Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane fires commemorative shot near Fort Sumter​

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane fired a commemorative shot Thursday to honor the 158th anniversary of its namesake’s action near Fort Sumter.

On April 11, 1861, United States Revenue Cutter Harriet Lane made history by firing the first naval shot of the Civil War. Cutter Lane fired across the bow of the merchant steamship Nashville. Nashville was attempting to enter Charleston Harbor without displaying a flag indicating its nationality. Congress merged the Revenue Cutter Service with the United States Lifesaving Service in 1915 to form today’s United States Coast Guard.

The crew of the​ Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane​ sails past​ Fort Sumter​ near Charleston, South Carolina, May 30, 2019. Harriet Lane's crew fired a blank round in order to honor the​ 158th anniversary​ of when its predecessor​ of the same name fired the first naval shots of the Civil War. Coast Guard Auxiliary photo by John Swink.

The cutter Harriet Lane, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter, is returning to its homeport of Portsmouth, Virginia after conducting a successful 80-day counter-narcotics patrol of the Caribbean Sea. The cutter saved the lives of two mariners in distress, conducted several boardings on the high seas, and seized 2,069 pounds of cocaine valued at $27 million.

-USCG-

Coast Guard rescues 2 from capsized sailboat, 65 miles east of New Jersey

MH-65 Dolphin, U.S. Coast Guard photo by crew of CGC Willow (archive).

The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Lawrence Lawson, a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in Cape May, New Jersey, approaches a capsized 55-foot wooden sailboat about 65 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey, May 29, 2019. An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, rescued two mariners, who they found clinging to the capsized boat’s hull. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy, Cutter Lawrence Lawson).

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Coast Guard crews rescued a man and woman from a capsized sailboat about 65 miles east of Atlantic City late Wednesday night.

The Coast Guard’s Fifth District Command Center in Portsmouth, Virginia, was notified of the vessel’s distress after receiving an alert from the crew’s Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon.

Watchstanders called the emergency contact registered with the EPIRB, who said the mariners have been sailing around the world for the past few years on the 55-foot wooden-hull sailboat, Bertie, and the last leg of the trip had been from the Bahamas to New York City.

The vessel was outside of range for VHF and cell reception, so watchstanders directed the Coast Guard Cutter Lawrence Lawson, an Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and an Air Station Elizabeth City HC-130 Hercules airplane crew to the EPIRB’s location, where the sailboat was found capsized.

“When our helicopter arrived on-scene, the crew followed a blinking strobe light and discovered a man and a woman clinging to the hull of their capsized sailboat," said Lt. Tyler Bittner, the operations duty officer in Atlantic City.

Both mariners were hoisted aboard the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and brought back to Air Station Atlantic City, where they were met by awaiting EMS.

The Coast Guard Cutter Lawrence Lawson remained on scene to mark the sailboat and attempt to recover the EPIRB.

"This was an extremely challenging hoist due to on-scene conditions, but the entire crew came together to work as a team to get the job done," said Lt. Anthony Monteforte, one of the helicopter pilots on the case. "I am extremely proud of my crew and all of the other assets that aided in this rescue and thankful that the survivors onboard used a currently registered EPIRB so that we could quickly locate them."

HC-130 Hercules, U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Corinne Zilnicki (archive).

Cutter Lawrence Lawson, U.S. Coast Guard photo by Eric D. Woodall (archive).

-USCG-

Viking Plans World Demonstration Tour for Guardian 400 Twin Otter Special Missions Variant

Ottawa, Ontario, May 29th, 2019: Today during the CANSEC Defence & Security show, Viking Air Limited of Victoria, British Columbia has announced its plans to hold a world demonstration tour for its Guardian 400 aircraft, the special missions variant of the Viking Series 400 Twin Otter. The world tour will include detailed briefings and demonstration flights in Europe, Africa, Middle East, India, South East Asia, Oceania, and North America.

Artistic rendering of the Guardian 400 Technical Demonstrator aircraft, featuring R/H SCAR pod with Hensoldt Argos EO/IR imaging turret, L/H SCAR pod with Leonardo Osprey Radar System and Sentient Vidar Camera system, Airborne Technologies’ tactical workstation, Viking conformal bubble windows, IKHANA L/H & R/H wing-mounted hard points, Thunder Bay Aviation stretcher racks, and aft lavatory.

