US Army Will Select Its Choice Of Next-Gen Assault Helicopter Later This Year

Zero Hedge: US Army Will Select Winner Of Next-Gen Assault Helicopter This Year 

US Army officials are preparing to announce the winner of the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft. The contest comes down to Bell Textron and Lockheed Martin Sikorsky competing for the FLRAA contract to replace the Army's decades-old Black Hawk. 

Bloomberg spoke with the Army assistant secretary for acquisition, Douglas Bush, who said the winner of the FLRAA contest would be announced "this calendar year." And with only 40 days left until 2023, that decision is imminent.  

Bell Textron has offered the Army a tiltrotor aircraft called the V-280 Valor, while the Sikorsky has produced the Defiant X with coaxial rotors.   

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WNU Editor: This is a huge procurement for the US Army. And one that is long overdue.

Here Is Why The US Army’s Chinook Helicopters Are Grounded

Two Chinooks in April in Mississippi. U.S. Air National Guard / Charles Wesley 

 Popular Science: The Army’s Chinook helicopters are grounded. Here’s why.  

Four reported engine fires occurred over the past 90 days, the Army says. Here's everything to know about these heavy lift helicopters and their recent problems. 

The US Army operates hundreds of large helicopters called Chinooks. The flying machine’s job is straightforward and unflashy: To transport people or equipment. But the Chinook fleet is not going anywhere right now, because the Army has grounded them. The problem leading to the grounding is a series of engine fires—there have been four reported fires over the past 90 days, according to an Army spokesperson. 

The news of the vast grounding was reported earlier this week by The Wall Street Journal. 

Here’s what to know about this unique military helicopter and why it was grounded.  

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WNU Editor: Now that the problem has been identified, I am sure the Army's Chinook helicopter fleet will soon be returning to active duty.

US Army Grounds Entire Fleet Of 400 Chinook Helicopters Over Engine Fires

 

CNN: US Army grounds fleet of Chinook helicopters after engine fires 

(CNN)The Army grounded its entire fleet of Chinook helicopters after a "small number" of engines fires were discovered, according to an Army spokeswoman. 

The Army identified the cause of the engine fires as a fuel leak among an "isolated number" of Boeing H-47 Chinook helicopters, Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said, adding that the service is taking steps to fix the issue. 

No injuries or deaths occurred as a result of the fuel leaks or engine fires, Smith said. Even so, the Army temporarily grounded the fleet of approximately 400 Chinooks "out of an abundance of caution," Smith said. 

The Army's workhorse helicopter, which has been in service since the 1960s, will be grounded until the corrective steps are complete. 

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US Army Grounds Entire Fleet Of 400 Chinook Helicopters Over Engine Fires  

US Army Grounds Entire Fleet of 400 Chinook Helicopters -- Bloomberg  

Army grounds hundreds of Chinook helicopters following engine fires -- CBS  

Army grounds entire fleet of Chinook helicopters over engine fires: report -- FOX News  

Army grounds Chinook helicopter fleet after "small number of engine fires" -- Axios  

U.S. Army grounds its entire fleet of Chinook helicopters over engine fires -- Market Watch  

US Army Grounds Entire Fleet Of Chinook Helicopters After Reports Of "Engine Fires" -- Zero Hedge

Here's How Elite Aviators Prepare For That Worst-Case Scenario When A Helicopter Goes Down

A man stands next to the wreckage of a US helicopter after a nighttime raid by US special-operations forces against the leader of ISIS in Syria's Idlib province, in February 2022. RAMI AL SAYED/AFP  

Business Insider: Another helicopter went down on a US special-ops raid. Here's how elite aviators prepare for that worst-case scenario.

* An MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down during a special-operations raid in Syria this month. 

* The helicopter malfunctioned and had to be destroyed because it couldn't fly back after the raid. 

* US aviators prepare for the malfunctions, crashes, and other mishaps that are a risk on such missions. 

Last week, Delta Force conducted a counterterrorism operation in northwestern Syria that killed Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi, the leader of ISIS. 

