CVLSP ..... un programma nato male .....

[richelieu]

CVLSP (Common Vertical Lift Support Platform) ..... un programma nato male ..... e finito male .....

E' stato definitivamente archiviato (a quanto pare) questo ambizioso programma che avrebbe dovuto fornire all'USAF un moderno elicottero (in sostituzione degli ormai decrepiti Bell UH-1N "Twin Huey") in grado di operare nelle vaste aree del Nord America ove sono installati i missili strategici .....

AgustaWestland avrebbe dovuto parteciparvi con il suo AW139M .....

USAF Backs Off Of Nuke Support Helo Need .....

By Amy Butler
Source: AWIN First (AW&ST) - February 06, 2013

After years of general officers arguing for a more robust helicopter to provide security for nuclear missile fields in the U.S., the Air Force Global Strike Command chief says he has shelved a plan to replace aging Bell UH-1Ns for now.

With the funding crunch in Washington, Lt. Gen. James Kowalski has “no expectation of a new helicopter in the next few years.” The UH-1Ns are being used to transport security crews in support of nuclear weapons in U.S. missile silos. At issue, however, is that they carry too few people, too little weight and lack the necessary range.

Kowalski says it is a “common malady” at the Pentagon to “lack discipline of execution” on finishing projects “before we are distracted by the next shiny object.” He spoke at a Defense Writers’ Group breakfast in Washington Feb. 6.

This reprioritization is one of many examples in recent weeks of planned belt tightening at the Pentagon owing to a series of cuts offered by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the ongoing funding of operations at fiscal 2012 levels under a continuing resolution, and the threat of another budget cut if sequestration takes effect next month.

“This is the sort of shiny object discussion,” Kowalski said of a new helicopter, despite the shortcomings of the UH-1N. Two years ago, Kowalski said the Air Force was considering bypassing a competition for what was then known as the Common Vertical Lift Support Program (CVLSP), an effort to replace the missile support helicopters as well as the Hueys used for executive lift missions from Andrews AFB, Md. That plan fell flat with Congress.

Since then, however, the service has selected Sikorsky to provide a modified H-60 for the Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program, which is designed to replace aging HH-60Gs. Kowalski said his command is monitoring that program and looking at whether the missile support helo effort can “follow on” to the CRH buy.

His current focus, however, is to maintain the Hueys and incrementally improve their capability where feasible. An example would be the addition of proper night-vision-capable cockpits, which he says can be added at low cost to improve the ability to respond to an emergency on the missile field at night.

Kowalski also says that the fleet can provide more capability with little investment by allowing operators to apply lessons on battlespace awareness and information sharing that have been learned by crews supporting operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Meanwhile, Kowalski also says he is “comfortable at where we are at today … with the weapons we have currently in the pipeline” for the complicated task of destroying buried targets, such as nuclear and chemical weapons facilities in Iran and North Korea.” The premier capability for this mission is a B-2 outfitted with the Massive Ordnance Penetrator; Kowalski says inventory is sufficient and the fleet is combat ready.

Link ..... http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.asp ... 545711.xml

I precedenti .....

http://cvlsp.com/

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... nt-336643/

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx? ... fb631d85b1

http://www.agustawestland.com/news/agus ... helicopter

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... 60-353436/

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx? ... 274b76d0cf

http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx? ... 58a88766a8

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... er-354421/

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ng-355936/

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... nt-357446/

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ew-362629/

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... st-370079/

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... on-370913/

Come vedete ..... un programma molto tormentato .....

[richelieu]

... in fondo usano quegli elicotteri solo per trasporto personale o poco più ...
... gli UH-1 con qualche piccolo aggiornamento avionico e gli NVG vanno benissimo ...

Sarà un po' come fare le nozze con i fichi secchi ..... perché il ruolo svolto da quelle macchine non è, in effetti, del tutto secondario e, a quanto sembra, le relative prestazioni non sono più adeguate alle attuali necessità.
Nell'articolo si afferma infatti: "At issue, however, is that they carry too few people, too little weight and lack the necessary range."

Sia quel che sia ..... è evidente che i tempi cominciano a farsi duri anche per loro e i tagli (presenti o futuri che siano) riescono a far sanguinare anche la possente USAF .....

