Sikorsky Celebrates 30 Years of Black Hawk Helicopter Operations in Latin America

Continued production and new mission capabilities ensure the Black Hawk helicopter will remain operational around the world for decades

SANTIAGO, Chile, April 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- 2018 marks 30 years of operations for the Black Hawk helicopter in Latin America, since the Colombian Air Force took delivery of its first five UH-60A aircraft in 1988. Designed and manufactured by Sikorsky, now a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), the twin engine medium-lift Black Hawk has become synonymous with the successful defense of territorial sovereignty, providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, combatting drug trafficking, performing search and rescue missions, surveilling coastlines and borders, and transporting heads of state.

"We congratulate and thank the 11 government agencies and armed forces across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico for showing the world how to adapt and operate the Black Hawk helicopter for critical missions that serve and protect their citizens," said Adam Schierholz, Sikorsky regional executive for Latin America. "Continued confidence in the Black Hawk by these countries during the past three decades stems from the aircraft's unequaled rugged military design, which translates to predictable reliability and performance in flight, effectiveness in combat, and the availability of strong product support to ensure high operational readiness."

"The Black Hawk has proven to be a unique and strategic tool for the Colombian Air Force that has allowed us to perform some of the most challenging missions in very extreme conditions," said Gen. Carlos Eduardo Bueno, Chief of the Colombian Air Force. "We join in celebrating this milestone anniversary, and look forward to many more years of effective utilization of these fine machines with the help and support of our friends at Sikorsky."

Since 1988, Sikorsky has delivered 174 Hawk aircraft to the region, which includes six Seahawk® variants to the Brazil Navy. The total will climb to 180 during 2018 when the Chilean Air Force takes delivery of six S-70i Black Hawk aircraft for military and humanitarian missions.

A Look BackCountry-specific operations include:

• Colombia: As the largest Black Hawk customer in Latin America, the Colombian Air Force, Colombian Army and Colombian National Police have collectively taken delivery of 103 aircraft, including seven S-70i digital cockpit variants in 2013. Carrying out diverse combat missions such as attack, MEDEVAC, CASEVAC, and Air Assault, these aircraft have played an essential role to defend and regain territorial control during the Colombian Conflict.
• Mexico: With the region's second largest Black Hawk fleet, Mexico has acquired 48 aircraft — UH-60L and UH-60M variants — since 1991 for its Navy, Air Force and Federal Police to fight drug traffickers and crime syndicates. In 2011, the State of Jalisco took delivery of one S-70i.
• Brazil: In 2017, two Air Force squadrons — the 7/8 'Harpia' air group based in Manaus, and the 5/6 'Pantera' air group in Santa Maria — achieved 30,000 flight hours for all 16 UH-60L aircraft. The same year, the Exército Brasileiro commemorated its 20th anniversary operating four S-70A Black Hawk aircraft. The Brazil Navy operates six S-70B Seahawk aircraft.
• Chile: The Chile Air Force has operated one S-70A aircraft since 1998 in a multirole capacity.
• Argentina: Argentina's Presidencia has operated one S-70A for head of state transport since 1994.

A Look AheadSikorsky continues to build UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft for the U.S. Army, which is expected to operate the platform into the 2070s. In March, Sikorsky began production of the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter designed for long-distance missions.

Sikorsky continues to build the S-70i, a digital Black Hawk variant customized to the preferences of international militaries.

In 2018, Sikorsky will field two new mission capabilities for the Black Hawk:

• An aerial firefighting system, complete with belly tank, which can be easily retrofitted to the region's existing UH-60L and S-70i fleets
• A sophisticated weapons system for the S-70i and S-70M models that enables either pilot to engage static or moving targets with high accuracy using forward firing guns, rockets and laser-designated air-to-ground missiles

Further out, Sikorsky is developing an optionally piloted capability for the digital Black Hawk with the intelligence and autonomy to carry out missions with two, one or zero crew on board.

First H160 for the Latin American market

Santiago, Chile, Airbus Helicopters has signed the first order for one H160 with an undisclosed customer in Brazil for private and business aviation operations. This order, the first from a Latin American customer, came after a flight demonstration in Marignane where the customer experienced first-hand the step-change in passenger comfort that the H160 brings to the market.

“We are proud to announce the first sale of an H160 in Latin America where it has a lot of potential as we have been seeing a lot of interest in the aircraft,” said Mesrob Karalekian, Head of Latin America at Airbus Helicopters. “It is easy to see why the H160 appeals to private and business aviation customers as it is not only stylish but its cutting edge technology offers passengers an elegant, safe and extremely comfortable way to travel” he added.

The H160 has been designed to offer all its passengers, whether for private and business aviation flights, Oil and Gas passenger transport, emergency medical services, or public services missions, with an exceptional flight experience thanks to the panoramic views provided by the large cabin windows, low sound levels, and smooth flight even at high speeds. External visibility for pilots is also highly prioritized with a large windshield, lateral and floor level windows that allow them to see below the aircraft when landing. This is combined with the visibility provided by the aircrafts’ cameras that can be displayed one of the four multi-functional displays in the cockpit. Helionix, Airbus Helicopters’ digital avionics suite, further contributes to the aircraft’s safety by significantly reducing pilot workload. Presenting the right information at the right time, along with the H160’s integrated automatic functions, allows the pilot to concentrate on the mission at hand.

