Latest Defence Helicopters news – Page 136
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F-35 ejection seat fix expected by 2016 amid safety concerns
The US Air Force is demanding a long-term fix to the Martin Baker US16E (MK16) ejection seat for the Lockheed Martin F-35, after recent tests discovered “unacceptable risk of neck injury” for light-weight pilots during parachute deployment at low speeds.
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AgustaWestland makes fresh push to safeguard UK site
AgustaWestland has reiterated its belief that a new military helicopter can be designed and built at its Yeovil, UK facility – but only with the backing of the country's government.
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Royal Navy receives first updated Merlin HC3
The Royal Navy has taken delivery of its first AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HC3 helicopter with an initial package of upgrades to support maritime operations.
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Lockheed F-35 heads to the polls in Canada
As Canada heads to the polls on Monday, Lockheed Martin F-35 backers will be quietly hoping for a conservative win after Liberal Party leader Justin Trudeau came out against the troubled fighter programme while on the hustings, in favour of more spending on ships.
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K-Max carries out US federal government firefighting tests
Lockheed Martin and Kaman have demonstrated to US federal government departments the firefighting capabilities of the unmanned K-Max helicopter.
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CEO Garrison leaving Bell for non-aerospace company
Bell Helicopter chief executive John Garrison is leaving the company to take over the top leadership post at a non-aerospace company, parent Textron announced on 15 October.
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Boeing’s MOP bomb approaching second phase of redesign
Boeing can expected a sole-source contract for redesign, qualification and testing of the US Air Force’s largest non-nuclear penetrating bomb, the 13.6t GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).
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Saudis seek nine more Sikorsky Black Hawks
Saudi Arabia could purchase up to nine Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk combat helicopters under a $495 million foreign military sale package approved by the US State Department this week.
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Lockheed secures split-buy of -ER and baseline JASSM missiles
Lockheed Martin’s JASSM cruise missile programme has locked in a contract for 280 more missiles, with an even split of baseline and extended-range variants.
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General Atomics confirms first Improved Gray Eagle purchase
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has confirmed the US Army’s purchase of 19 “Improved Gray Eagle” UAVs following the service’s disclosure this week that its MQ-1C procurement has been “amended” to the extended-range version.
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Boeing to fly new CH-47 Chinook ‘Block II’ rotor blade in 2016
Boeing’s development of an advanced blade for the tandem-rotor CH-47 Chinook is moving ahead, with the first blade “about to finish this week” ahead of flight trials in 2016.
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BAE secures US Army Apache as APKWS laser-guided rocket customer
The US Army has ordered its first batch of 70mm laser-guided rockets from BAE Systems for its Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow “for immediate deployment” following the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System’s qualification on the helicopter gunship last year.
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US Navy orders super-sensor for RQ-21 UAS
Logos Technologies will develop a highly advanced sensor suite for the Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack unmanned air system under an $18.2 million contract awarded by the US Office of Naval Research.
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Boeing, Lockheed unveil competing UAV-killing concepts
With reports that Islamic State (IS) militants have begun operating commercially-produced unmanned air vehicles to support their activities in the Middle East, Boeing and Lockheed Martin are pursuing two very different approaches to knocking unmanned aircraft out of the sky.
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US Army wants more Gray Eagle weapon options
The US Army is interested in new weapons options besides the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire missile for its General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1C, and the service has asked industry to offer smaller, cheaper and more specialised alternatives as it considers a future requirement.
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Chinook, Apache face cuts if budget talks fail
Two Boeing helicopter programmes – the Boeing AH-64 and CH-47 Chinook – face several cut-backs if the Congress is unable to pass a new budget for Fiscal 2016, US Army acquisition leaders warn.
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US Army replaces Lockheed data link on AH-64 Apache
A Lockheed Martin communications system will be replaced on the Boeing AH-64E Apache fleet as the US Army moves to standardise data links for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T).
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Sikorsky S-97 Raider reaching for top speeds by “summer 2016”
Sikorsky will conduct a significant amount of ground testing on its S-97 Raider before returning to flight trials, with just 2.2h of a 110h test programme clocked since the maiden flight in May.
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Bell and Lockheed modify V-280 contract ahead of Sikorsky takeover
Lockheed Martin’s pending acquisition of Sikorsky has caused some contractual changes between Lockheed and Bell Helicopter for V-280 Valor development to ensure there is no cross pollination with its competitor, the Boeing-Sikorsky SB-1 Defiant.
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UAE firm studies civil twins for next armed helo
A UAE-based firm is evaluating twin-engined commercial helicopters for conversion to military gunships, having successfully delivered several armed Bell Helicopter 407s to its host country.