[richelieu]

Comunque ripeto quegli UH-1 servono per trasportare personale ai vari silos dei missili intercontinentali e altre mix di collegamento (se avete mai visto "The Day After" si vede uno di questi Huey in volo ad esempio).

Già ..... film del 1983 ..... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_After ..... trent'anni fa ..... quindi elicotteri abbastanza stagionati .....

E' anche vero che anche i nostri non sono da meno ..... vidi infatti a Parigi il 7-01 nel 1975 .....



Esiste sempre o è stato radiato ?
.

[richelieu]

Prima avevano affossato il programma (vi partecipava, fra gli altri, anche AW) e avevano detto che si sarebbero tenuti i decrepiti UH-1N Huey ..... ora ci stanno ripensando e, dopo aver considerato l'acquisto di un certo numero di obsoleti UH-60A dismessi dall' Esercito e rimodernati .....

"Air Force Considering Old Proposals For UH-1N Huey Replacement" .....
http://jamesdrewjournalist.com/air-forc ... placement/

..... trovano ora la cara, vecchia Sikorsky subito pronta ad offrire loro elicotteri nuovi .....

"Sikorsky: New M-Model Army Black Hawks Better Suited To Replace Huey" .....
http://jamesdrewjournalist.com/sikorsky ... lace-huey/

[richelieu]

Ed ora Bell fa una proposta .....

As the US Air Force pumps more money into its nuclear mission, Bell Helicopter and several other rotorcraft manufacturers are eyeing a lucrative opportunity to replace the 45-year-old UH-1N Huey fleet currently guarding America’s Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The air force plans to establish a $980 million programme to replace its aging Huey fleet, including those that shuttle top government officials around Washington, DC.
Bell says the requirements as discussed so far point to its modern UH-1Y Venom combat utility helicopter as a viable replacement option.

Fonte ..... "Bell Helicopter wants USAF to trade Huey for Huey" .....
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... ey-412807/
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[richelieu]

Ripensamento ..... ora li vogliono nuovi e ..... americani .....

AFMC to Host UH-1 Helo Replacement Industry Day .....

Brian Everstine (08/12/2015)

​Air Force Materiel Command will host an industry day later this month to solicit information on potential solutions for replacing Air Force Global Strike Command's fleet of aging UH-1N Huey helicopters, according to a government contracting notice released Aug. 10 .....
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity ... e&_cview=0
The event, planned for Aug. 26-27 at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, will provide contractors information on a forthcoming capabilities request for information that will detail requirements for the new helicopter.
The Air Force wants to buy up 72 new helicopters, which are used by security forces at AFGSC bases to respond to incidents, protect facilities, and patrol the vast Minuteman III missile fields at the command's bases, among other tasks.
The new helicopter will be an off-the-shelf, in-production aircraft, according to the industry day announcement posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website.
Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, the former commander of AFGSC, said this past January in a roundtable discussion with reporters that the service is leaning toward purchasing a modified version of UH-60 Black Hawks to replace the Hueys.
Air Force spokesman Ed Gulick told Air Force Magazine the service wants to award a contract in 2017.

Fonte ..... il 'Daily Report' dell' AFA .....
.

[richelieu]

A forza di pensarci su ..... si saranno beccati un bel mal di testa .....

The US Air Force needs $2.5 billion to replace its 62 outdated Bell UH-1N Twin Hueys and is now considering whether to sole-source a portion of that 72-aircraft requirement for security operations around its 450 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile silos.
The air force’s latest five-year budget submission funds the UH-1N replacement effort starting in 2017, but reverses last year’s “sub-optimal” plan to revive and modify retired Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawks, and instead seeks new helicopters, perhaps the latest Sikorsky UH-60M, Airbus UH-72A Lakota or Bell Helicopter UH-1Y.

Fonte ..... "USAF ditches Black Hawk revival in search for Huey replacement" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... -r-422150/
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[richelieu]

Finmeccanica (AW) ci riprova .....