For the past six months, a production Series 400 Twin Otter has been undergoing modifications to transform into Viking’s Guardian 400 demonstrator aircraft for the proposed world tour. It will feature a right-hand SCAR pod with Hensoldt Argos EO/IR imaging turret, multi-spectral HDTV camera, mega-pixel HD Thermal imager, laser range finder, multi-mode auto tracker, and Remote Image Bus (RIB) video feed for display on the cockpit MFD or crew workstation. The demonstrator will also feature a left-hand SCAR pod with Leonardo Osprey Radar System and Sentient Vidar Camera system.

In addition to its mission sensor package, the Guardian 400 prototype will be equipped with an Airborne Technologies’ tactical workstation with high-definition touchscreen monitors, data/voice/video recorder, Mission Management Unit (MMU), mission radio communications, intuitive hand controller for MCU & SLR camera targeting, CarteNav AIMS mission system software, Kestrel MTI targeting software, and IKHANA ergonomic mission seat for optimized crew comfort. The prototype will also be equipped with Viking conformal bubble windows, left and right wing-mounted hard points by IKHANA, Thunder Bay Aviation stretcher racks, and an aft lavatory for crew comfort.

With a target launch date of September 2019, the Guardian 400 world tour has briefing and demonstration flights proposed throughout Europe, North Africa, Central Africa, Southeastern Africa, the Middle East, Southern Asia, Asia Pacific, North America and will culminate in Ottawa, Canada to coincide with the 2020 CANSEC Defence & Security show.

“As we’ve anticipated development of a Guardian 400 technical demonstrator for many years, to now be able to show off its unique performance capabilities and incredible versatility to interested military and government organizations in their home countries is exciting to say the least,” said Robert Mauracher, Viking executive vice president, Sales & Marketing. “While the tour details are still under development, we encourage interested parties to contact us if they wish to participate in a flight demonstration.”

The Guardian 400 Twin Otter:

Viking developed the Guardian 400 in response to foreign military and government agency demand for a medium-range maritime patrol, SAR and critical infrastructure platform based on the new Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft. Designed as an economical force multiplier for 21st century surveillance and security requirements, the Guardian 400’s low acquisition and operating costs combined with its modern, flexible architecture allows it to be customized to suit operators’ financial and mission requirements.

The Guardian 400’s robust design, minimal maintenance requirements, and exceptional short-field performance capabilities make it ideally suited for specialized government operations in extreme environments. Certified under the restricted category, the Guardian 400’s increased take-off weight and extended range internal Patrol Tank allow for operational sorties over 10 hours in duration.

Trusted by the governments of Peru, Panama, the United States, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, over thirty Twin Otter Guardian 400 aircraft have now entered service in various roles, including maritime surveillance, search & rescue, parachute operations, pipeline monitoring, drug enforcement, medevac, and critical infrastructure support.

Aaron Fitzgerald surprises New Yorkers with flips, barrel rolls and nose dives.

©Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool

Aerobatics pilot and former U.S Serviceman Aaron Fitzgerald chose the open space of the Hudson River in New York to stun onlookers with a wide range of helicopter tricks. Here is all you need to know:

-  Fitzgerald performed the flips, barrel rolls and nose dives in front of the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park and alongside the West Side Highway.

-  The pilot chose the unique practice course in preparation for the Memorial Day Weekend’s Bethpage Air Show.

-  The Red Bull helicopter is able to perform the tricks through the use of a unique titanium rotor. It allows Fitzgerald to reverse the airflow through the rotor without damaging anything, ensuring he can safely execute the manoeuvres. 

-  Spectators in the area at the same time were surprised to look up and witness the high-skilled aerial flight happening in their own backyard.

-  Fitzgerald is a medal of Valor recipient and spends the majority of his time flying for the film and television industry.

Airbus Helicopters and Hungarian Government to establish manufacturing site in Gyula

Budapest, Airbus Helicopters and the Hungarian Government have selected the town of Gyula in the Békés County as the site for a new aerospace enterprise in Hungary. Gyula is located in the country’s eastern part. The new installation will be built up from scratch and will be the core of an emerging Hungarian aeronautics cluster. This was announced in Budapest by Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, and Gáspár Maróth, Government Commissioner for national defence industry and defence development and coordination of armament modernization. End of 2018, Airbus Helicopters and Hungary had signed a Memorandum of Agreement to create an industrial cooperation for long term aviation projects.