The H160 has also been designed to facilitate maintenance allowing it to reach levels similar to that of a light twin. The aircraft’s optimized accessibility has been praised by customers who have recently had the opportunity to fly in the H160 during its North American demo tour.

NASA Selects Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® to Build X-Plane

PALMDALE, Calif., April 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Supersonic commercial travel is on the horizon. Today NASA awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Skunk Works® a contract to design, build and flight test the Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator, an X-plane designed to make supersonic passenger air travel a reality.

"It is super exciting to be back designing and flying X-planes at this scale," said Jaiwon Shin, NASA's associate administrator for aeronautics. "Our long tradition of solving the technical barriers of supersonic flight to benefit everyone continues."

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works will build a full-scale experimental aircraft, known as an X-plane, of its preliminary design developed under NASA's Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST) effort. The X-plane will help NASA establish an acceptable commercial supersonic noise standard to overturn current regulations banning commercial supersonic travel over land.

"We're honored to continue our partnership with NASA to enable a new generation of supersonic travel," said Peter Iosifidis, Low-Boom Flight Demonstrator program manager, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. "We look forward to applying the extensive work completed under QueSST to the design, build and flight test of the X-plane, providing NASA with a demonstrator to make supersonic commercial travel possible for passengers around the globe."

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and NASA have partnered for more than a decade to enable the next generation of commercial supersonic aircraft. NASA awarded Lockheed Martin Skunk Works a contract in February 2016 for the preliminary design of the supersonic X-plane flight demonstrator.

The aircraft will be built at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works facility in Palmdale, California, and will conduct its first flight in 2021.

For more information, visit our websites: lockheedmartin.com/QueSST or www.nasa.gov/aero

Ten Years Ago the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Made its First Flight from St. Augustine, Florida

August 03, 2017 - marks the 10-year anniversary of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye’s first flight. The aircraft known as Delta One, took off from the St. Augustine, Florida, airfield piloted by Northrop Grumman Flight Test Pilot Tom Boutin and then-U.S. Navy Flight Test Pilot Lt. Drew Ballinger along with Northrop Grumman Flight Test Lead Weapon Systems Operator Zyad Hajo. Wheels-up was shortly before 11 a.m., and the flight lasted an hour and twenty minutes.

Photo captured from the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye's first flight, ten years ago, on Aug. 3, 2007.

This was a major milestone in a program that launched with the U.S. Navy’s award of the E-2D System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract on Aug. 4, 2003. In addition to delivering a significantly more capable aircraft, the SDD program goals focused on reducing total ownership costs including the use of advanced manufacturing methods, two-level maintenance concepts, and automated systems test capabilities.

In the ten years since the E-2D’s first flight, 30 aircraft have been delivered and two Japanese E-2Ds are approaching their final production phases. A mature aerial refueling test program with production cut-in is planned for 2018 and initial operating capability is planned for 2020. Advanced development work is continually being done to ensure the E-2D remains the most capable airborne early warning , battle management, command, and control aircraft in the world.

The program is seen as a model for success and has produced an aircraft that provides customers the added edge needed to stay ahead of adversaries. Today, the Navy has E-2Ds deployed around the world as men and women continue to fly and maintain the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

Northrop Grumman Completes First Flight of Japan’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.– Nov. 13, 2017 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) successfully completed the first flight of Japan’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) at the company’s Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence in St. Augustine, Florida, Oct. 9.

Japan’s First E-2D prepares to take flight at the Northrop Grumman Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence in St. Augustine, Florida.

“The successful first flight of Japan’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is a significant milestone in delivering advanced airborne early warning and surveillance capabilities to the country,” said Jane Bishop, vice president, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye programs, Northrop Grumman. “The augmentation of the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s (JASDF) current Hawkeye fleet with the E-2D AHE further strengthens its ability to meet Japan’s evolving security and intelligence needs.”

The Japan Ministry of Defense selected the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye in 2014 to fulfill the nation's airborne early warning requirements. Northrop Grumman began production in 2016 on two aircraft now in the final production phase.

As the largest Hawkeye operator outside of the U.S. Navy, JASDF also has 13 E-2C aircraft operating since 1983.

Celebrating the Iconic Huey’s Roots

You can likely ask anyone across generations and they would know about the significance of the Huey helicopter. The name has become synonymous with the term helicopter and the Huey is one of the most widely recognized helicopters ever made.

Sixty years ago, before it would become known as the ‘Huey,’ it would be the XH-40 prototype under development for the U.S. Army. On October 20, 1956 the prototype XH-40 would achieve a successful first fight at our Fort Worth facility. This prototype helicopter was designed to perform medical evacuations, and would become paramount for the military as it increased the amount of patients that could be transported. The platform was increasingly used to quickly transport infantry units in its assault configuration.

