Vertical jacks (literally) of all trades.

The risks in moving personnel and supplies by means of road vehicles in environments such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan have underlined the importance of utility helicopters. To be effective in such scenarios, these aircraft need hot/high airfield performance, substantial payload capability and a full range of defensive countermeasures. Manufacturers are responding to developing demands by upgrading existing helicopters and by projecting a new generation that will bring a range of technological advances.

The carriage of substantial payloads suggests helicopters with gross weights of at least four tonnes; hence this present discussion excludes light utility helicopters such as the Agusta-Westland A109 series and the Eurocopter AS555 Fennec and EC635. The classic utility helicopter is the Bell UH-1 'Huey', the first of which flew in 1956. Over 16,000 examples were built and approximately 5000 are still in use today in more than 40 countries. Some Hueys have achieved an incredible 30,000 flight hours. The original UH-1A had a gross weight of only 2.63 tonnes, but over time the Huey has progressed (by means of increased power and improved rotors) into the medium-sized utility category.

Most significantly, the US Marine Corps is to acquire 100 Bell UH-1Ys, with a pair of 1363 kW (contingency rating) General Electric T700-GE-401C engines, four-blade rotors, new transmissions, a semi-automatic blade-fold facility on the main rotor, a crashworthy fuel system and a 'glass' cockpit. Compared to the Corps' standard UH-1N with a 1342 kW Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3 Twin Pac (US military designation T400), the UH-1Y has twice the power and twice as many rotor blades to absorb it. Gross weight is increased from the 4.763 to 8.39 tonnes, and maximum cruise speed is up from 204 to 293 km/hr. The UH-1Y also provides 85 per cent commonality with the upgraded AH-1Z attack helicopter.

The plan was for all 100 UH-1Ys to be produced by converting UH-1Ns, but it has been decided that the small financial saving (relative to new-build) is outweighed by the fact that aircraft chosen for conversion will be out of action for two years, thus substantially reducing the number available in the front line. In consequence, only twelve UH-1Ns will be converted and the remaining 88 will be new-build. Reopening the Huey line, which was closed in 1976, will clearly make it easier for Bell to market the UH-1Y to overseas customers.

Two UH-1Y test vehicles are currently being flown and in June 2005 they are scheduled to go for operational evaluation at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Air Facility in California. The first low-rate initial production remanufactured UH-1Y is due to fly in the first quarter of 2006, and the first delivery is scheduled for May 2006. Initial operational capability is planned for March 2008. In the meantime, Bell was awarded a $104 million modification contract for a second low-rate production batch.

The US Army has even larger numbers of Hueys (around 380 UH-1Hs in service and 250 in storage), of which 114 have been allocated to Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programmes, 40 are being handed over to the US Air Force for aircrew training, and 380 are currently being retained in case they are needed for the Army's new Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) programme, a decision on which is due in August 2005.

Some UH-1H operators will prefer a relatively low-cost upgrade, rather than the massive advance provided by the UH-1Y. Bell's 'Huey II' has a 1342 kW Honeywell T53-L-703 engine, giving a maximum take-off weight of 4.76 tonnes, or up to 5.08 tonnes with external load. The performance improvement is especially marked under hot and high conditions, and the Huey II has proved particularly useful in patrolling the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan and in counter-drug operations in the mountains of Colombia. The tail-boom and dynamic systems are those of the Bell 212, more than doubling the TBO (time-between-overhauls). The company estimates a 42 per cent reduction in direct operating costs. More than 100 Huey II upgrades have so far been carried out, primarily for law-enforcement agencies, although the US Air Force ordered 24 upgrades in February 2005. The refurbished Hueys (to be delivered over four years) will be used for pilot training.

The Huey 703 represents a more limited upgrading of the UH-1H by Global Helicopter Technology and Airwork, under which the 1044 kW T53-L-13B engine is modified to provide -703 performance, giving around 30 per cent more power under hot/high conditions. The helicopter is fitted with a tractor tail rotor and modifications to improve directional handling.

