The military helicopter arena continues to be a case of too many cooks chasing a limited amount of kitchen space: the market is oversubscribed with suppliers battling for too few buyers.
Just when it appeared some progress towards rationalisation was taking place - the acquisition of McDonnell Douglas by Boeing, thus removing one of the four US competitors - Japan's Kawaski Heavy Industries (KHI) has entered the fray with its OH-1 scout helicopter.
The OH-1, which could well be the last new military helicopter to be flown before the end of the century, is earmarked for the Japan Ground Self Defence Forces. KHI is also likely, however, to push the OH-1 into an already packed export marketplace.
In Europe, Eurocopter has received the production go-ahead for the Tiger attack helicopter - although exact procurement numbers appear far from firm. The orbits of GKN Westland and Agusta grow increasingly closer, with the Italian partner in the EH101 medium-lift military utility helicopter discussing openly what it believes to be inevitable - a merger between the two.
Europe's other multi-national military utility helicopter programme, the NH Industries NH90, reached a landmark in March with the flight of prototype number two, the first to be equipped with a digital flight-control system. The production contract remains to be finalised.
In Russia, Kamov and Mil continue to vie to replace the Mil Mi-24 Hind with all-weather attack variants of the Mi-28N Havoc and Ka-50/52 Hokum. Russia's army aviation units do not, however, have a rouble for new airframe procurements - so in the near term, exports appear to the best hope for both companies of garnering sales. Kamov, for instance, is mounting a concerted campaign in India. The Ka-52 two-seat variant of the Hokum was flown for the first time in June.
The US Department of Defense's 1997 Quadrenniel Defense Review (QDR) proved a mixed blessing for the Boeing Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche. It re-affirms the need for the helicopter, but it also suggests that, given budgetary constraints, peak production rates may have to be reduced.
While numbers of the Bell Boeing V-22 tilt-rotor, specifically the US Marine Corps MV-22 variant, were cut by the QDR, production has been accelerated. Bell Boeing is also increasingly active in searching for export opportunities for the tilt-rotor.
Source: Flight International