Following its first flight, the XH-40 would go through a series of modifications, and was ultimately contracted for inclusion in the U.S. Army inventory. At that point, it was officially designated as the Bell UH-1, the iconic ‘Huey,’ where it would then become the world’s first mass produced turbine powered helicopter.

The original ”Number 1” ship of the XH-40 prototypes, tail number 54459, has just completed a year-long restoration effort funded by Bell Helicopter, the Aviation Museum Foundation and Blastoff Inc. The restoration was done to bring the prototype aircraft as close to its original Army configuration. To commemorate the special anniversary, the restored aircraft was unveiled at a ceremony hosted by the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama on October 20, 2016, sixty years to the day from its first flight.

The historical significance of this airframe is without question as it stands as the ultimate source of not only all ‘Hueys’ to come, but also as a predecessor to almost all rotorcraft design seen in today’s world.

Leonardo to provide UK defensive aids suite for British Army’s new Apache AH-64E helicopters

•  Leonardo will  integrate  a  suite  of  UK  sensors  and  countermeasures  on  the  Army’s  new Apache  helicopters  to  ensure  they  are  protected  against  current  and  future  threats 

•  Leonardo  provides  defensive  electronic  warfare  capabilities  across  UK  Armed  Forces helicopters  including  for  the  AW159  Wildcat,  AW101  Merlin,  Chinook  and  Puma   

•  Leonardo  is  Europe’s  leader  in  airborne  electronic  warfare,  with  equipment  in  service  on numerous  platform  types  internationally.  Notably,  the  company  leads  the  provision  of  the integrated  defensive  aids  sub-system  for  the  Eurofighter  Typhoon   

Santiago,  3  April  2018  –  Leonardo  has  announced,  at  the  FIDAE  exhibition  in  Chile  (3-8  April),  that it  has  been  contracted  by  the  UK  Ministry  of  Defence  (MOD)  to  provide  a  defensive  aids  suite (DAS)  for  the  British  Army’s  new  fleet  of  Apache  AH-64E  helicopters.  Under  related  contracts  from the  UK  MOD  and  Boeing,  Leonardo  will  integrate  sensors  and  countermeasures  to  ensure  that  UK Apaches  remain  amongst  the  best  protected  attack  helicopters  in  the  world. 

Combat  helicopters  like  the  Apache  fly  at  relatively  low  speeds  compared  to  fighter  jets  and  often at  low  altitudes,  so  they  are  vulnerable  to  a  wide  range  of  threats  including  infrared-guided  missiles and  anti-tank  guided  weapons.  An  integrated  defensive  aids  suite  helps  protect  a  helicopter  from threats  in  a  joined-up  way.  A  complete  system  includes  sensors  to  identify  threats  to  the  helicopter, countermeasures  to  defeat  these  threats  and  a  computer  that  coordinates  the  whole  system, linking  the  incoming  warnings  with  protection  techniques  such  as  chaff  or  flares. 

Minister  for  Defence  Procurement  Guto  Bebb  said  “UK  Apaches  provide  our  Armed  Forces  with world-leading  capabilities  in  the  field  of  combat.  Today’s  announcement  will  see  our  aircraft  fitted with  cutting-edge  British  protection  to  rapidly  detect  and  defeat  inbound  threats.  This  is  a  welcome boost  for  UK  jobs  and  investment  which  is  part  of  the  Government’s  recently  announced  Defence Industrial  Policy  Refresh.”

Every  Apache  AH-64E  that  comes  off  the  production  line,  regardless  of  its  end  user,  already  has  a built-in  Leonardo  defensive  aids  suite  computer,  known  as  an  ‘AGP’  (Aircraft  Gateway  Processor). This  project  will  see  Leonardo  take  the  UK’s  Apache  defensive  aids  suite  a  step  further  by integrating  a  number  of  sensors  and  countermeasure  systems  onto  the  AH-64E  to  enhance  its situational  awareness  and  survivability. 

The  helicopters’  sensor  fit  will  include  Leonardo’s  SG200-D  radar  warning  receiver  (the  UK-specific variant  of  the  company’s  SEER  family)  and  will  re-use  a  number  of  systems  that  are  currently  onboard  the  Army’s  fleet  of  Apache  AH  Mk1.  These  re-used  sensors  and  effectors  include Leonardo’s  S1223  laser  warning  receiver,  the  BAE  Systems  AN/AAR-57  missile  approach  warner and  the  Thales  Vicon  countermeasure  dispensing  system.  Initially  these  systems  will  be  taken  from spares stores  and  the  remainder  will  become  available  when  the  AH  Mk1s  retire  from  service  in 2023/24.  This  means  that  the  British  Army  will  experience  a  seamless  transition  to  the  new helicopter  type  with  both  old  and  new  models  being  equipped  with  integrated  protective  suites  on operations. 