The purpose of the plant is to manufacture high precision metallic elementary parts for the dynamic systems of helicopters for the complete Airbus product range. The production is expected to start in 2021. The Hungarian Government plans to establish capabilities for metallic surface treatment and a Hungarian Aerospace Academy to support the new Airbus site by training the future workforce.

The new entity will be a joint venture between Airbus and a Hungarian governmental partner. Airbus will hold the majority of the shares and will operate the plant.

“Hungary offers us the opportunity to implement our industrial strategy based on the specialization of our sites and to set up a greenfield aerospace complex according to the most modern industry requirements” said Bruno Even. “We also can rely on a skilled and well-educated workforce. I’m looking forward to welcoming Hungary as a new member of the global Airbus Helicopters family”.

Coast Guard rescues 2 people from the water near Texas City, Texas​

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Manda M. Emery (archive).

HOUSTON​ —​ The Coast Guard rescued two adults adrift on a cooler near the Texas City Dike in Texas City, Texas, Monday evening.

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a mayday call on VHF Ch. 16 from a mariner aboard a 32-foot recreational vessel reporting that three people aboard the disabled vessel had fallen overboard. The mariner stated the vessel, now with one adult and six children left onboard, was drifting towards the rocks.​

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched​ an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew, a Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew and two Station Galveston 29-foot Response Boat-Small boatcrews.​

The mariner aboard the recreational vessel was able to recover one of the adults from the water. The Station Galveston boatcrews arrived on scene and recovered the two additional adults from the water adrift on a cooler.​

"This could have been a tragic situation," said Lt. j.g. Terrell Sisk, command duty officer at Sector Houston-Galveston. "While the vessel had the required amount of lifejackets, no one onboard the vessel was wearing one including the three adults who entered the water. Unexpected events can happen while on the water, and in a moment mariners can find themselves in a dangerous situation. It's very much like a seatbelt; if you're not wearing it, it can't help save your life."​

The crew of the RBS towed the disabled vessel to the Galveston Yacht Basin. No injuries were reported.

Weather conditions were reported as 13 mph winds with 2-foot seas.

-USCG-

Coast Guard rescues 2 people from sinking vessel

U.S. Coast Guard photo/Petty Officer Elizabeth Bordelon (archive).

NEW ORLEANS – The Coast Guard rescued two people from a sinking vessel in Bayou Eloi approximately 33 nautical miles east of New Orleans, Sunday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at 7:30 p.m. Sunday via a marine VHF radio of a 30-foot boat with two people aboard taking on water in Lake Eloi.

Sector watchstanders directed the launch of an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans and a 24-Foot Special Purpose Craft boatcrew from Station New Orleans to assist the people.

The aircrew located the vessel at 8:33 p.m. and directed the Coast Guard boatcrew to its location.

The boatcrew arrived on scene and transported the people to a good Samaritan vessel in stable condition.

The Coast Guard urges mariners to have visual and sound signaling devices readily available on all voyages in case of an emergency to assist responders in rescue missions.

-USCG-

El Ministerio de las Fuerzas Armadas de Francia adelanta el desarrollo del futuro Joint Light Helicopter

Marignane - La ministra francesa de las Fuerzas Armadas, Florence Parly, anunció que el lanzamiento del programa Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger; HIL) se adelantará a 2021.

El lanzamiento del programa anterior permitirá que la entrega de los primeros H160M para las Fuerzas Armadas francesas se adelante a 2026.

Durante una visita a la sede de Airbus Helicopters, la ministra también desveló el modelo del H160M que se presentará en el stand del Ministerio de las Fuerzas Armadas en el próximo Salón Aeronáutico de París. El helicóptero también recibió su nombre oficial y será designado como "Guépard" ("Guepardo") por las Fuerzas Armadas francesas.