Finmeccanica intends to compete for two substantial helicopter requirements for the US military, offering the 15-seat AW139 as a replacement for the US Air Force’s 62 Bell UH-1Ns, and the AW119 Koala for the US Navy's helicopter training programme, potentially replacing up to 117 Bell 206-based TH-57 Sea Rangers.
Daniele Romiti, managing director of Finmeccanica’s helicopter division, confirmed the bids of the eve of the Heli-Expo event in Louisville, Kentucky on 29 February, saying both bids would be delivered through the company’s rotorcraft plant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Fonte ..... "Finmeccanica to offer AW139 and AW119 for US military missions" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ar-422573/

Per quel che concerne la US Navy ..... non saprei dire ..... ma vengo colpito da un irrefrenabile attacco di scetticismo se guardo invece alla partecipazione a quel programma dell' USAF che, pur continuando a tirare avanti a strappi da parecchi anni, vede i suoi generaloni disposti a tutto pur di non acquistare qualcosa che non sia di stretta produzione casalinga .....
.

[richelieu]

Ancora indecisione sull' attuazione delle varie fasi del programma che prevede differenti destinazioni di impiego per i velivoli che verranno acquistati ..... ma la tendenza è .....

"Support builds for USAF to replace Hueys with Black Hawks" .....
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... ck-422971/

Ed è quello che ci si doveva aspettare .....

Vi è comunque da considerare che la parte più urgente di tale programma riguarda l'acquisto dei velivoli destinati al supporto delle basi di ICBM ..... e, dal momento che la cosa è ormai diventata un imperativo proprio per gli evidenti aspetti legati alla sicurezza, c' è da attendersi che riceverà la massima priorità .....

"Aging helicopters could make US nukes vulnerable to terrorists" .....
http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/a ... 92747.html
.

[richelieu]

Decisione imminente .....

A decision on how to replace the Vietnam-era UH-1N Huey helicopters that protect ICBM fields is “a couple of weeks away,” Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday.
“I would expect within the next couple of weeks, our acquisition executive in the Air Force, who is currently looking at acquisition strategies, will come to a conclusion and make a recommendation,” James said .....

Fonte ..... Huey Replacement Decision Coming Soon
.

[richelieu]

Aggiornamento .....

The US Air Force says it needs 41 new helicopters to help guard and escort nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles, more than 400 of which are on alert at three air force bases in America’s far north.
The service currently fields 25 UH-1N Hueys in that role, and the service has disclosed for the first time that it plans to bump that number up to 41 helicopters.
Testifying before Congress on 16 March, USAF military deputy for acquisition Lt Gen Arnold Bunch confirmed that number, which might be sole-sourced to Sikorsky for the UH-60M Black Hawk at a cost of $800-900 million.

Si sta dunque andando nella direzione di privilegiare l' acquisto diretto di un prodotto 'made in USA' argomentando sull' estrema urgenza della sostituzione degli ormai decrepiti elicotteri che supportano le basi degli ICBM ..... anche se, in ambito politico, c' è che lancia un ben preciso avvertimento .....

One congresswoman warned at the hearing on army and air force rotorcraft modernisation efforts that the air force would need to make a strong argument for skipping a competition – at the expense of potential sources like Bell Helicopter, Finmeccanica and Airbus Helicopters.

Fonte ..... USAF eyes 41 UH-60Ms for $900 million to recap patrol Hueys
.

[richelieu]

Altolà .....

Not so fast, Air Force, a dozen legislators said as the service moved towards a $2.4 billion sole-source replacement of its aging UH-1N helicopters.
The Hueys — direct descendants of the famed Vietnam-era bird — carry security teams to far-flung missile silos in an emergency, but their poor performance in counterterrorism drills has the Air Force saying it needs to bypass the normal competitive process and buy replacements in a hurry, specifically much more powerful and expensive Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks.
Wait a minute, the members of Congress counter.
The Air Force already tried the “so urgent we have to sole-source” argument, six years ago.
Congress said “no” then, the 12 signatories say, and it should say “hell no” now.

Fonte ..... "Dozen Lawmakers Object To Sole-Source UH-1N Replacement" .....
.

[richelieu]

Da 'DefenseNews' ..... ancora sull' intervento dei legislatori .....