Integration will  be  conducted  by  Leonardo  in  Luton  and  the  complete  system  will  then  be  installed by  Boeing  on  its  AH-64E  production  line  in  the  United  States.  All  50  helicopters  being  procured  by the  UK  MoD  will  be  capable  of  operating  with  the  integrated  defensive  aids  suite. 

A  key  benefit  to  the  British  Army  of  equipping  the  Apache  AH-64E  with  a  UK  sovereign  defensive aids  capability  is  that  the  MOD  will  be  able  to  continue  to  re-program  the  helicopter’s  defensive aids  suite  to  respond  to  changing  battlefield  conditions.  This  is  a  critical  support  function  known  as ‘Electronic  Warfare  Operational  Support’,  or  ‘EWOS’,  which  the  UK  has  developed  a  world-leading capability  in  at  the  MoD’s  Air  Warfare  Centre  at  RAF  Waddington,  supported  by  Leonardo  at  its EWOS facility  in  nearby  Lincoln.  Being  able  to  keep  the  defensive  suite  up-to-date  without  needing to  consult  another  country  gives  the  UK  essential  freedom  of  operation.

Leonardo  already  provides  defensive  aid  suites  across  the  UK  Armed  Forces’  helicopter  fleet  and provides  EWOS  support  to  all  of  these  platforms.  Existing  Apache  AH  Mk1  helicopters  are  all equipped  with  the  company’s  HIDAS  system,  which  stands  for  ‘Helicopter  Integrated  Defensive Aids  Suite’.  Leonardo’s  AW159  Wildcat  helicopters,  which  are  operated  by  the  British  Army  and Royal  Navy,  also  carry  HIDAS  systems. 

As  well  as  providing  defensive  aids  suites  for  new  UK  helicopters,  Leonardo  has  retro-fitted  all  of the  UK’s  Chinook  helicopters  with  defensive  aids  suite  capabilities  (including  the  latest  HC  Mk  6 standard).  Under  this  project,  Leonardo  brought  together  all  of  the  Chinook’s  existing  sensor  and effector  systems  into  an  integrated  system  that  offers  similar  decision  making  capabilities  to  the HIDAS  system.  The  company  has  also  conducted  a  similar  retro-fit  integration  on  the  UK’s  Puma fleet  and  is  currently  doing  so  for  the  Merlin  helicopter  under  the  HC  Mk  4  upgrade  programme. Like  the  Apache  AH-64E,  both  RAF  Puma  and  Chinook  helicopters  are  also  receiving  updated radar  warning  capabilities  in  the  form  of  Leonardo’s  SG200-D  which  in  the  case  of  the  Puma  and Chinook  is  replacing  the  platforms’  previously  installed  Leonardo  Sky  Guardian  200  systems. 

In  addition  to  helicopters,  Leonardo  also  provides  integrated  defensive  aids  protection  for  combat jets,  leading  the  EuroDASS  consortium  (which  also  includes  Leonardo’s  Italian  partner  Elettronica as  well  as  Hensoldt  in  Germany  and  Indra  in  Spain)  to  provide  the  Praetorian  Defensive  Aids  Sub System  for  the  Eurofighter  Typhoon  jet.  The  company  has  recently  been  contracted  to  upgrade  the system  on  RAF  Typhoons  to  ensure  that  Praetorian  can  continue  to  identify  and  defeat  known  and emerging  threats.

ÖAMTC subscribes to new Safran Health Monitoring service

Safran Helicopter Engines is proud to announce ÖAMTC (Österreichischer Automobil-, Motorrad- und Touring Club) as one of the first major customers to sign a Premium Health Monitoring contract.

Obrusnik Wolfgang - Airbus Helicopters

The Health Monitoring service for helicopter engines, launched last October at Helitech International allows customers to track engine life data and thus reduce unplanned events. Engine life can be improved with the early detection of low signals, prognosis analysis and maintenance plan customization.

Health Monitoring is available at an Essential level, where the customer is responsible for data collection and analysis, and at a Premium level where maintenance recommendations fromSafran Helicopter Engines experts are tailored to the customer's fleet, missions and usage rates. Most of the parameters are gathered continuously by an electronic recorder designed by Safran partners. 

ÖAMTC is going to use this service, in its Arrius 2B2-powered H135 fleet. Marco Trefanitz, ÖAMTC CEO, commented: "We look forward receiving from engines experts a large range of recommendations, from performance analysis to usage advises. We expect that Premium Health Monitoring will have a positive impact on our maintenance costs which helps to reduce our operation run rate. Additionally it will optimize the availability of our H135 fleet and will pay off in reduction of downtime costs and therefore costs for spare helicopters."

Frédéric Bugeon, Safran Helicopter Engines VP Sales, Marketing and Customer Satisfaction, added "By subscribing to the Premium solution, ÖAMTC will benefit from Safran Helicopter Engines analysis and maintenance reports. Over 100 of our operators are already using the Essential solution to visualize their Engine Power Check trends." 

The Health Monitoring service is made available online at the Safran Helicopter Engines Customer Portal, anytime, from anywhere with any device. Health Monitoring is part of Safran's EngineLife® Services, a range of solutions for helicopter engines.

