Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC
The US Marine Corps has delayed the Bell AH-1Z/UH-1Y modernisation programme by a year to absorb cost overruns on the helicopter's Litton (now Northrop Grumman) integrated avionics system (IAS).
A newly submitted schedule, awaiting Department of Defense approval, has delayed the start of low-rate initial production (LRIP) until fiscal year (FY) 2003. The USMC now plans to order an initial six remanufactured AH-1Zs and three UH-1Ys followed by a second LRIP batch of 19 attack and utility helicopters in FY2004.
To reduce the delay's effect, the USMC has increased the number of LRIP machines, accelerating the start of full-rate production of 36 helicopters per year by 12 months to 2006: "We've upped the ramp-up rate to maintain an initial operational capability in late 2006," says Capt Tom Curtis, USMC H-1 programme manager.
Development of the H-1 is "in the order" of $100-150 million over budget following IAS management problems (Flight International, 12-18 December).
Northrop Grumman is now delivering software functionality incrementally and has been on schedule with the last four releases. The next delivery is due next month, allowing the Bell/USMC team to begin full flight-testing.
Problems with the AH-1W Cobra's structure have also contributed to the cost overrun, which Bell has agreed partially to absorb by waiving remaining development revenue. "We had hoped to use the [AH-1W] vertical fin, but we're getting cracks in the bulkheads and had to redesign it and this took time," explains Curtis.
The initial AH-1Z test helicopter has been delivered to the US Navy's Patuxent River test centre after clocking up 59h flying since December. The flight envelope has been expanded to 220kt (410km/h), 2.6g and 10,000ft (3,000m). The first UH-1Y is due to fly in November.
Source: Flight International