El H160 es un diseño modular lo que permite que su versión militar, a través de una sola plataforma, pueda realizar misiones que van desde la infiltración de comandos hasta la interceptación aérea, apoyo en la lucha contra incendios y guerra naval, para hacer frente a las necesidades del Ejército de Tierra (Armée de Terre), la marina (Marine Nationale) y la Fuerza Aérea (Armée de l'Air) a través del programa HIL.

“Estamos orgullosos de que HIL sea un programa estratégico. Me gustaría agradecer al Ministerio, a la Agencia de Adquisiciones de Defensa de Francia y a las Fuerzas Armadas su confianza y su estrecha colaboración, lo que ha sido de gran ayuda para que el programa se desarrolle dentro del marco de la actual ley de presupuesto militar. Esto permitirá acelerar el reemplazo de la generación anterior de aeronaves, a la vez que optimiza el soporte y la disponibilidad de la flota de helicópteros del Estado francés", Bruno Even, CEO de Airbus Helicopters. "Nuestros equipos están comprometidos a entregar en 2026 un helicóptero que satisfará las necesidades de las fuerzas armadas francesas en términos de disponibilidad, rendimiento y capacidad, lo que le permitirá convertirse rápidamente en un nuevo punto de referencia dentro del mercado mundial de helicópteros militares de tamaño medio".

Fabricado sobre una plataforma que entrará en servicio el próximo año, el programa HIL se beneficiará de muchas de las ventajas del H160 civil, particularmente en términos de soporte, con un mantenimiento más simple y menores costes de operación que la generación anterior de helicópteros de esta categoría (6 Tons).

French Ministry of the Armed Forces brings development of future Joint Light Helicopter forward

Marignane – The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, has announced that the launch of the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger; HIL) programme has been brought forward to 2021. The HIL programme, for which the Airbus Helicopters’ H160 was selected in 2017, was initially scheduled for launch in 2022 by the current military budget law. Launching the programme earlier will enable delivery of the first H160Ms to the French Armed Forces to be advanced to 2026.

During a visit to the Airbus Helicopters headquarters, the Minister also revealed the full-scale mock-up of the H160M that will be presented on the Ministry of the Armed Forces stand at the next Paris Air Show. The helicopter was also given its official name and will be designated as “Guépard” (“Cheetah”) by the French Armed Forces.

The H160 was designed to be a modular helicopter, enabling its military version, with a single platform, to perform missions ranging from commando infiltration to air intercept, fire support, and anti-ship warfare in order to meet the needs of the army, the navy and the air force through the HIL programme.

“We are proud that the HIL is considered a strategic programme. I would like to thank the Ministry, the French Defence Procurement Agency DGA and the armed forces for their trust and for the close collaboration which helped create the conditions for the programme to be brought forward within the framework of the current military budget law. This will make it possible to speed up the replacement of the older generation of aircraft, while optimising the support and availability of the French State’s helicopter fleet,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “Our teams are committed to delivering an aircraft in 2026 that meets the needs of the French armed forces in terms of availability, performance and capability, thus enabling it to rapidly become the new benchmark on the world’s medium-lift military helicopter market.”

Built around a platform that will enter service next year, the HIL programme will benefit from many of the advantages inherent in the civil H160, particularly in terms of support, with simplified maintenance and lower operating costs than the previous generation of helicopters in this category.

Coast Guard searching for missing swimmer near Freeport, Texas

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Dustin R. Williams (archive)

HOUSTON​ — The Coast Guard is searching for a missing swimmer at Surfside Beach near Freeport, Texas, Sunday.

At approximately 8:00 p.m., Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received notification that a 17-year-old boy was reported missing after not making it back to shore while swimming with friends.

Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin aircrew and a Station Freeport 29-foot Response Boat–Small boat crew. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Sea Horse was also diverted.

Involved in the search are:​

• An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew
• A Station Freeport 29-foot Response Boat–Small boat crew
• Coast Guard Cutter Sea Horse
• Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office
• Freeport Police Department
• Surfside Police Department
• Freeport EMS

Anyone with information can contact Sector Houston-Galveston at​ 281-464-4854.

-USCG-

BELL, SHAANXI HELICOPTERS AND SHAANXI PEOPLE’S HOSPITAL COMPLETE AIR MEDICAL TRAINING EXERCISES

This is an initial step toward developing air medical capability for the Implementation Program for a Joint Pilot of Aviation Medical Rescue launched earlier this year by the National Health Commission of China and the CAAC.