Northrop Grumman Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Global Hawk’s First Flight

SAN DIEGO - Feb. 28, 2018 – Today, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first flight of its autonomous Global Hawk high altitude long endurance aircraft. The Global Hawk System remains on duty around the world and is one of the premier providers of persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information supporting the United States and its allies.

The first Global Hawk aircraft, named Air Vehicle 1, or AV-1, was built by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical at the Ryan factory near San Diego’s Lindbergh Field. Northrop Grumman would acquire Teledyne Ryan in 1999.

 On a clear and calm morning, Feb. 28, 1998, AV-1 taxied itself to its take-off position at Edwards Air Force Base in California.  The aircraft was all white, except for its U.S. Air Force markings and sported a unicorn-like mast out of the front of its nose. Ryan pilot Mike Munski, in the ground control station nearby, clicked the take-off button on his control console and AV-1 took off into the desert sky. After a 56 minute flight, the first Global Hawk landed safely and stopped itself on the runway, just six inches off the painted centerline.

First flight of the Global Hawk aircraft on February 28, 1998.  The aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base for a 56 minute flight that reached an altitude of 32,000 feet.  The aircraft landed safely and stopped itself on the runway, just six inches off the painted centerline.

The first Global Hawk aircraft were in the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration program, sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).  DARPA is responsible for the development of emerging technologies for use by the military. 

“Those of us in the Global Hawk program today owe a great deal of gratitude to those who developed the first Global Hawk and helped create this weapons system that is so vital to serving our nation and its allies,” said Lauren Stevens, vice president and program manager, Global Hawk program, Northrop Grumman. “AV-1 and the Global Hawk Program have shaped aviation history and some of those Ryan employees who worked on AV-1 are still on the program today working to increase the system’s capabilities and continue to defy expectations.”

The Global Hawk system is building on its heritage of innovation, modernizing its current capabilities by integrating new technologies that enhance capabilities, performance and reliability.  In active operation with the U.S. Air Force since 2001, Global Hawk has amassed more than 250,000 flight hours with missions flown in support of military and humanitarian operations. Able to fly at high altitudes for greater than 30 hours, Global Hawk is designed to gather near-real-time, high-resolution imagery of large areas of land in all types of weather – day or night.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.comand follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information.

Air-vehicle 1 or AV-1 on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base just after completing its first ever flight on February 28, 1998.  The Global Hawk System remains on duty around the world and is one of the premier providers of persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information supporting the United States and its allies.

The high altitude, long endurance Global Hawk aircraft, iIn active operation with the U.S. Air Force since 2001, has amassed more than 250,000 flight hours with missions flown in support of military and humanitarian operations.

Northrop Grumman-Built ATMS and CERES Instruments Successfully Supporting NOAA Weather Satellite

Advanced data-gathering technology provides scientists with observations on atmospheric temperature and water vapor transport improving global weather predictions out to seven days

AZUSA, Calif. – March 30, 2018 –Two critical instruments built by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) newest weather satellite were activated and are successfully performing post-launch procedures after reaching orbit. 

This image uses ATMS data to depict the location and abundance of water vapor (as associated with antenna temperatures) in the lower atmosphere, from the surface of the Earth to 5 kilometers altitude. Blue-green and purple colors depict areas with less water vapor, while transparent/grey colors represent abundant water in all phases (vapor, clouds, and precipitation) in low and middle latitudes. In the polar regions, purple depicts surface snow and ice. Water vapor distribution in space and time is a critical measurement for improving global weather forecasts. With detailed vertical information, forecasters can better identify the transport of water vapor associated with jet streams, which can fuel severe weather events. Image courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Joint Polar Satellite System 1 (JPSS-1) spacecraft, now known officially as NOAA-20, was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Nov. 18, 2017. The key Northrop Grumman-built instruments are the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS), a next generation cross-track microwave sounder, and the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) (Flight Model) FM-6.

As of Jan. 23, the NOAA-20 ATMS has reached provisional maturity status declaring ATMS data products potentially ready for operational use. Data gathered by the ATMS Microwave Integrated Retrieval System technology is successfully generating atmospheric temperature vertical profiles, from the Earth’s surface to an altitude of 45 kilometers, as well as images of the location and abundance of water vapor, precipitation, and snow and ice cover. Water vapor distribution and vertical temperature science data are critical measurements for improving short- and long-term global and regional weather forecasts. With the detailed information ATMS provides, forecasters can better identify the transport of water vapor associated with jet streams, which give valuable insight to the nature of expected weather and also the duration of any weather system such as heavy rains leading to flooding, long term dry conditions leading to drought, and the direction and intensity of hurricanes.

“With the severity of weather experienced this past year, early weather prediction is becoming more crucial in protecting lives and property.  We are excited that these sensors will provide the technological capabilities necessary to improve weather prediction accuracy,” said Bob Mehltretter, vice president, military and civil space, Northrop Grumman.

