins common avionics architecture system (CAAS).
The ARH is designated as the ARH-70A by the US Army.Prototypes have exceeded 1,000 flying hours during the past 15 months. US Army pilots have completed individual training and are conducting crew training at Yuma Proving Grounds prior to the LUT.
Some 512 ARH-70s will replace the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior in US Army service, fulfilling the observation and reconnaissance and armed scout roles, and providing targeting support for the AH-64 Apache.
The ARH-70A seems likely to gain some export success, like the OH-58D before it. The Royal Saudi Land Forces are the main export operators of the OH-58D (as the Bell 406CS Combat Scout) and may be expected to be in line for the ARH-70A.
Source: Flight Daily News