Xi'an, Shaanxi (May 23, 2019) Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, in collaboration with Shaanxi Helicopter Co. Ltd. (SHC) and Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, announced today the successful completion of an Air Medical Services (AMS) training exercise in China. This exercise is an initial step toward developing air medical capability for the Implementation Program for a Joint Pilot of Aviation Medical Rescue launched earlier this year by the National Health Commission of China and the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC).

“Together with SHC, we are excited to be leading the development of an Air Medical Services network in China,” said Jacinto Monge, Bell Managing Director for North Asia. "During the two-week event, expertise on best practices was shared through academic seminars and practical training using real-life simulations."

With the support from Med-Trans Corporation, a leading US air medical service company, more than 50 people from Shaanxi Helicopter and the People’s Hospital participated in the exercise which covered aviation safety practices and culture, functions and responsibilities for medical transport, flight planning and decision making, crew resource management and flight physiology. In addition, an introduction to the cross-functional coordination among emergency response, medical care, dispatch and aviation was provided to create a safe and effective air medical network solution for China.

Research from The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) and ASCEND, has shown that air medical services can significantly reduce the mortality rate of patients and improve the outcome of treatment. At present, there are more than 1,200 civilian air medical helicopters serving 320 million people in the United States; China currently has less than 100 civilian air medical helicopters serving 1.4 billion people. China’s central government plans to build a modern healthcare system which will include an extensive air medical services network.

Coast Guard responds to downed aircraft 221 miles northeast of Bahamas

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. Cmdr. C. T. O'Neil (archive)

MIAMI — The Coast Guard is responding to a downed aircraft Friday approximately 221 miles northeast of Marsh Harbor, Bahamas.

Two Florida Air National Guard F-15 fighter aircrafts​ witnessed the plane crash in the ocean.

Coast Guard 7th District​ watchstanders were notified by Miami Mission Control of a non-responsive pilot traveling from St. Louis, Missouri to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in a 2001 twin-engine Cessna Citation aircraft at approximately 5 p.m. Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater​ HC-130 Hercules airplane crew to respond to the incident.

MMC stated the aircraft was reported to only have a pilot aboard.​

For more breaking news follow us on​ Twitter.

-USCG-

Norway’s Helitrans becomes first operator to receive H125s with digital logcards

Marignane, Norwegian helicopter operator Helitrans has taken delivery of two Airbus H125 helicopters with digital logcards, becoming the first H125 operator able to manage the maintenance history of its aircraft components digitally, resulting in better data quality, time savings, and simpler processes, thereby reinforcing flight safety.

These helicopters are the first two in a series of seven H125s ordered by Helitrans to be delivered with fully digital logcards. They will be used for a wide range of missions that cover powerline construction and firefighting, as well as sightseeing trips, passenger transport, photography and telecom network development.

A logcard is a document that tracks the entire maintenance history of critical helicopter parts, from manufacture all along their in-service lives. The digital logcard replaces outdated paper logcards, prone to loss and error, with digital content stored in a secured cloud. Airbus Helicopters first unveiled its digital logcards in March 2019, becoming the first helicopter manufacturer on the market to transform paper logcards into easy-to-use digital data.

“We welcome this innovative approach to logcard management, which is fully in line with Helitran's vision of digitising and simplifying processes within the company,” said Per Erik Nesvold, director of maintenance at Helitrans.

“Since April 2019, we’ve been progressively offering customers taking delivery of a new Airbus civil helicopter the option of receiving digital logcards,” said Jean-Michel Arlhac, project leader for digital logcards at Airbus Helicopters. “We’re thankful for Helitrans’ confidence in our new digital means and look forward to receiving their valuable feedback in the months to come.”

Helitrans has been operating the H125 for almost thirty years from its bases around Norway. It is one of the largest helicopter companies in Norway and one of the top 30 civil operators in Europe. With these seven new H125s, Helitrans fleet will consist of 22 Airbus H125 and H130 helicopters.

The H125 and H130 lead the single-engine helicopter market, accounting for almost 70% of deliveries in the last five years. The Ecureuil fleet is composed of 5,000 helicopters in service with some 1,900 operators across the globe and it has accumulated more than 30 million flight hours.