CERES FM-6, which measures reflected sunlight and thermal radiation, also is performing as expected. The covers on CERES were opened Jan. 5, allowing it to scan the surface of the Earth for the first time. CERES allows scientists to collect data to monitor the temperature of the planet and validate models that calculate the effect of clouds in driving planetary heating or cooling. This data can also be used to predict weather events such as El Niño and La Niña, which are climactic fluctuations in the temperature of the tropical Pacific Ocean that can influence weather globally.

The first data collected from the NOAA-20 instruments is preliminary and part of a series of startups and checkouts that will take place before the satellite becomes fully operational later this year.

NOAA-20 will join the NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (NPP) satellite in the same polar orbit, operating about 50 minutes ahead of Suomi NPP. These two satellites will revisit the same part of the earth at different times.  This important coverage provides scientists with observations of atmospheric temperature and moisture, clouds, hurricane intensity, sea-surface temperature, ocean color, snow and ice cover, volcanic ash, smoke plumes and fire detection.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information.

In this longwave image from CERES FM6, heat energy radiated from Earth is represented by shades of yellow, red, blue and white. Bright yellow regions are the hottest and emit the most energy out to space. Dark blue and bright white regions, which represent clouds, are much colder and emit the least energy. Image courtesy of NASA.

In this shortwave image from CERES FM6, the white and green shades represent thick cloud cover reflecting incoming solar energy back to space. Compare that with the darker blue regions, which have no cloud cover, to get a sense for just how much clouds can affect the balance of incoming and outgoing energy on Earth. Image courtesy of NASA.

Airbus’ Skywise data platform gains momentum

New agreements announced this week highlight its attractiveness for the aviation sector

With the announcement of two key agreements earlier this week, Airbus further underscored the success of its Skywise digital aviation data platform – which aims to become the single platform of reference used by all major aviation players to improve operational performance and business results.

Launched last year in collaboration with Palantir Technologies, Skywise provides users with a single access point to their enriched data by bringing together aviation information from multiple sources into one secure, cloud-based platform physically hosted in Europe.

The first agreement announced this week, signed by Airbus and FPT Software, will strengthen development of the Skywise ecosystem in Asia and includes an ambitious training programme for both third-party users and software developers.

easyJet opts for Skywise

The agreement with FPT Software was made public the same day as Airbus’ new five-year pact with British operator easyJet to provide predictive maintenance services for its entire fleet of nearly 300 aircraft, using technology that relies on Skywise. This activity builds on extensive trials with the platform that allowed easyJet engineers to remove components before faults occurred, limiting delays and cancellations as a result.

Skywise is able to analyse data from other components on easyJet’s aircraft thanks to the installation of Airbus’ new flight operations and maintenance exchanger, called FOMAX – which collects 60-times more data than existing systems. The new equipment will be fitted on easyJet’s fleet by summer 2019. 

The more data that is shared with Skywise, the more accurate its predictions and models will be for all users. Deliverables are tailored for each user and include scalable services (such as analytics, apps and APIs) that can be used by Airbus, customers, and suppliers – ensuring complete data continuity with benefits across the entire value chain.

Gardacostas de Galicia, el comienzo del servicio

Dos importantes siniestros marítimos ocurridos en aguas de Galicia, el hundimiento de los pesqueros “Nautilus” y “Nuevo Velasco” en los cuales desgraciadamente se perdieron las vidas de la totalidad de sus tripulaciones, provocaron una enorme demanda de soluciones ya no sólo desde el propio sector pesquero sino de la sociedad en general. A raíz de esto se quiso buscar una solución para el salvamento de vidas en las costas gallegas, ya que por aquel entonces únicamente había un helicóptero AS332 Super Puma del SAR (Ejército del Aire) en el aeropuerto de Alvedro-A Coruña, que además no volaba de noche.   

El Consejero en materia de pesca en aquel momento, Enrique López Veiga, encargó un estudio a Fernando Novoa sobre como paliar estas carencias.

Novoa propuso la idea de crear un servicio SAR propio de la CCAA de Galicia, que además también pudiera realizar labores de vigilancia pesquera ya que en aquel momento los recursos disponibles en esta materia eran muy limitados. 

Novoa conocía la existencia del uso de medios aéreos y tripulaciones civiles para búsqueda y rescate offshore en Inglaterra, que aunque esto se había producido a través de extinciones presupuestarias (ya que anteriormente el SAR británico era realizado por sus ejércitos de aire y tierra), prestaba un servicio intachable. "Los ingleses siempre han sido de los países más avanzados dentro del campo marítimo, la búsqueda y rescate civil en Europa comienza en el Reino Unido tras la guerra de las Malvinas". 

"En un principio las bases (repartidas por toda Gran Bretaña), eran operadas por la Royal Air Force y la Royal Navy, pero a raíz de recortes presupuestarios se cerraron algunas de ellas, provocando que quedaran zonas sin cubrir por helicópteros SAR, con lo que el Ministerio de Transporte Británico decidió buscar una solución para no dejar ningún territorio de costa desatendido, de manera que se determinó que una empresa civil se ocupara de realizar las labores de búsqueda y rescate en esas demarcaciones". 