The Bell 210 medium utility helicopter, which first flew in the form of a remanufactured UH-1H on December 18, 2004, is basically a Huey II with some changes to suit civil certification. It has an FAA-certified 1342 kW Honeywell T5317B engine, different actuators, nose assembly modifications and a new electrical system. Although aimed primarily at commercial operators, the Bell 210 has attracted US Army interest in the context of its new LUH requirement. Flyaway cost to civil operators is expected to be around three million US dollars.

Several other Huey upgrades have been proposed, taking advantage of powerful engines such as the 1165 kW LHTEC T800-LHT-801 developed for the now-defunct RAH-66 Comanche, and the 1252 kW P & WC PT6C-67D used in the AB139.

The Bell/Agusta Aerospace (Baac) AB139, although aimed largely at civil operators, may also be regarded as a Huey replacement. Initially developed by Agusta as the A139, it became the AB139 in 1998, when Bell joined the programme and Baac was formed. The AB139 is a twin-engined six-tonne aircraft with a five-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor. Other features include a stealthy hexagonal-section fuselage, a retractable landing gear and (on the military version) high-mounted external stores to maximise the field of fire of its internally mounted, side-firing machine guns. It first flew in February 2001. Deliveries began in 2003, and customers include the US Coast Guard and the United Arab Emirates Air Force.

In Australia AgustaWestland has recently proposed a new 6.8-tonne helicopter, the A149, which would use AB139 technology, but would have a new fuselage and transmission. This project targets operators of the Huey and the 5.4-tonne, four-blade Bell 412, which has a 1342 kW P&WC PT6D-3D Twin Pac. Over 600 Bell 412s have been produced in Canada and under licence by Agusta and Indonesian Aerospace. Recent orders have included a total of 44 Bell 412TPs and Agusta-built AB412TPs for the Royal Saudi Air Force.

Before leaving developments in the Bell series, it is relevant to note that Honeywell has recently launched a new engine family, the 690 kW HTS900 derived from the LTS101, and the 745 kW HTS1000. The HTS900 has been selected for the relatively light Bell 407, but either of these power-plants could be used in twin-engined medium-sized utility helicopters.

The aircraft selected by the US Army to replace the Bell Huey was the twin-engined Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, which can carry eleven troops and first flew in 1974. The current production model is the UH-60L with 1410 kW T700-GE-701C engines and rotor blades of new design, giving a gross weight of ten tonnes. In September 2003 the UH-60M flew with-701D engines, providing 1490 kW and twice the hot end life. The US Army plans to standardise all Black Hawks (and Apaches) on the T700-GE-701D. The service has also decided to buy new-build UH-60Ms, rather than having its fleet of around 1500 UH-60A/Ls remanufactured. There have been references to a replacement for the H-60 being introduced from around 2020 in the form of the Joint Multirole Helicopter, which may be used in parallel with unmanned utility air vehicles.

The current US Navy equivalents of the Black Hawk are the multi-mission MH-60R Seahawk and MH-60S Knighthawk, of which 243 and 237 respectively are required. The MH-60R is in low-rate production, while the MH-60S entered service in 2002 and was used in Iraq. The navalised engines are designated T700-GE-401C and produce 1268 kW.

Derived from the H-60 series, the 12.837-tonne Sikorsky H-92 Superhawk has two 1879 kW General Electric CT7-8A engines, and a much larger cabin that accommodates up to 22 troops. It has been adopted as the CC-148 Cyclone for the Canadian Forces' Maritime Helicopter Programme, with 28 aircraft required to replace the Sea King.

The upper end of the current Sikorsky range is represented by the 33.340-tonne CH-53E/MH-53E, powered by three 3266 kW General Electric T64-GE-416 engines. Some 226 were built for the US Navy and Marine Corps. Sikorsky is developing an installation kit for the uprated 3542 kW T64-GE-419 engine. In December 2004 the company received a risk-reduction contract for an improved CH-53, originally referred to as the CH53X and more recently as the Heavy Lift Rotorcraft (HLR). This is required to carry an external load of at least 12.25 tonnes (and ideally 13.6 tonnes) for at least 200 km. The corresponding payload for today's CH-53E is 5.45 tonnes. The engines under study include the 4585 kW Rolls-Royce AE1107 from the V-22. Sikorsky anticipates building 154 HLRs for delivery from around 2012.