Leonardo’s BriteCloud decoy flies toward service on RAF Typhoons

•  Leonardo will  support  UK  MOD  trials  with  its  BriteCloud  Expendable  Active  Decoy  in  the UK and  US.  The  decoy is  expected  to  go  into  service  on  Typhoon  later  in  2019 

•  BriteCloud  is  a  drinks-can  sized  decoy  which  protects  combat  aircraft  from  the  latest radar-guided  threats.  It  went  into  service  aboard  the  RAF’s  Tornado  GR.4  fleet  in  2018 

•  Leonardo  is  the  largest  supplier  of  aircraft  protection  technology  to  the  UK  MOD   

Rome,  23  May  2019  –  Leonardo  has  been  contracted  by  the  UK  Ministry  of  Defence  to  support a  series  of  trials  in  which  the  ‘BriteCloud  55’  Expendable  Active  Decoy  (EAD)  is  being  trialled  for operations  with  the  Royal  Air  Force  (RAF)’s  fleet  of  Eurofighter  Typhoon  aircraft.  BriteCloud  was cleared  for  service  last  year  on  the  RAF’s  fleet  of  Tornado  GR4  aircraft  and  Leonardo  has delivered  a  quantity  of  the  countermeasures  to  the  RAF  for  operations.   

The  first  trial  with  Typhoon  took  place  in  April  in  the  UK.  At  this  trial,  33  BriteCloud  rounds were  dispensed  from  aircraft  flown  by  the  RAF’s  41  Test  and  Evaluation  Squadron  against  a  range of  representative  threats.   

Made  in  Luton,  UK,  BriteCloud  is  a  breakthrough  technology  which  packs  digital  protection from  dangerous  radar-guided  missiles  into  a  package  the  size  of  a  drinks  can,  fitting  into  the same  launcher  as  a  standard  55mm  flare.  Leonardo  is  currently  the  only  company  in  the  world which  has  managed  to  sufficiently  miniaturise  Digital  RF  Memory  (DRFM)  countermeasure technology  to  the  point  where  it  can  be  launched  from  a  standard  chaff  and  flare  dispenser.  In 2018  the  RAF  became  the  first  Air  Force  to  field  this  new  protective  technology.   

Prior to  accepting  BriteCloud  into  service  on  Tornado,  the  UK  MOD  conducted  extensive testing  to  validate  the  performance  of  the  decoy,  ensuring  it  could  be  launched  safely  from  the aircraft  and  developing  operational  tactics  for  its  use  in  battle.  It  is  intended  that  this  work  will  be used  to  support  the  agile  delivery  of  BriteCloud  into  sevice  on  Typhoon. 

A  range  of  BriteCloud  variants  are  available.  As  well  as  the  ‘BriteCloud  55’  variant,  named  for its  compatibility  with  55mm  flare  dispensers  such  as  those  on  the  Typhoon  and  Gripen  E, Leonardo  also  produces  ‘BriteCloud  218’  (2”x1”x8”)  which  is  compatible  with  ‘square’  format countermeasure  dispensers  such  as  those  seen  on  F-15  and  F-16  aircraft.  In  addition,  Leonardo offers  the  BriteCloud  55-T,  a  more  powerful  version  of  the  BriteCloud  55  which  can  generate jamming  signals  strong  enough  to  protect  larger  aircraft  such  as  the  C27-J,  C-130  and  A400M. Designed  and  produced  in  the  UK,  BriteCloud  is  readily  exportable. 

Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion

©Sikorsky

El nuevo CH-53K es un helicóptero de alta capacidad, muy fiable y con mantenimiento reducido, lo que le permitirá operar bajo las condiciones más difíciles y desde los lugares más duros y austeros del mundo.

Ha superado ya las 1.400 horas en vuelos de pruebas y alcanzado todos los objetivos para los que fue diseñado sobre el papel. Por el momento se encuentra inmerso en el riguroso programa de test para garantizar que los ejércitos que lo operarán puedan transportar tropas y equipos a mayores altitudes de forma más rápida y segura.

