Andrea Nativi/GENOA
Italy's Parliament has approved an army plan to upgrade its Agusta A129 Mangusta anti-tank helicopter fleet to widen its combat role.
Italian army aviation (AVES) has 45 Mangustas delivered and another 15 to be delivered with the improved avionics and sensor package, 20mm nose-mounted cannon and five-bladed main rotor of the 'International' export-standard A129. It also has an air-to-air missile capability for which the AVES has selected the Raytheon Stinger.
The army has launched a L378 billion ($205 million) programme to upgrade the 45 helicopters. It starts next year and lasts until 2006. The move has been driven by a desire to standardise the small fleet and give the anti-tank-dedicated A129 a wider combat capability.
The decision to update the helicopter is likely to lead to contractors mounting bids to unseat existing equipment suppliers. Lockheed Martin Electronics & Missiles has declared its hand, offering its Target Sight System (TSS) in an effort to replace the current electro-optic system.
Lockheed Martin's TSS is part of the Bell AH-1Z sensor upgrade. The AVES has been briefed on TSS, which incorporates a third-generation forward looking infrared, has a range of 8km (4nm) and is compatible with the Boeing AGM-114 Hellfire missile. The unit is mounted in a double gimbal system, a three-axis system internally and a two-axis unit externally.
TSS has been developed as an off-the-shelf, low-risk system using experience gained during development of the LANTIRN targeting and attack pods, the Boeing AH-64 Apache Targeting Acquisition and Designation Sight (TADS) and Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion upgrades. TSS options include the TADS tracker and a colour television sensor.
Lockheed Martin claims it is offering the system for Agusta's shortlisted Mangusta bid in Turkey, even though Israel Aircraft Industries' Taman has a memorandum of understanding to offer its electro-optic system . The system allows the helicopter to use Hellfire and TOW anti-tank missiles.
Mangustas and Agusta Bell AB412s have been deployed to Macedonia as part of the NATO-led Kosovo peace process.
Source: Flight International
