helicopters

A sudden storm that blew through Norfolk Naval Station, Va., on Jul. 26, 2022, in the afternoon damaged at least 10 US Navy helicopters

A sudden storm that blew through Norfolk Naval Station, Va., on Jul. 26, 2022, in the afternoon damaged at least 10 US Navy helicopters, USNI News reported.

The storm resulted in 10 Class A ground mishaps—mishaps that resulted in more than $2.5 million in damage or the total loss of the aircraft, according to a service initial assessment reviewed by USNI News.

“The Navy is continuing to assess the full extent of the damages to each airframe, but there are no impacts to operational forces as a result of this incident,” Cmdr. Rob Myers with Naval Air Forces Atlantic told USNI News in a statement. “Known damages to the aircraft span from broken tail and rotor blades to structural dents and punctures in the airframes. No personnel were injured during the storm.”

According to the assessment, the helicopters damaged were five MH-60S Knight Hawks, one MH-60R Sea Hawk, and four MH-53E Sea Dragon mine countermeasure helicopters.

The MH-53E Sea Dragon fills the Navy’s need for long-range minesweeping missions in addition to heavy-lift duties. The service has about 30 of the mine-hunting Sea Dragons in its inventory, according to the most recent data from Naval Air Systems Command. The service has delayed retiring aging helicopters as the Navy has been slow to develop a new airborne mine-hunting platform.

At least four of the multi-million-dollar helicopters—one MH-53E and three MH-60s—were blown over by the wind, according to images of the damage circulating on social media.

On Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a severe thunderstorm alert at 3:30 p.m., with a warning of winds greater than 60 miles per hour. According to the damage assessment, the high winds hit Norfolk’s Chambers Field at 3:42 p.m., 12 minutes after the initial warning.

When given enough warning, aircraft in the path of bad weather are taken into their hangars or tied down. However, the storm came at a time when aviation maintainers were usually in the midst of a shift change. It’s likely that most of the personnel were indoors and would have limited time to bring the aircraft to the hangars.

The Tuesday damage to helicopters is under investigation, Navy officials told USNI News.

Noteworthy, as we have already reported, a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet strike fighter assigned to USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) aircraft carrier sailing in the Mediterranean Sea blew off the ship’s deck on Jul. 8, 2022. The carrier was conducting a replenishment-at-sea, which was safely terminated through established procedures.

One Sailor received minor injuries while conducting operations during the unexpectedly heavy weather.

Details and the cause of the incident are under investigation.

Photo by USNI News

‘It’s been a long time since I last captured an AW101 Merlin in the Loop and to cap it off, a Royal Netherlands Navy NH90 dropped by to say hello,’ Dafydd Phillips

Filmed by our friend Dafydd Phillips, the cool video in this post features Royal Netherlands Navy NH90 and Royal Navy AW101 Merlin helicopters in the Mach Loop.

‘It’s been a long time since I last captured an AW101 Merlin in the Loop and to cap it off, a Royal Netherlands Navy NH90 dropped by to say hello,’ Phillips says.

The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter for military and civil use. First flown in 1987, it was developed by a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the United Kingdom and Agusta in Italy in response to national requirements for a modern naval utility helicopter. Several operators, including the armed forces of Britain, Denmark, and Portugal, use the name Merlin for their AW101 aircraft. It is manufactured at factories in Yeovil, England, and Vergiate, Italy; licensed assembly work has also taken place in Japan and the United States.

The Royal Navy’s AW101 Merlin helicopters are now being used to help protect the UK’s carrier strike capability and the surrounding seas – ensuring the ship and its crew are well protected from enemy submarines, surface ships, aircraft and missiles.

The NHIndustries NH90 is a medium-sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter. It was developed in response to NATO requirements for a battlefield helicopter which would also be capable of being operated in naval environments. The NH90 was developed and is manufactured by NHIndustries, a collaborative company owned by Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland) and Fokker Aerostructures. The first prototype conducted its maiden flight in December 1995; the type first entered operational service in 2007. As of June 2022, the NH90 has logged 327,053 flight hours in the armed forces of thirteen countries.

The Royal Netherlands Navy fields the NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) model of the NH-90. The NH90 NFH variant is primarily designed for autonomous Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) missions. The intrinsic characteristics and comprehensive mission equipment packages allow an unequaled range of additional operations: Search and Rescue (SAR), maritime patrol, vertical replenishment, troop transport, medical services, and “Utility” roles.

The helicopter is designed for day & night/adverse weather/severe ship motion environment operations. Due to its weight and dimensions, the deck-lock system, the deck traversing system, and the automatic blade and tail folding system, it can operate from/to small Frigates.