In the longer term, the US Marine Corps would like to carry a minimum payload of 18.1 tonnes (and ideally 22.7 tonnes) for 800 km, implying an aircraft in the 70-tonne class. Bell is studying the QuadTiltRotor (QTR), while Sikorsky is reportedly working on a coaxial rotor design, Lockheed Martin has a fan-in-wing project, and the Boeing approach has not been made public.

The Boeing CH-47 Chinook first flew in 1961 and saw service in the Vietnam War. The last of 481 for the US Army was delivered in 1995, but production continued for export. The US Army currently has around 463, and this number is to grow to 513 under plans for the 22.68-tonne CH47F and the corresponding Special Operations Command MH-47G. Both versions have 3630 kW Honeywell T55-L-714A engines, a new digital cockpit and airframe modifications to reduce vibrations and shorten the time taken to dissemble the aircraft for deployment in a C-17 or C-5. It is planned that 397 CH-47Ds will be converted to -47F standard, and that 55 CH-47Fs will be new-built. Special Operations' eleven MH-47Ds and 23 MH-47Es will be upgraded to MH-47Gs, with new-build aircraft bringing the total to at least 58 (of 61 planned). Britain is interested in the idea of a Chinook with folding rotors for its Support Amphibious and Battlefield Rotorcraft (Sabr), which will replace the Puma and Sea King Mk 4. Around 70 aircraft are required; these are to enter service early in the next decade.

The most technologically advanced of America's rotary-wing aircraft is the 24-tonne tilt-rotor Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, which is powered by two 4585 kW Rolls-Royce T406-AD-400 engines and made its first flight in March 1989. Test flying was halted for 18 months following two fatal accidents in 2000, but measures have been taken to eliminate the 'vortex ring state' (VRS) problem, and the Pentagon is now set to buy 458 V-22s, subject to satisfactory operational evaluation and a reduction in production cost. The domestic total will consist of 360 MV-22s for the US Marine Corps, 50 CV-22s for the US Air Force Special Operations Command (Afsoc), and 48 modified MV-22s for the US Navy (originally designated HV-22s). Navy procurement is delayed until at least 2010. Initial operational capability for the MV-22 is scheduled for 2008, followed by the CV-22 in late 2009. It is planned to buy a total of 152 MV/CV-22s by FY2011. The provision of gun armament has not yet been finalised, and there may still be concern over the effects of high disc loading in operations from unprepared surfaces and when hovering over water.

On the subject of tilt-rotor aircraft, the much lighter (7.62-tonne) Bell/Agusta Aerospace BA609, which first flew in late 2001, is being marketed as a nine-passenger executive transport, but may yet find military application.

Europe

The long and demanding Vietnam War left America with a head start in many categories of military equipment, including utility helicopters. However, Europe produces a range that has competed successfully in the medium-weight category and is now being expanded into the heavy utility category, as evidenced by America's adoption of the AgustaWestland EH101 as the basis for the Lockheed Martin US101, recently chosen for the VXX Marine Corps One presidential transport.

At the lower end of the scale, the 4.5-tonne Eurocopter Panther (a military Dauphin) is marketed as the AS.565UB transport and as the AS.565MB in navalised form. The latest member of the Panther/Dauphin family is the five-tonne EC.655, with a considerably enlarged cabin and a five-blade main rotor.

To fill the gap between the Panther and the much heavier Cougar (and compete with the AB 139) Eurocopter is reportedly talking with China's AVIC II consortium about a new design in the 6.5 to 10-tonne class. Under the Eurocopter designation system this is referred to as the EC.175, the '1' indicating civil, the '7' a gross weight in the seven tonnes region and '5' meaning twin-engined. A military version would presumably be dubbed EC.675.