A group of a dozen House lawmakers wrote a letter last week to House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, urging him to direct the Air Force to conduct “a fair and open competition.”
“Had the USAF held a competition when the requirement was first identified, those aircraft would be operating today,” according to the letter, from Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., and several other members.
“It is our collective view that a terrible precedent would be set if services were allowed to justify sole-source acquisitions by citing a sense of urgency due in part to a failure to properly plan and execute against known requirements. The House Armed Services Committee has been a champion for competition and it should continue to be.”

Fonte ..... "Lawmakers Protest Sole-Source Huey Replacement" .....
.

[richelieu]

Sarà dunque una competizione aperta ..... l' USAF ha deciso in tal senso (o è stata costretta a farlo) .....

The Air Force will have a “full and open competition” to replace the entire UH-1N helicopter fleet, according to a statement from the service

Fonte ..... "Normal Competition for Huey Replacement" .....

Anche qui ..... "US Air Force Will Hold Competition for Huey Replacement" .....

Ma la cosa, a quanto pare, non piace ai rappresentanti politici degli stati ove sono ospitate le basi degli ICBM attualmente servite dai vecchi elicotteri .....

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., met with Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James on Wednesday, along with Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., to discuss the decision.
Daines said the Air Force’s chosen acquisition strategy is the slowest route and that the Air Force had the option to utilize existing Black Hawk helicopters.
He said the Air Force’s rationale wasn’t clear to him.
“We have an obligation to secure our nuclear weapons at Malmstrom,” Daines stated.
“We need a strategy to secure our nuclear arsenal. The National Guard needs to be activated immediately to protect our ICBMs and work within the Air Force’s process to expedite the permanent solution.”
Daines has been pushing the Air Force to chose the most expeditious path to replace the Hueys.

Fonte ..... "AF makes decision on helicopter replacement" .....
.

[MatteF88]

Ma non possono fare come la Navy che ha bellamente sostituito gli UH-1N con gli UH-1Z ?

[richelieu]

Ma non possono fare come la Navy che ha bellamente sostituito gli UH-1N con gli UH-1Z ?

Data l' estensione delle zone ove sono di base i missili intercontinentali ..... è evidente che vogliono qualcosa di più 'sostanzioso', specialmente in fatto di capacità di carico e autonomia, di un Huey (anche se di versione recente).
L' aspirazione dell' USAF è comunque chiara ..... e si chiama Black Hawk.
Competizione aperta o no ..... sarà quello ad essere acquistato perché è 'Made in USA'.
La tendenza è, ormai da anni, inequivocabilmente quella ..... e se, andatosene Obama, dovesse essere eletto Trump presidente ..... le cose, per gli eventuali partecipanti esteri a competizioni americane, potrebbero anche andare peggio.
E lo dice uno, per quanto poco possa contare, cui la Clinton non garba affatto .....
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[richelieu]

FlightGlobal riporta la notizia e riepiloga la lunga, intricata storia dei ripetuti tentativi di sostituire gli ormai obsoleti Huey .....

"USAF abandons sole-source UH-60M Black Hawk plan" .....

[richelieu]

Senatori che hanno fretta ..... scrivono ..... Dear Secretary Carter .....

A group of senators is asking the Pentagon to lay out a plan to replace the helicopters that protect the ICBM fields.
Nine lawmakers, led by Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) sent a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter, expressing “serious concerns” about the lack of an “appropriate and timely path” to replace the UH-1N Huey fleet.

Fonte ..... "Congress Asks DOD for Plan to Protect ICBM Sites" .....
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[richelieu]

Qualcosa si muove .....

The US Air Force is pressing reset on the Bell Helicopter UH-1N helicopter replacement programme with a new request for information slated for late next week.
The USAF anticipates releasing the RFI and a draft system requirements document on 9 September, according to a 31 August notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website.
The service will also announce an upcoming industry day.
The long-delayed recapitalisation programme will replace the USAF’s inventory of 62 Vietnam-era UH-1N Huey helicopters that support the service’s nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile bases in Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.

Fonte ..... "USAF plans to release new RFI for Huey replacement" .....

Federal Business Opportunities ..... "UH-1N Huey Replacement Program" .....
.