Photo by Dafydd Phillips

The MH-47G Chinook had landed after routine flight operations when the fire began in the rear of the aircraft

A US Army MH-47G Chinook special operations helicopter caught fire in June at Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island in Coronado, the service said in a statement on Jun. 28, 2022.

The service declined to specify the model of the helicopter after the accident. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, the four soldiers on board when the fire ignited were able to escape the aircraft uninjured. NAS North Island fire crews extinguished the fire.

The helicopter is assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) Night Stalkers, which was in San Diego for training.

Col. Roger Waleski, the commander of the 160th SOAR, credited the crew with reacting quickly to the fire.

“We are proud of the quick reaction of our crew, which prevented injury and additional damage. And we are thankful for the assistance from NAS North Island officials and Naval Aviation units who have helped us in our recovery efforts.”

As noted by Alert 5, on Jun. 22, the MH-47G had landed after routine flight operations when the fire began in the rear of the aircraft. The cause of the fire has not been determined and is under investigation.

The MH-47 Chinook helicopter conducts overt and covert infiltration, exfiltration, air assault, resupply, and sling-load operations over a wide range of environmental conditions. The aircraft can perform a variety of other missions, including shipboard, platform, urban, water, parachute, forward arming and refueling point, mass casualty, and combat search and rescue operations. Using special mission equipment and night vision devices, MH-47 aircrews can operate in hostile mission environments over all types of terrain at low altitudes during periods of low visibility and low ambient lighting conditions with pinpoint navigation accuracy.

The MH-47G Chinook is a heavy assault helicopter based on the MH-47E airframe. Maintaining the same basic fuselage, fuel system, power train, engines, and performance standards as the “Echo” model, it has further structural modifications, including a new cockpit with an extended nose and technological enhancements for special operations missions.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Reed Knutson / U.S. Army

The “Multi-Year X” contract for UH-60M Black Hawk and HH-60M MEDEVAC aircraft marks the 10th multiple-year contract for Sikorsky and the US government for H-60 helicopters

The US government and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, signed a five-year contract for a baseline of 120 H-60M Black Hawk helicopters, with options to reach a total of 255 aircraft to be delivered to the US Army and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Sikorsky continues modernizing and enhancing the Black Hawk to meet the Army’s challenging and evolving missions by continuously delivering aircraft thanks to a hot production line, mature well-established supply chain, and digital factory.

According to a Lockheed Martin news release, the “Multi-Year X” contract for UH-60M Black Hawk and HH-60M MEDEVAC aircraft marks the 10th multiple-year contract for Sikorsky and the US government for H-60 helicopters. With more than 2,100 H-60 variants in the US Army’s inventory, the Black Hawk remains the workhorse and backbone of US Army Aviation. As the Army continues to develop its Future Vertical Lift (FVL) capabilities, they will continue to operate the H-60M for the next several decades and alongside the future fleet.

The contract value for expected deliveries is approximately $2.3 billion, with a potential value of up to $4.4 billion, should options for additional aircraft be fully exercised. Multi-Year X deliveries are scheduled to begin in July and continue through 2027.

“This Multi-Year agreement allows the Army to meet current and future capability needs through upgrades, remanufacturing, replacement, and technology insertions,” said Col. Calvin Lane, the Utility Helicopters project manager. “The efficiencies of this contract make the best use of limited resources and result in direct savings to the Army and to taxpayers.”

“Decades of Black Hawk production and enhancements, strong program execution, and close partnership with the Army has kept the program thriving, and this contract is a testament to that success,” said Nathalie Previte, vice president of Sikorsky’s Army and Air Force programs. “Additionally, we continue to see strong international interest in the Black Hawk due to its versatility and proven record of providing unwavering support to the US and nations around the globe.”

“Sikorsky continues to invest in the Black Hawk platform – from sustainment to digital transformation and modernization – in order to provide our customers with the competitive edge they require,” added Previte. “We have aligned our investments with the Army’s technology roadmap while leveraging Future Vertical Lift technologies to ensure the Black Hawk will be a key player in the Joint All Domain Operations environment and FVL ecosystem.”

The H-60M Black Hawk, the premier multi-mission combat assault utility helicopter, provides additional payload and range, advanced digital avionics, active vibration control, improved producibility, enhanced handling qualities and situational awareness, and improved survivability.

Photo by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin did not identify the type of helicopter or the quantity. The Czech Air Force operates the Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter, which Ukraine possesses as well

Alert 5 reported that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin disclosed during a press briefing that the Czech Republic has transferred its attack helicopters to Ukraine.