The hours-long raid killed 13 people, including six children and four women. There were no American casualties, but that almost wasn't the case. 

During the operation, an MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flown by the elite pilots of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the "Night Stalkers," had to land after experiencing a malfunction. US forces then destroyed the chopper with an air strike to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. 

For the Night Stalkers, the risk of a crash is omnipresent during these kinds of operations, but they are prepared for that possibility.  

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WNU Editor: These operators are probably the best helicopter pilots in the world.

Pentagon Says New US Presidential Helicopter Lockheed VH-92 Is Unreliable In A Crisis

FILE PHOTO: Sikorsky VH-92 lands in front of the White House during tests © Wikipedia 

Daily Mail: Biden's first flight on his $217 million helicopter built by Lockheed Martin is DELAYED after Pentagon deemed it 'unreliable' in an emergency following concerns it would scorch White House lawns 

* The new VH-92 presidential helicopter has been delayed because it is not 'operationally suitable,' according to a report published on Tuesday 

* It is part of a $5 billion project to build 23 aircraft to carry the president 

* Lockheed Martin won the contract in 2014 to build 'Marine One' 

* But a test landing and take off at the White house in 2018 left the South Lawn scorched by the aircraft's exhaust 

President Joe Biden's first flight on the new $217 million presidential helicopter has been delayed because the Pentagon deemed the aircraft unreliable in an emergency and not 'operationally suitable.' 

The VH-92 helicopter program is a $5 billion project to build 23 aircraft replacing the aging fleet used by the president and other senior officials. Lockheed Martin won the contract in 2014 after other aircraft makers dropped out.  

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WNU Editor: WTF!!! $5 billion for 23 helicopters that are not "reliable" and not "operationally suitable"! 

More News On The Pentagon Saying The New US Presidential Helicopter Lockheed VH-92 Is Unreliable In A Crisis

 Future Marine One Helicopter Is Struggling To Meet Requirements For Emergency Missions: Report -- Warzone/The Drive  

US Presidential Helicopter Lockheed VH-92 Unreliable in Crisis: Pentagon -- Bloomberg  

Biden's first flight on the $217 million presidential helicopter was pushed back after the Pentagon deemed it unreliable in an emergency: report -- Business Insider  

Pentagon test office says new presidential helicopter not yet 'operationally suitable' for emergencies -- The Hill  

Pentagon deems new presidential helicopter built by Lockheed Martin unreliable in emergency situations: report -- FOX News 

Pentagon says Biden's new helicopter is unreliable in emergencies -- Axios Biden’s new $200mn helicopter grounded -- RT

The Flight Envelop Expands With The Sikorsky's S-97 Raider Flying At 247 Knots

 

Zero Hedge: Watch: Sikorsky's S-97 Raider Flies 247 Knots As Flight Envelope Expands  

Sikorsky S-97 Raider is a one-of-a-kind helicopter part of the US Army's Future Vertical Lift Program. 

The S-97 Raider prototype is part of Sikorsky's entry into the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft competition for the Army to replace the aging UH-60 Black Hawk and Apache attack helicopters in the coming years. 

The latest video from Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, posted on Lockheed Martin's YouTube channel, shows the S-97 Raider traveling at 247 knots, or about 284 mph. For some context, most helicopters fly at an average speed of around 160 mph.  

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WNU Editor: Here is another helicopter that expanding the "envelop" .... RAIDER X Could Be the Fastest Helicopter Ever (National Interest).

The Stealth Helicopters Used In The 2011 Raid On Osama bin Laden Are Still Cloaked In Mystery

Popular Science: The stealth helicopters used in the 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden are still cloaked in mystery 

A decade since the mission, here's what we know about those helicopters—and stealth aircraft in general. 

A decade ago yesterday, the US carried out one of the most famous and surprising military actions of the 21st century: the covert raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011. 