[richelieu]

Vorrebbero che le consegne iniziassero nel 2019 .....

​The Air Force is looking to buy up to 84 new helicopters to replace the UH-1N fleet that protects ICBM fields, according to a recent announcement.
The service wants off-the-shelf replacements that could start being delivered less than a year after the contract is expected to be awarded in Fiscal 2018, according to the request for information.

Fonte ..... "USAF Looks for UH-1N Replacement Deliveries in 2019" .....
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[richelieu]

Il commento di DefenseNews ..... "Air Force gets ball rolling on UH-1N Huey replacement" .....

[richelieu]

Jane's ..... (300 of 337 words) ..... "USAF issues RfI for Huey replacement" .....

[richelieu]

I nuovi elicotteri dovranno essere in grado di trasportare più uomini equipaggiati rispetto ai vecchi UH-1N .....

The Air Force is considering a requirement that a replacement for the UH-1N Huey helicopter fleet must carry more troops than the current design, according to the service’s top nuclear official – a requirement that could give a big boost to one particular industry bidder.
Gen. Robin Rand, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, told reporters Monday at the annual Air Force Association conference here that he wants a Huey replacement that “can carry more people, go further and get there faster than what we’re currently able to do.”
Asked specifically if the new aircraft would be able to carry more than nine security force personnel when equipped, Rand was evasive, but indicated that was something being heavily weighed.
“The new helicopter will be able to carry more people than we can actually carry now. I’m not going to tell you what the requirement is,” Rand added.
“The new helicopter [will] carry more people on it than what we can carry on the UH-1N.”

Comunque la si giri ..... questa è una competizione puramente di facciata ..... in quanto, come è noto, le simpatie dell' USAF sono sempre state indirizzate verso una versione del Black Hawk ... e se la si è indetta è stato soltanto per compiacere i desiderata del Congresso .....

Initially, the Air Force was considering a sole-source selection of Sikorsky’s Black Hawk design for the requirement. However, that plan triggered complaints from Congress, after which the service declared it would hold a “full and open” competition.
But if the size requirement does indeed require fitting more than nine security troops, it largely eliminates potential challengers and leaves the Black Hawk the clear winner, said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Teal Group.

Fonte ..... "Air Force Huey Replacement Could Carry More Troops" .....
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[richelieu]

Il commento di FlightGlobal .....

"Air force requirement could narrow down Huey competition" .....

[richelieu]

Quello della sostituzione degli UH-1N è uno degli argomenti più dibattuti nella conferenza ASC16 dell' AFA .....

New ICBM Support Helo RFP In November ..... JOHN A. TIRPAK - 9/22/2016

A request for proposals for a replacement of Global Strike Command’s aged UH-1N nuclear support helicopter force will be out in November, Air Force acquisition chief Darlene Costello told reporters at ASC16.
“We’re going to see how much we can accelerate it,” she said, given that GSC’s need is urgent.
An in-service date of 2021 is the goal, and industry has said that it can have test assets to the Air Force in 2019, Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, Costello’s deputy, added.
“The requirement is for nine” security personnel to be carried aboard the aircraft, he said.
The program will be a “full and open competition,” Costello said, and Bunch noted that while the buy objective is still in discussion, the number USAF seems to be settling on is 84 aircraft, of which 41 would be for the ICBM security mission.
The 84 number includes allowing for a number of aircraft to be in depot, and for attrition.
Fleet sizes “lower than 70-something” have been discussed, he added.​

.

[richelieu]

NOVE ..... e non di più .....
Se non si trovano d' accordo neanche fra di loro .....

Despite an earlier statement from head of the US Air Force Global Strike Command, a top service acquisition official clarified today that the Bell Helicopters UH-1N replacement helicopter will be required to carry nine fully-equipped combat troops.
The news comes after Gen Robin Rand said on 19 September that the USAF was seeking a replacement helicopter that could carry more troops than the legacy Huey.

Fonte ..... "USAF acquisition chief clarifies Huey troop requirement" .....
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[richelieu]

Presentata bozza di RFP .....