Puede levantar más de 16 toneladas, lo que lo convierte en el helicóptero de carga pesada más poderoso jamás construido en los Estados Unidos. El diseño tecnológicamente avanzado del King Stallion cumplirá con los futuras necesidades en el campo de batalla durante las próximas décadas en misiones como ayuda humanitaria, transporte de tropas y equipo, evacuación de víctimas (CASEVAC), apoyo de fuerzas de Operaciones Especiales y búsqueda y rescate en combate (CSAR).

Los logros que ha conseguido hasta la fecha incluyen vuelos a elevada altitud, en altas temperaturas ambientales y con baja visibilidad, carga mediante gancho baricéntrico a un único punto de 36,000 libras (16.329 kilogramos), velocidad superior a los 200 kts, altitud de 18.500 ft, desembarques y despegues en pendientes de 12°, carga externas auto-expulsadas (mediante el gancho con auto-jettison), además de diferentes pruebas de fuego.

El CH-53K Heavy Lift Helicopter comenzó a realizar los test en entornos visuales degradados (DVE) en el campo de pruebas de Yuma. El área de aterrizaje designada para las mismas se remueve regularmente para crear las condiciones de polvo más extremas.

Aunque su apariencia es similar a los antiguos CH-53 es un helicóptero más rápido, robusto, liviano y con casi el triple de capacidad de carga útil frente a sus predecesores.

CH-53K, ©Sikorsky

Sus tres turboejes General Electric T408 entregan hasta un total de 22.500 CV de potencia.

Tiene una cabina más ancha en 30 cm frente a su competidor más directo, fabricada por Spirit AeroSystems en Kansas, con capacidad para transportar palés 463L y Fenneck europeo, ofrece una gran flexibilidad en su configuración para una mejor eficacia de la misión y facilitar la carga y descarga sin la necesidad de reconfigurarlo y retirar los asientos de tropa.

©Sikorsky

Sikorsky demostró la capacidad del King Stallion para su transporte aéreo estratégico, a través de un equipo de profesionales del propio fabricante se desmontó parte del helicóptero para meterlo en la bodega de carga de un C-17. El equipo completó el mismo ejercicio con un C-5, y como resultado el programa CH-53K obtuvo la certificación de Actividad de carga de pruebas de aerotransportabilidad de la USAF.

El King Stallion es un escalón más en los 50 años de éxito operacional y de fabricación de Sikorsky con sus predecesores, el CH-53A, CH-53D/G y CH-53E.

Latest ACH160 order underlines market confidence in new model

Geneva, Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) has secured an additional sale for its latest ACH160 helicopter just days before the EBACE 2019 business aviation show in Geneva.

This new order, from an experienced UK helicopter operator which will use it for general corporate purposes, takes the ACH160 orderbook to 11 aircraft of which four have been won in the UK.

Two other ACH160s have been ordered by a privately owned UK company which is also a long-time corporate helicopter user, and a fourth UK aircraft has been ordered by an existing private Airbus Helicopters VIP customer to be managed by Isle of Man-based Luviair.

The H160 medium helicopter programme remains on-track for certification at the end of 2019 to be followed by the first ACH deliveries about one year later.

After recording 54 sales in 2017 following its launch at EBACE in May that year, ACH recorded 68 orders in 2018.

Mirroring sister brand Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ), ACH provides an exclusive end-to-end ownership experience from first enquiry and ordering, through in-service support, to enhanced resale opportunities.

ACH delivers the highest standards in safety, technology, craftsmanship and service and is backed by HCareFirst – a premium support service aimed directly at the specific needs of operators typically recording low flight-hours but demanding worry-free aircraft availability when required.

Frederic Lemos, Head of ACH, said: “This substantial new business for the ACH160 even before certification is clearly demonstrating its very high level of acceptance in the market. These firm orders from highly knowledgeable customers are concrete evidence that the aircraft is addressing the needs of the most demanding operators.”

The full ACH helicopter range consists of the ACH125, ACH130, ACH135, new ACH145, ACH160 and ACH175 variants of Airbus Helicopters’ comprehensive and market-leading family of light and medium models. A range of premium-design aircraft completions, including bespoke solutions, is available for all models.

Renowned for its combination of versatility and comfort, the ACH range of helicopters is admired by passengers and pilots alike for its stylish interiors, smooth and quiet ride allied to its technologically advanced Helionix digital avionics system ensuring carefree handling and the highest level of safety.