To get to that location from Jalalabad, Afghanistan, the SEAL team (and a dog) flew in two helicopters, a trip of some 90 minutes. Those choppers, as former president Barack Obama describes in his new memoir, A Promised Land, were “two Black Hawk helicopters that had been modified for stealth.”  

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WNU Editor: It makes you wonder what has been developed in the past ten years.

Hat tip Fred for the above link.

U.S. Marine Corps Practices Heavy Lifts With CH-53 Super Stallion Helicopters (Video)

 

Defence Blog: U.S. Marines releases fascinating video of heavy lifts with CH-53 helicopters 

The U.S. Marine Corps has released fascinating video footage shows CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters execute an air-to-air refuel, during a heavy lift exercise. 

Two U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallions, assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), execute a heavy lift exercise, in support of Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 2-21, near Yuma, Ariz., March 31, 2021, according to a recent service news release.

During the training, they lifted two at once Humvee tactical vehicles, which is a mission often flown on deployment. 

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WNU Editor: Impressive.

US Army Considers Weapons For Its Future Helicopters

A US Army AH-64 Apache with M299 missile launchers on the inboard pylons on its stub wings. One of the launchers has a single Hellfire missile loaded onto it. US Army 

Warzone/The Drive: Northrop Grumman Reveals Sky Viper Chain Gun And New Suicide Drone For Future Helicopters 

Swarming loitering munitions, fast-firing cannons, and other new capabilities are core components of the Army's Future Vertical Lift initiative. 

Northrop Grumman is working on a new loitering munition, a type of weapon also commonly known as a "suicide drone," as well as other technologies, to meet requirements the U.S. Army has outlined as part of its Air Launch Effects program, or ALE. The company is also developing a 20mm derivative of the 30mm M230 chain gun, dubbed Sky Viper. All of this is related to the Army's Future Vertical Lift effort, or FVL, which is seeking various types of new rotary-wing aircraft with advanced capabilities to replace various existing helicopters that the service operates now. 

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Update #1: Northrop unveils new ‘Sky Viper’ chain gun as US Army considers weapons for future helos (Defense News) 

Update #2: Northrop Launches Sky Chain Viper Gun, Suicide Drone for Future Vertical Lift Effort of the Army (Tech Times) 

WNU Editor: The suicide drone capability will be an interesting add-on for the US Army's helicopter fleet.

U.S. Army Wants 'Silent' Helicopters

© AFP 2020 / TED ALJIBE 

Slash Gear: US Army explores drone-like designs for quieter stealth helicopters 

The US Army is has prioritized the development of a quieter helicopter design that will enable it to operate these vehicles for surveillance and cargo transportation without the noise of traditional helicopters. 

The military has zeroed in on eVTOL tech as its potential solution, meaning future Army helicopters may resemble drones. 

Helicopters are vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles, meaning they rise straight up into the air and descend back down in the same way. 

This design is also used for consumer and many commercial drones, though there’s a very big, obvious difference: the rotors. 

Read more .... 

 More News On The US Army Developing 'Quieter' Helicopters 

U.S. Army looks to use silent technology for next-generation aircraft -- Defence-Blog 

US Army studies eVTOL acoustics in the quest for silent helicopters -- New Atlas 

Silent but Deadly: US Army Wants Next-Gen VTOL Aircraft to Use Quiet Electric Propulsion -- Sputnik

Is This The Best Attack Helicopter In The World?

The navalized Ka-52K has folding rotor blades and can carry an anti-ship missile capable of taking out tanker ships. (Anna Zvereva, CC BY-SA 2.0)

We Are The Mighty: Why this Russian helicopter is often the top ranked in the world

The Ka-52 Alligator is an attack helicopter. It's not the first or the most heavily armed or the fastest attack helicopter. It's not even Russia's biggest attack helicopter. So why is it so often ranked number 1 in the world? It's a balance of speed, armament, and an absolutely stunning range.