The US Air Force has released a draft request for proposals to replace its UH-1N Hueys, calling for a full and open to procure up to 84 helicopters.
Three months after the USAF reset the Huey replacement programme with a new request for information released in September, the service is forging ahead with its first draft RFP.
----- ----- ----- ----- -----
The competition is likely to invite at least four bids — UH-60M, Airbus UH-72A Lakotas, Leonardo AW139 and Bell Helicopter UH-1Y.

Fonte ..... "US Air Force releases draft Huey replacement RFP" .....

Anche su DefenseNews .....
"Air Force Retains Requirement to Carry 9 Troops in Draft RFP for Huey Replacement" .....

Leggete gli articoli e provate a indovinare chi vincerà .....
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[richelieu]

Secondo il Daily Report dell' AFA .....

"USAF Releases Draft RFP for Huey Replacement" .....

Da quanto riportato nel testo .....

The service previously held an industry day in September, with representatives from Bell Helicopter, Airbus, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Sikorsky, and GE Aviation, among others, attending.

..... sembrerebbe che Leonardo-AW non abbia partecipato al precedente 'industry day' .....

Taluni commentatori d' oltreoceano sostengono che l' elicottero che l' azienza intende proporre (AW149) non sarebbe pienamente adeguato al ruolo.
A parte il fatto che, non essendo stata ancora rilasciata una RFP, l' intera questione rimane indefinita .....
.

[richelieu]

Gli elicotteri commerciali proposti non vanno bene .....

The US Air Force has delayed the release of its final request for proposal to recapitalise its fleet of UH-1N Huey helicopters, after contractors told the service their off-the-shelf solutions would not meet all of the proposed requirements.
The USAF had slated the final RFP for this month, but has pushed its release to this summer.
The service also delayed the release of its second draft RFP to April 2017, according to a 16 February USAF statement.
The service still plans to award a contract in fiscal 2018 that would deliver the first operational helicopter in fiscal 2020.

Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "Commercial helicopters unable to meet Huey recapitalisation requirements" .....

Anche su Defensenews ..... "Industry offers come up short in Air Force's Huey replacement program" .....

E si ..... è un programma nato proprio sotto una cattiva stella .....
.

[richelieu]

Sikorsky propone il modello HH-60U .....

With the US Air Force’s UH-1N recapitalisation programme heating up, Sikorsky announced its plans to bid the HH-60U Black Hawk for the Huey replacement.
Sikorsky and its parent company, Lockheed Martin, would add 84 HH-60Us to the USAF’s existing inventory of three U-model Black Hawks, according to a 28 February Sikorsky press release.
“The Air Force previously assigned the HH-60U designation to three UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft, adding among other modifications an electro-optical sensor and a rescue hoist,” the release states.
“Air Force pilots and special mission aviators began flying the HH-60U in 2011.”

Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "Sikorsky pitches HH-60Us to replace USAF Hueys" .....
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[richelieu]

Sorpresa !!!!!

..... "Boeing Launches Proven, Affordable MH-139 in U.S. Air Force Helicopter Competition" .....

[richelieu]

Sorpresa !!!!!

..... "Boeing Launches Proven, Affordable MH-139 in U.S. Air Force Helicopter Competition" .....

E' uscito ora anche il comunicato di Leonardo-AW .....

..... "BOEING SCEGLIE GLI ELICOTTERI DI LEONARDO PER LA GARA DA 84 UNITÀ PER LA U.S. AIR FORCE: PRESENTATO A ORLANDO L'MH-139 BASATO SULL'AW139" .....

DefenseNews ..... "Boeing and Leonardo debut the MH-139, their bid for the Huey replacement" .....

E FlightGlobal racconta di un problema che si è presentato poco prima di una dimostrazione per la stampa .....

..... "AW139 bid for Huey replacement kicks off with a glitch" .....
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[richelieu]

Ancora a proposito dell' offerta di LM-Sikorsky .....

Lockheed Pitches HH-60U ‘Ghost Hawk’ As Huey Replacement .....