Eurocopter's nine-tonne AS.532AL Cougar Mk 1 (formerly Super Puma) was followed by the 9.75-tonne AS.532A2 Cougar Mk 2, which can accommodate 25 commandos and has armament provisions. The naval equivalent is the AS.532SC. The Mk 2 has now been superseded by the 11.2-tonne EC.725 (previously Cougar Mk 2+), which has more powerful Turbomeca Makila engines and a five-blade rotor. It can accommodate up to 29 troops. The EC.725 has been adopted by the French Air Force for combat search and rescue duties. Deliveries began in 2004. Approximately 550 members of the Cougar family are now in service in 96 countries.

The Cougar has thus grown to rival the all-new NH Industries NH90, which has two 1735 kW Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322s or 1864 kW General Electric T700/T6Es, allowing a maximum weight of 10.6 tonnes. It is being built in two basic versions: the TFH tactical transport with rear loading ramp, and the navalised NFH. 62.5 per cent of the company is owned by Eads, 32 per cent by AgustaWestland and the Netherlands' Stork holds 5.5.

In 2000 the first production contract was signed for NH90s for France (27 aircraft), Germany (80 plus 54 optioned), Italy (116 plus one), the Netherlands (20) and Portugal (ten). These countries have a combined long-tern requirement for 605 NH90s. In 2001 Finland (20), Norway (14 plus ten) and Sweden (18 plus seven) announced the NH90 to be the winner of the tripartite Nordic Helicopter competition. In September 2003 Greece joined the list (20 with 14 optioned), followed in July 2004 by Oman (20), bringing the firm order total to 345 for ten nations, with options on a further 86 aircraft. In August 2004 the Australian Army confirmed that a contract for twelve 'MRH90s' would be negotiated to meet its Project 9000 Phase 2/4 requirement.

In May 2004 the first production NH90 (for the German Army) had its maiden flight. A dedicated combat search and rescue version with flight refuelling probe, Link 16 datalink and air-to-air missiles for self-defence is expected to be announced shortly. Northrop Grumman is to team with Eurocopter in promoting the NH90 as the US Air Force Personnel Recovery Vehicle (PRV) to replace the Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk. That service is to buy at least 66 PRVs (possibly including 66 more later), with service entry in 2010.

In the United Kingdom the NH90 was being offered to meet the Battlefield LUH (BLUH) requirement to replace the British Army Lynx, and the Royal Navy's Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR) to replace the shipborne Lynx. In both contexts the NH90 was to compete against the AgustaWestland 'Future Lynx'. However, the British Ministry of Defence announced in late March 2005 that it had selected the Future Lynx as "its preferred option" for this programme, which is estimated at $1 billion. The Future Lynx (whatever its name will eventually be when it becomes "current") is based on the current export Super Lynx 300, which has 1015 kW LHTEC CTS800-4N engines and a gross weight of 5.33 tonnes. Although it remains very similar in appearance to the current type, it features a "facetted" tail boom and nose

Our title picture (courtesy of NHI) shows the latest tall cabin NH90 variant during its maiden flight on 18 March 2005 at Marignane. As it so happens, it was also the fourth production NH90 to take to the air. The tall cabin was specified from the outset by Swedish Armed Forces and provides an extra 24 cm headroom (to 182 cm) and better accommodation for on-board operations as in search-and-rescue missions. Sweden has ordered a total of 18, of which 13 are earmarked for tactical troop transport and search-and-rescue operations, while the remaining five will be used for anti-submarine warfare duties.

At the upper end of the current European range, the three-engined Agusta Westland International EH101 is now marketed with a gross weight of 15.6 tonnes and a choice of powerplants, notably the 1600 kW General Electric T700-T6A1 and the 1688 kW Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322. It can accommodate 30 fully armed troops or five tonnes of cargo. The EH101 first flew in October 1987 and production deliveries began in 1997. Sales now stand at 146 aircraft for eight customers: 22 for Britain's RAF and 44 for the Royal Navy (both types designated Merlin), 24 for the Italian Navy, 15 for the Canadian Forces (the CH-149 Cormorant), 14 for the Japan Defense Agency, one for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, twelve for the Portuguese Air Force and 14 for the Danish Air Force.