Best attack helicopter in the world? America built the first dedicated attack helicopter, the AH-1, and variants of it are still flying. So maybe that one? Or perhaps the MH-47s from Vietnam, highly modified cargo helicopters loaded with guns? Or America's premiere, the AH-64 Apache, which can be equipped with air-to-air missiles? They're all great, but there's a surprisingly strong case for Russia's Ka-52.

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WNU Editor: I saw them do a flyover a few years ago at a Victory Day parade in Moscow. They are impressive.

Boeing Unveils It's Concept Of A U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft

Warzone/The Drive: Boeing Reveals Its Contender To Be The Army's Future High-Speed Armed Scout Helicopter

The Army expects the winning design will replace nearly half of its AH-64 Apaches, which are also Boeing products.

After weeks of teasers offering fleeting glimpses of the design, Boeing has finally revealed its entry for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft program, or FARA. This project aims to fill the gap left by the early retirement of the service's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scout helicopters. The service plans to eventually replace nearly half of its AH-64 Apaches with the winner of the FARA competition, as well, making this effort particularly significant for the Chicago-headquartered aviation company, which makes those existing helicopters.

The new Boeing design, which the company does not appear to have its own name for at present, is a compound helicopter with a single six-bladed main rotor, a canted four-bladed tail rotor, and four-bladed pusher prop in the rear. A single General Electric T901 engine, with its air intake on the right side of the fuselage, is the primary source of power. The Army selected the T901 last year as the winner of its Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) and the service plans to use it first to re-engine AH-64s and UH-60 Black Hawks.

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More News On Boeing Unveiling It's Concept Of A U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft

Boeing’s future attack recon helicopter has no name but 3 rotor systems -- Defense News
Here is what the Army's next armed scout helicopter might look like -- Business Insider
Boeing Reveals Long-Awaited FARA Design -- Aviation Week
Boeing lifts the lid on future attack reconnaissance helicopter -- Army Technology
Boeing unveils concept of U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft -- Defence Blog
This agile copter could be the Army's next scout helo -- Task & Purpose

The U.S. Air Force’s New Helicopter Is Being Called The 'Grey Wolf'

“Grey Wolf” reflects how #MH139 aircraft will be deployed in packs to protect intercontinental ballistic missile bases for the @USAirForce. pic.twitter.com/GbrqKjfJO0

— Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) December 19, 2019

Popular Mechanics: The U.S. Air Force’s New Helicopter Is Called 'Grey Wolf'

The helicopter will help safeguard America’s nuclear weapons.

* The U.S. Air Force’s Vietnam-era Huey helicopters badly needed replacement.
* The service picked the Boeing/Leonardo AW139 in 2018.
* The new helicopter is called “Grey Wolf” and will equip Air Force security teams protecting ICBM silos.

The U.S. Air Force’s Global Strike Command took possession of its first new security forces helicopter yesterday, during a ceremony that also saw the new rotorcraft named “Grey Wolf.” Grey Wolf will carry quick reaction forces consisting of Air Force security personnel, ready to rapidly respond to an incident or attack at one of hundreds of intercontinental ballistic missile silos spread across the American West.

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Update #1: The US Air Force’s UH-1N Huey replacement helicopter has a new name (Defense News)
Update #2: Air Force reveals name of helicopter replacing Vietnam's iconic 'Huey' (Washington Examiner)

WNU Editor: It is a better name than "Boeing/Leonardo AW139".

10 Interesting Things About Flying Seahawk Helicopters

SH-60F. USN

Warzone/The Drive: Veteran Navy Pilot Shares 10 Interesting Things About Flying Seahawk Helicopters

With thousands of hours flying naval H-60 variants, we get the bottom line on some of the unique aspects of flying the hugely popular helicopter.

The vast majority of helicopters currently operated by the U.S. Navy are either MH-60R or MH-60S variants of the Seahawk airframe, which is a marinized derivative of the UH-60 Blackhawk. These two variants of the Seahawk replaced three previous H-60 airframes in naval service, the SH-60B, SH-60F, and HH-60H. With thousands of hours at the controls of Seahawk helicopters, here are ten interesting facts and impressions based on my experience about flying these iconic aircraft, some of which you may have never heard before.