James Drew - Aerospace Daily & Defense Report (AW&ST) - March 1, 2017

Lockheed Martin has unveiled a surprise play for the U.S. Air Force’s UH-1N Huey Replacement program, offering the secretive Sikorsky HH-60U “Ghost Hawk,” which the service has been flying since 2011 for special search-and-rescue missions.
Lockheed Martin, which bought Sikorsky in 2015, has previously discussed the UH-60M as a replacement for the 1970-vintage UH-1N, touting it as a relatively low-cost, off-the-shelf model already in production for the U.S. Army.
But in a Feb. 28 statement, Lockheed says it will offer the U-model, a highly-modified version of the UH-60M.
The HH-60U is an attractive offer, since the Air Force already owns three aircraft and it is 85% common with the in-development UH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter.
Called the “Ghost Hawk” or “Jedi rides” by observers, the U-model has been spotted flying toward Groom Lake, Nevada, equipped with an electro-optical sensor turret and electrical rescue hoist.
It appears to have entered service in 2010 or 2011, and is used for high-risk search-and-rescue missions, flown by regular and special mission aviators.
If selected, the HH-60U would perform all of the missions currently assigned to the “Twin Huey.”
That includes patrolling the Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missile fields as the service transitions from the Minuteman III to the new Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent ICBM, and providing general transport to government officials around Washington, or evacuating them in a crisis such as nuclear war.
Assigned to Air Force Global Strike Command, the UH-1N does not have the range, speed or carrying capacity required for the missions it is assigned and is aging out.
The service previously tried to replace the Huey through the Common Vertical Lift Support Platform program, which was canceled in 2013 due to funding constraints.
The acquisition program re-emerged as the “Huey Replacement,” seeking 84 aircraft for all missions.
Last year the service was considering buying UH-60M Black Hawks directly off the hot Army production line to satisfy the ICBM security mission.
But instead it opted for a full-and-open competition for a single fleet since there are viable alternatives on the market.
It also received pressure from Congress.
Commonality is going to be Lockheed’s cry throughout the pending competition.
The service has operated the Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk since 1982 for combat search-and-rescue missions, and is now replacing those with 112 HH-60Ws that will enter service in 2019.
“Sikorsky’s HH-60U Black Hawk offers a proven, capable helicopter that is already in the Air Force’s inventory to meet the critical needs of the UH-1N Huey Replacement program,” says Samir Mehta, head of Sikorsky Defense Systems & Services.
“It is a low-risk solution that will enable the service to support two vital national defense missions while realizing the long-term cost savings of the Black Hawk platform.”
The company will likely face competition from Bell Helicopter, which could offer a modified version of the U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom.
Boeing could partner with Leonardo to offer the AW139, already made in Philadelphia.
Airbus has previously touted the Army UH-72A Lakota, but it is too small to meet the carrying requirement.
The Air Force wants an aircraft that can carry nine fully-loaded personnel for field security around the 450 missile silos and eight passengers for the so-called “continuity of government” mission at Andrews AFB, Maryland.
The Air Force wanted to launch the competition in February, but delayed the request for proposals release to give time to update its acquisition strategy.
It is adding a small pre-Milestone C development phase to allow time for helicopter modifications and integration of mission-specific equipment.
The requirement increased from 72 helicopters to 84 in December.
The service will release another draft RFP in April, with the final version expected this summer.
A contract will be awarded in fiscal 2018, and delivery of the first operational helicopter is due by fiscal 2021 or 2022.

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AINonline fa il punto .....

..... "Contractors Ready Offers for U.S. Air Force Huey Replacement" .....

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I meriti del '139' ..... secondo i dirigenti di Boeing .....

‘The Huey replacement is of vital importance to the Air Force, and the MH-139 is the right solution for those missions’, said Judy Fedder, director of Global Sales & Marketing, Boeing Integrated Logistics.
‘The fact that the AW139 is being built today on an active production line will speed it to meet the time-critical demand following the competition.’
‘This Northeast Philadelphia-built aircraft is sized to meet US Air Force requirements and offers more than $1 billion in acquisition and lifecycle expense savings over 30 years when compared to competitor aircraft’, added David Koopersmith, vice president and general manager, Boeing Vertical Lift.

Fonte: COMBAT AIRCRAFT ..... "HH-60U and MH-139 compete for ‘Huey’ replacement" .....
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