In January 2005 it was announced that the Lockheed Martin US101, based on the EH101, had been selected as the VXX presidential transport, with 23 aircraft to be delivered between 2009 and 2014. The US101 is to be powered by 1864 kW General Electric CT7-8E engines. The VXX win must enhance the possibility of the US101 also being adopted as the US Air Force PRV (mentioned earlier in the NH90 context). In Britain, the EH101 will be offered to meet the Sabr requirement, referred to in the Chinook context.

Gracing the top of the West European spectrum, in May 2004 Eurocopter announced that it had begun studies of a 40 tonne Heavy Transport Helicopter (HTH) with three engines in the 5000 kW class, to replace the German Army's 95-strong force of Sikorsky CH-53Gs. The HTH will be large enough to accommodate 70 troops, and could well eventuate as a collaborative venture with the United States.

Rest of the World

India is expanding militarily, and its industry is steadily advancing in capability. The Hindustan Aeronautics Dhruv is a 5.5-tonne helicopter with two 768 kW Turbomeca TM333 engines. It first flew in 1992 and deliveries to the Indian armed forces began in 2002. Some 110 are planned for the Indian Army, 150 for the Air Force, and 40 in a combined batch for the Navy and Coast Guard. Nepal is receiving three. In a joint venture with Israel Aircraft Industries, the Dhruv is offered for export with a Lahav avionics package, featuring a glass cockpit and Doppler/GPS navigation.

Russia had no direct equivalent of the Huey. The only new project in this weight category is the 6.5-tonne Kamov Ka-60 Kasatka, which is powered by two 1120 kW Rybinsk RD-600V engines, and first flew in December 1998. Some 300 Ka-60s are required by Russia to replace the Mil Mi-8, but progress is delayed by funding problems.

Russia has tended to use heavier utility helicopters, notably the highly successful, 13-tonne Mil Mi-8/17 series, of which over 11,000 have so far been produced. The Mi-8 first flew in 1961, and the more powerful Mi-17 in 1975. Rosoboronexport still offers the Mi-8AMTSh and the Mi-17-1V, both with heavy armament provisions. The latter aircraft is powered by two 1417 kW Klimov TV3-117BM engines and can accommodate 30 airborne troops. Kazan Helicopters is currently producing the Mi-17-V1 and the Mi-17-V5, which provides improved hot/high performance by virtue of its 1800 kW Klimov VK-2500 engines. Reports refer to a future production standard designated Mi-17-V7, using a main rotor from the Mi-38 and the tail rotor from the Mi-28 attack helicopter. The -V7 will have an extra tonne of payload and a 20-km/hr faster cruise speed.

The 15.6-tonne Mi-38 was developed in co-operation with Eurocopter (which has since withdrawn due to Russian legislation changes) and first flew in December 2003, powered by two 2460 kW P&WC PW127T/S engines. A second prototype is due to fly before the end of 2005. Production Mi-38s will have new Klimov VK-3000 engines.

The naval equivalent of the Mi-17, using similar engines, is the 11.5-tonne Kamov Ka-29. The smaller diameter of Kamov's coaxial rotors offers advantages in operating from shipboard helipads or forest clearings, but the series has not been produced in large numbers.

50 Years Ago

On 12 March 1955 this Alouette II (Liron photo Collection) had its maiden flight in the hands of Jean Boulet--and made history. The helicopter was literally built around its engine--an Artouste II--and was to be the first of a breed that eventually led to the current Eurocopter family of rotary-wing aircraft. Always with its trustworthy test pilot Boulet, the machine set a number of records, including that of highest class-altitude by reaching 8209 metres on 6 June, beating the previous record held by a Sikorsky S-59 (which had the same engine) in the process. Apart from still holding the climb speed record to 9000 metres in 17 minutes and 44 seconds the Alouette II is also the first helicopter ever to carry out a rescue operation at an altitude of more than 4000 metres.

from Eric H. Biass