“I’m especially grateful to Denmark, which announced today that it will provide a Harpoon launcher and missiles to help Ukraine defend its coast. I’d also like to thank the Czech Republic for its substantial support, including a recent donation of attack helicopters, tanks, and rocket systems. And today, several countries announced new donations of critically needed artillery systems and ammunition, including Italy, Greece, Norway and Poland. And let me also recognize the United Kingdom for its leading role in helping to coordinate security assistance and for the significant quantities of British equipment that continue to flow into Ukraine. I’m deeply grateful to these countries and to all the countries that have stood up today,” he said in the briefing.

Austin did not identify the type of helicopter or the quantity. The Czech Air Force operates the Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter which Ukraine possesses as well.

According to Flight Global, ‘the Czech Air Force operates 15 Soviet-era Mil Mi-24s and 19 Mi-17-series rotorcraft. The service has ordered four Bell AH-1Zs and eight UH-1Ys to replace them.

‘Throughout the now three-month Russian invasion of Ukraine, Western leaders organizing aid to the Ukrainian armed forces have shown a preference for sending Soviet Bloc equipment, such as RAC MiG fighters and Almaz-Antey S-300 air defense systems. The bulk of equipment operated by Ukrainian troops is Soviet-era in origin and thus requires little-to-no training time upon its receipt.

‘In contrast, it may require substantial training on Western jets and helicopters before Ukrainian operators can make effective use of them. That makes Prague’s Mi-24s the likely candidate for the attack helicopters heading to Ukraine.

‘Some Eastern European countries, including Poland, have proposed sending their stocks of Soviet-era aircraft, tanks and missiles to Ukraine, in return for those systems being replaced by modern US-made equivalents.

‘The USA itself has provided Ukraine with some $4 billion worth of equipment from its own stocks, including Mi-17s previously destined for the now-defunct Afghan air force.’

The Mil Mi-24 (NATO reporting name: Hind) first flew in 1969, and it became a feared symbol of Soviet military might during the Cold War. Since it was a mainstay of the Warsaw Pact, the Hind would have helped spearhead a Soviet military advance on Western Europe had conflict broken out.

Czechoslovakia became a user of the Mi-24 during the Cold War, and the Czech Air Force continues to operate a potent ‘Hind’ fleet, largely providing close support to soldiers on the ground.

A mixture of Mi-24V and newer Mi-35 versions, the latter being the designation applied to export variants, is currently in service with the 221st Helicopter Squadron at Náměšť nad Oslavou.

Additional source: The Royal International Air Tattoo website

Photo by: Petr Kadlec Own work via Wikipedia

‘While the RAH-66 was being perfected, the armed drone came along and did the job of the Comanche better, and cheaper,’ Damien Leimbach, former Avionics Technician at US Air Force

The Comanche was a twin-turbine, two-seat (tandem) armed reconnaissance helicopter with projected missions of armed reconnaissance, light attack, and air combat.

Boeing and Sikorsky teamed to develop and build the RAH-66 Comanche armed reconnaissance helicopter in 1991.

Designed to replace the US Army’s then-current Vietnam War-vintage scout and light attack helicopter fleet, the Comanche featured an all-composite fuselage, fully integrated digital flight controls, and advanced navigation and weapons systems. It was designed to provide U.S. forces with accurate, timely tactical intelligence.

First deliveries were scheduled for 2006, with the Comanche program reaching full production by about 2010. Plans were to manufacture 1,213 RAH-66s for US Army service. The Army canceled the program in February 2004 as a part of a reorganization of Army Aviation.

By then, the Comanche program validated several aircraft systems and components and built and flew two flight-test prototype aircraft in its demonstration, validation, and prototype phase from contract award in 1991 through 2000. The engineering and manufacturing development phase began in mid-2000. During that time, the program was slated to build and deliver 13 new Comanches for additional flight tests and US Army operational tests, evaluation, and training.

So, why did the US Army abandon the RAH-66 even though it had nearly finished the research and development phase and produced two prototypes?

‘The Comanche was envisioned as being a stealth helicopter for battlefield scouting purposes, and to take shots at targets of opportunity without them even knowing it was there,’ explains Damien Leimbach, former Avionics Technician at US Air Force (2001–2007), on Quora.

‘While it had a problematic development cycle, it probably would have worked just fine.

‘However, while it was being perfected, another product came along and did the job of the Comanche better, and cheaper.

‘The Armed Drone.

‘It goes higher, sees better, loiters FAR longer over the battlefield, can survey hundreds of times more area in one mission, is harder to spot in the air, and doesn’t risk pilots.

‘The Comanche wasn’t as good of an attack helicopter as either the Apache or Super Cobra, and wasn’t as good for low-key surveillance as the predator and other drones like it.’

Leimbach concludes;

‘Bottom line, we just didn’t need it.’

The two prototypes are now in the collection of the US Army Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker, Alabama.

Photo by: U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army