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WNU editor: This is a gem ....

.... In any case, running out of gas in a helicopter over land is not nearly as exciting as running out of gas in a helicopter over the ocean, so normal practice at sea was to get gas at every ship we landed on, regardless of our final destination.

Sikorsky Unveils Its 'Raider X' Future High-Speed Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

Warzone/The Drive: Behold Sikorsky's "Raider X" Future High-Speed Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

The Army wants a survivable and fast "knife fighter" helicopter to fight in contested areas. The Raider X certainly seems like it could be just that.

Last week Bell unveiled its 360 Invictus high-speed armed scout helicopter contender for the Army's Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) tender and now Sikorsky is firing back with its long-anticipated entrant, the "Raider X." The aircraft is based directly on its S-97 Raider demonstrator, which leverages the company's X2 compound helicopter technology to achieve very high speed and maneuverability for a rotorcraft. The company's larger SB>1 Defiant, which is taking part in the Joint Multi-Role (JMR) technology demonstration program now and is likely to try to capture the Future Vertical Lift-Medium contract in the future, also uses this unique configuration. Sikorsky's X2 technology has been developed and funded internally for over a decade. You can read all about it and the S-97 in this exclusive War Zone interview with the company's X2 team.

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More News On Sikorsky Unveiling Its 'Raider X' Future High-Speed Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

Lockheed’s design of its future attack recon aircraft touts performance at the ‘X’ -- Defense News
Sikorsky makes its bid for Army’s next scout copter -- Ars Technica
Raider-X: Sikorsky’s Supersized S-97 For Army Scout -- Breaking Defense
Sikorsky reveals bid for US Army FARA programme -- Army Technology
Sikorsky Introduces RAIDER X™, a NextGen Light-Attack Reconnaissance Helicopter Based on its Proven X2 Technology -- PR Newswire
Lockheed Martin Unveils Their ‘Low-Observable’ Raider X FARA Design -- Sputnik

China Has Its Own Shipboard Version Of A Blackhawk Helicopter

Z-20 helicopters fly during The 5th China Helicopter Exposition at Free Trade Zone of Tianjin Port on October 10, 2019 in Tianjin, China. This is the latest configuration of the Z-20 we have seen to date. VCG/VCG via Getty Images

Warzone/The Drive: Here Is Our First Clear Look At China's Z-20F Seahawk Helicopter Clone (Updated)

China's navalized version of its Black Hawk clone breaks cover. Its capability is badly needed within the growing People's Liberation Army Navy fleet.

China is world-renowned for its ability to steal foreign intellectual property, reverse engineer it, and to quickly produce something similar. In fact, this relationship between espionage, design, and production has helped catapult the People's Liberation Army into a place where America's technological superiority is no longer assured. But when it comes to creating a knock-off of America's legendary Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter, China already had dozens of airframes on-hand to examine and even improve upon. You can read all about the Z-20 and China's experience with the Black Hawk in this past piece of ours. Now, with their standard Z-20 Black Hawk utility helicopter clone already in service, the rapidly expanding People's Liberation Army Navy is getting its own shipboard model, just like how the U.S. Navy has the Seahawk.

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WNU Editor: Helicopters are an essential part of any serious military. Not surprised to see the Chinese making them a priority in their plans.

Area 51 Has Its Own Fleet Of Helicopters

A US Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk. USAF

Warzone/The Drive: Area 51 Has Its Own Unique Fleet Of HH-60U Ghost Hawk Helicopters

Originally intended as replacements for the Air Force's aging HH-60G Pave Hawks, they now exclusively support operations at the top-secret base

Almost everything about the U.S. military's Area 51 flight test facility, also known as Groom Lake, is shrouded in secrecy and mystery. This even extends to the base's small and unique fleet of HH-60U rescue helicopters, sometimes called Ghost Hawks, which at least help provide security, local search and rescue, and other types of utility support in and around the base.

