A few major defence competitions are attracting the world's helicopter manufacturers while a key technology, the tiltrotor, is facing fresh challenges
STEWART PENNEY / LONDON
The military rotorcraft market remains focused on a handful of key competitions – principally the Nordic Standard Helicopter Programme (NSHP) and the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Programme (MHP). Meanwhile, one of the rotorcraft industry's key programmes, the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, is also under the microscope after two fatal accidents last year and the revelation that their maintenance records were falsified.
NSHP, in theory, could be up to 100 helicopters for Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, for anti-submarine warfare, troop transport and search and rescue missions (SAR). A decision is expected next month, with NH Industries' (NHI) NH90 regarded as the leading contender as it is small enough to fit on Norway's ships and because EADS – parent company to NHI partner Eurocopter – has made the strategically astute move of acquiring a stake in Finland's Patria Industries. The EH Industries EH101 and the Sikorsky S-92 remain in the running. The former is regarded as favourite in Denmark, which seeks to replace Sikorsky S-61 Sea Kings, while Sweden has long been seen as the prime S-92 supporter. This raises questions about the programme's future, including whether one or more of the countries will drop out.
Canada wants 28 machines to replace Sea Kings. The contest will be run in two parts, one for the airframe and the other for the mission system and its integration. The competition should start this year with an airframe request for proposals to be issued covering the EH101, Eurocopter Cougar Mk2 or EC725, NH90 and S-92. The mission system RFP is due next year.
Portugal's requirement for fisheries protection/long-range patrol helicopters and Ireland's search for a SAR machine are likely to be met from the aircraft being offered in NSHP and MHP. Neither, however, is for a large number of airframes. Ireland initially wants only two machines, although this could grow up to six. Portugal wants eight to 12 helicopters.
Singapore is looking at similar machines for maritime and utility requirements, but has included Sikorsky's SH-60 Seahawk/UH-60 Black Hawk family and the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite. If a Bell UH-1H replacement is wrapped up in the order, 40 helicopters could be acquired.
Another major competition is Australia's AIR 87 for 20-24 attack helicopters. Competitors are the AgustaWestland A129I Scorpion, Bell ARH-1Z, Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow and the Eurocopter Tiger. A downselect had been expected last month and was thought likely to favour the AH-64 and Tiger. Japan and South Korea are also evaluating attack helicopters.
The V-22 has had a troubled 18 months. Fatal accidents in April and December 2000 killed 23 and led to the formation of a ‘blue ribbon' panel to investigate the programme. The first accident was attributed to the tiltrotor entering a vortex-ring condition which destroyed lift on one rotor. The second was due to a combination of hydraulic system failure and flight control system software error. In a separate investigation, the US Department of Defence's Office of the Inspector General concluded that the commander of VMMT-204, the USMC's first MV-22 squadron, falsified maintenance records, but decided that played no part in the crashes.
Following the review, programme management has been overhauled and low-rate production of the V-22 will continue until fixes for its problems are in place. Full-rate production is not to begin until 2003/04 at the earliest. The situation could have been worse, because one potential outcome was cancellation of the $40 billion, 458-aircraft programme.
Source: Flight International