"Esto no afectaba a los presupuestos de este ministerio, ya que anteriormente disponían de un convenio entre Transporte y Defensa por el cual si un rescate se realizaba en un buque o a un tripulante civil, el primero abonaba el coste de la operación al ejército". 

"En las misiones de larga distancia, primero se enviaba un avión Hawker Siddeley Nimrod, que se ocupaba de localizar los objetivos y después se quedaba orbitando en zona hasta que llegara el helicóptero, para garantizar así las comunicaciones. Esto se hacía porque por aquel entonces no existía el GPS, con lo cual entre las grandes distancias a costa, los posibles temporales y la baja visibilidad, era mucho más efectivo y seguro enviar una aeronave de ala fija (con mayor radio de acción y autonomía) para localizar el punto exacto donde se encontraba el buque o los náufragos en apuros".   

"Tras encontrar el objetivo, desde el avión se procedía a comunicarlo a la base más próxima al lugar del rescate, enviando las coordenadas exactas a las que el helicóptero debía acudir a realizar la evacuación".  

Estos aviones despegaban desde Escocia, ya que la base de los Nimrod se encontraba al norte del Reino Unido.

De manera que Fernando Novoa centró su propuesta tras un extenso estudio sobre el funcionamiento del servicio SAR británico, adaptado a las necesidades de la CCAA de Galicia y ajustándose a los presupuestos disponibles, lógicamente mucho más limitados que los de cualquier estado. 

Así consiguió arrancar el primer servicio SAR offshore civil en España, con dos Bell 212 alquilados en un principio por el operador adjudicatario (Helicsa) a la noruega Helikopter Service, y un barco remolcador de tamaño medio.

El servicio de “Busca e Salvamento”, lo que es hoy el Gardacostas de Galicia, nació en el año 1990 de la mano del que fue su Director Técnico Fernando Novoa y el Consejero Enrique López Veiga.

El SBSLC (Servizo de Busca e Salvamento e Loita Contra la Contaminación) ya fue creado desde el primer momento como un servicio polivalente para SAR y vigilancia pesquera, que más adelante ampliaría sus competencias a la lucha contra la contaminación marina.

Inicialmente estuvo organizado en guardias localizadas H24, en las cuales las tripulaciones de los dos helicópteros no podían encontrarse a una distancia superior a 20 minutos de su base. Desde hace unos 13 años esto ha cambiado y las guardias son presenciales, las 24 horas los 365 días del año. 

Según los Estatutos de Autonomía, las CCAA tienen competencia sobre salvamento en las costas, pero la dirección de las operaciones sobre emergencias marítimas es Estatal, de manera que a propuesta de Fernando Novoa se establece que el servicio SAR gallego sea enfocado en su totalidad a plena disposición de ambas Administraciones, para que los helicópteros pudieran ser activados por cualquiera de ellas de forma que posibilitara el operar de manera puntual con cualquier otro departamento sin necesidad de mediar entre los responsables de ambas, ya que los trámites burocráticos lo ralentizarían.

Con lo cual el primer acuerdo que se realiza en España entre la DGMM y una CCAA fue con Galicia, con el único objetivo de que ante una emergencia en el mar cualquiera de los organismos pudiera movilizar los helicópteros y se atendiera así a las personas en peligro lo más rápidamente posible.

Debido al carácter polivalente del servicio, se han realizado aprensiones con Vigilancia Aduanera a través de agentes de la misma embarcados en los helicópteros de la Xunta. Traslado de personal de mantenimiento a faros de imposible acceso por tierra y con mal estado del mar (generalmente situados en islas e islotes). Colaboraciones con los GEO y GOE de la Policía Nacional. Traslado de órganos o personas pendientes de trasplantes a otras Comunidades Autónomas cuando el factor tiempo era vital, etc. 

Todo este tipo de operaciones se traducían en ejercicios que servían de entrenamiento para mejorar la preparación de las tripulaciones, y además acentuaban la motivación de un servicio novedoso que nació en un principio con credibilidad cero ante muchos sectores de la opinión pública, pero que ha demostrado a lo largo de sus casi 28 años una enorme operatividad y efectividad a través del éxito en sus misiones.

Por el servicio del Gardacostas de Galicia han pasado los siguientes helicópteros:

Dos Bell 212, que dieron un resultado excelente a pesar de que no contaban con grúa externa, era interna, lo que les restaba capacidad de rescate por peso y espacio, además de que eran mucho más incómodas de operar. Con estas dos aeronaves se llegaron a realizar grandes logros para el rescate con helicóptero en aquellos años; por ejemplo se completó una misión de evacuación a 175 nm (al máximo de su radio de acción), concretamente con el Pesca 1 de Vigo, que regresó a base aún con los 15 minutos de reserva de combustible que establece la ley.

A estos dos helicópteros se les fueron incorporando equipos, como sistema IR/TV, faro de búsqueda, GPS diferencial, etc. Estas mejoras fueron proporcionando al servicio mayor seguridad, operatividad, y lógicamente mejores y más modernos medios.