The Air Force is understood to have a total of four HH-60Us, one of which is seen at the top of this story and all of which are modified examples of the U.S. Army's HH-60M Black Hawk medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), or "Dustoff," helicopter. Area 51 watchers have determined that the U models are likely assigned to a unit colloquially know as the "Ghost Squadron." This helicopter unit is one of a number of secretive elements associated with Detachment 3, Air Force Flight Test Center, which appears to be one of the main Air Force entities at Groom Lake. Detachment 3 also reportedly oversees operations involving other more traditional aircraft and so-called "Foreign Materiel Exploitation," or FME, examining non-American aircraft and systems at the secretive base, along with its other top-secret flight test duties.

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WNU Editor: Area 51 covers a lot of territory. It makes sense that they would have their own unique fleet of helicopters.

Watch A Sea Stallion Helicopter Lift Another Helicopter

Popular Mechanics: Watch a Marine Corps Helicopter Lift Another Marine Helicopter

The Marines can take care of their own damaged helicopters, thank you very much.

As an expeditionary force, the U.S. Marine Corps is expected to operate in distant, faraway places with little support from the other services. That’s why, for example, it operates its own heavy artillery, fighter jets, and even aerial refueling tankers. That’s also why its largest helicopter, the CH-53 Sea Stallion heavy lift helicopter, can lift other helicopters in the Marines’ inventory if the latter run into a jam.

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WNU Editor: The CH-53 Sea Stallion heavy lift helicopter is truly an impressive helicopter.

A Closer Look At The U.S. Army's Requirements For A Future High-Speed Assault Helicopter

The Warzone/The Drive: Here's What's In The Army's Requirements For A Future High-Speed Assault Helicopter

The goal is to replace the Army's Black Hawks and some Marine helos, but the new design might ultimately replace a number of other helicopters too.

The U.S. Army has revealed new details about what it wants from its high-speed, long-range replacement for the UH-60 Black Hawk series of helicopters. The service’s goal is to have the first examples of this future assault rotorcraft in service by 2030, with additional variants for U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Marine Corps following soon thereafter.

The Army’s Program Executive Office for Aviation issued a request for information regarding what the service formally calls the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) on Apr. 4, 2019. FLRAA is part of the over-arching Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program, through which the service hopes to replace all of its existing helicopters.

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WNU Editor: The U.S. Army wants this helicopter by 2030 .... US Army plans to field a future long-range assault helicopter by 2030 (Defense News).

Delivery Of The U.S. Marine's New Helicopters Are Running 19 Months Late

The Corps took delivery of its first CH-53 King Stallion on May 16, 2018, at the New River Air Station in Jacksonville, North Carolina. (Sgt. Matthew Callahan/Marine Corps)

Bloomberg: Lockheed’s $31 Billion Marine Helicopters Are Running 19 Months Late

* Navy sees need to delay initial combat capability to late 2021
* List of unresolved flaws grows to 102 from 94 in December

Lockheed Martin Corp.’s $31 billion King Stallion helicopter program for the U.S. Marines may miss its first key milestone by more than 19 months because of a growing checklist of flaws discovered in development testing.

The Naval Air Systems Command acknowledged that the helicopter designed to carry heavy cargo won’t meet its December target date for initial combat capability. The roster of unresolved technical deficiencies has grown to 106 items from about 94 logged in December, according to Navy documents.

A proposed new date -- between July and September 2021 -- “has not been finalized and is pending the final decision” on a request before Congress to shift $158 million into the testing program to pay for fixes and more test flights, Greg Kuntz, a spokesman for the command, said in an email.

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WNU Editor: These helicopters are more expensive than the F-35A .... The Marines' CH-53K King Stallion Helicopter Is On Track To Be More Expensive Than An F-35A Joint Strike Fighter In Unit Cost (March 15, 2017), and the problems with the program are serious .... Problems Continue With The USMC's Huge New CH-53K King Stallion Helicopter (January 18, 2019)