En el año 1996 se incorpora un Bell 412 a la base del Pesca 1 en el aeropuerto de Peinador (Vigo), el  cual  ya disponía  de mayor potencia, mejores sistemas de aviónica y grúa de rescate externa (el Pesca 2 de Viveiro seguiría con un Bell 212).

En 1999 se cambian ambos helicópteros por dos Aérospatiale AS365 N2 Dauphin 2, que aunque tampoco contaban con cuarto eje (o estacionario automático, sí contaban con AFCS de tres) sus sistemas de aviónica eran más modernos que los de los Bell, además tenían mayor radio de acción, capacidad de rescate superior y disponían de sistema de descarga de combustible en vuelo, de manera que proporcionaban la posibilidad de aligerar peso en operaciones de rescate con poco viento, cuando durante las operaciones de grúa, principalmente de varios náufragos o evacuados, el helicóptero no pudiera mantener estacionario.

Con la incorporación de los Dauphin se modifica el contrato a 350 horas anuales, ya que el alquiler de estas aeronaves era más caro, pero estaba considerado como uno de los mejores helicópteros de tamaño medio para misiones SAR offshore en aquel momento.

En el año 2005 llegan a Galicia, a bordo de un Antonov An124 provenientes  de Tennessee (USA), los actuales aparatos Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) S-76C+ que fueron encargados por la Xunta de Galicia al fabricante norteamericano...

Strength in Numbers: Lockheed Martin Delivers 400th C-130J Super Hercules Aircraft

MARIETTA, Ga., Feb. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) reached a major milestone with the delivery of its 400th C-130J Super Hercules aircraft on Feb. 9. This Super Hercules is an MC-130J Commando II Special Operations aircraft that is assigned to the U.S. Air Force's Special Operations Command (AFSOC).

The C-130J Super Hercules is the current production model of the legendary C-130 Hercules aircraft, with operators in 17 nations. To date, the global fleet of C-130Js has surpassed more than 1.7 million flight hours supporting almost any mission requirement — any time, any place.

"We celebrate this accomplishment with our employees, industry partners and the Super Hercules operator community that spans 17 countries," said George Shultz, vice president and general manager, Air Mobility & Maritime Missions at Lockheed Martin. "These first 400 C-130Js meet a global demand for the proven performance and unmatched versatility found only in a Super Hercules. Its durability, relevancy and capability will continue to set the C-130J apart as the world's choice in tactical airlift for decades to come."

The C-130J is defined by its versatility. To date, the C-130J supports 17 different mission configurations to include transport (military and commercial), firefighting, search and rescue, Special Operations, weather reconnaissance, and aerial refueling.

This aircraft has another distinction in addition to being the 400th C-130J delivered: it is the 13th MC-130J to be converted into an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. It will be assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The AC-130J is a highly modified C-130J that provides close-air support, air interdiction and armed reconnaissance.

The U.S. government operates the largest C-130J Super Hercules fleet in the world. This delivery represents the U.S. government's continued transition to the C-130J as the common platform across Air Mobility Command, AFSOC, Air Combat Command, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps. The Air National Guard and Reserve still operate a mixed fleet of C-130J and legacy aircraft.

To learn more about Lockheed Martin's C-130J Super Hercules,
visit www.lockheedmartin.com/c130

LifePort Delivers Lightweight Armor Kit for Columbia Helicopters

Columbia 234 aircraft during transport.

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 27, 2018 – LifePort, a Sikorsky company, announced today the delivery of  cabin and cockpit floor armor for Columbia Helicopters’ model 234 aircraft (commercial equivalent to the Boeing CH-47).  The armor is designed to protect crew members operating in hazardous environments. Sikorsky is a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT).

Through years of experience and customer collaboration, LifePort has incorporated an existing lightweight armor solution and delivered it on an aggressive schedule. The armor panels are encapsulated with LifePort’s LifeGard protective coating, providing enhanced durability to support cargo transport in the Columbia 234.

“Columbia Helicopters has a well-established business relationship with LifePort and has most recently taken delivery of a second set of LifePort Ballistic Protection Systems for our Columbia Model 234.  As flight operations expand, we will continue to collaborate on additional systems for aircraft and spares.  LifePort has been one of Columbia Helicopter’s highest performing suppliers with respect to turn time, quality, product performance, and has proven to be a valuable business partner in providing effective ballistic protection solutions with world class customer support,” said Christopher Hankland, Columbia Helicopters director of global supply chain.

“LifePort has developed a very special partnership with Columbia Helicopters, and this delivery is a great continuation of it,” said Noah Zuckerman, LifePort general manager.  “This customer operates in a very demanding environment, and LifePort is honored to protect their crew as they do so.  Our Ballistic Protection System has demonstrated stopping performance in the field, and is designed to facilitate both personnel and cargo transfer missions.”

For additional information on LifePort’s suite of products that serve military operators throughout the world, please visit the website at www.lifeport.com.