Helo News game related.

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Didn't really want to do this but, it does represent a key element to the game and the AI does like using them as well. Because of budget constraints it's more about improving and extending life cycles on current equipment and maintaining or developing one's own defense infrastructure. Few are doing anything with new equipment though India does come to mind with their new attack helo.
My first entry is the improvement on South Africa's ROOIVALK which was grounded last November (Entire fleet.) due reliability concerns. In fixing the reliability issue they also included upgrades to it's avionics and fire control systems.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/18049/

We are currently seeing the deployment of tank munitions in target selection as I noted on the MBT thread with the IDF and Germans so this next weapon is a natural progression of that trend for AH's. HELLFIRE II.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/17913/

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Thought I saved some info on India's LCH AH developed by HAL of India. It did fly again but I believe it was after April as indicated in the sources.
http://www.defenceaviation.com/2010/...elicopter.html more info in this one. And:
http://australianaviation.com.au/ind...-first-flight/ just a second reliable source for reporting purposes.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita.../lch-specs.htm Good GP performance and weapons info.

Pics:


Regards and GOOD NIGHT!!
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

S-70i BLACKHAWK on track and displayed for the first time.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/18100/

New heavy lift helo on track CH-53K
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/18083/

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Please take note of the useful time-lines provided by this source in these articles.

A further more in depth article of the HELLFIRE II.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...issiles-05043/

Also an article on the ARROWHWEAD targeting system being used by the USA APACHE.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...461/#more-6461

Bahrain first foreign buyer to get UH-60M designed for the export market.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...379/#more-3379

Turkey to get A-129 AH's before getting updated versions of them designated as T-129. The A-129 has been in service since 1989 with Italy. T-129 pictogram in upper left might be of interest.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...397/#more-2397

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Correction to my last; the S-70i is the export designed version of the BLACKHAWK.

Regards,
Pat

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Let's do some SARs or "Angels from above" as some might think them after receiving help from them.
Malaysia to receive the EC725 SAR Helo to replace their "NURIS" or better known as S-61 SEA KINGS by 2012 or 2013.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...copters-06338/

Also the US is looking to replace their HH-60G PAVE HAWK in the
C(ombat)SAR area. The two being considered to date are the AgustaWestland HH-71.
http://defense-update.com/wp/20100913_hh71_csar.html
Pic:


With Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin will offer the HH-60 Recap based on the UH-60M BLAWKHAWK platform.
http://defense-update.com/wp/20100715_hh60_recap.html
Pic:


And you can't rescue Pilots, or extract (We never "rescue"
Spec Op teams.) SEALS, SAS or whom ever without close air support or as I like to call it, a cheap excuse to work in a picture I really like!!


Flares everywhere, looks good in a picture, wouldn't want to do it for real though.

Regards,
Pat

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The CORPS to get the AH-1Z. On 24 September the AH-1Z was considered to have completed it's OPEVAL process. The CORPS will get 189 new and remanufactured birds with final delivery to be completed in 2021.
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/18353/

Pic:


Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Would have more to post now but I am saving those for what I hope will be my last one for this patch season. I hope to economize on weapon variants within a particular HELO and I have around @ least 15+ deletions in this area alone game related, since my earlier post I'm thinking ~30+ deletions. And as most know by now all supported by solid refs. To help clear unneeded refs from my favorites here you go. Germany has cleared some of this up but there are no updates to suggust they've restarted the processing of further orders of the Euro-copter TIGER helos.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/...411/#more-6411

Some have asked why keep the refs in my favorites, simply for some sites as above I use do a GREAT job of updating their articles so; when I'm ready to actually use them they might in some cases have been updated since I first pulled them from the net.
I hope EVERYONE is having or had a GREAT DAY!
Regards,
Pat

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That article was released from NAVAIR. If it flies for the USN or the CORPS they own it from the drawing board to when it gets melted down basically. You'll see the releasing source to the right of the header for any DefPro articles. DefPro (and others I use.) are just "news" agencies. Here are three of my refs from my PG 3 Patch recommendations list (On paper at this point.) addressing the AH-1Z as being discussed. I'm holding the rest of the refs until the list is ready to go, but these answer the current issue. I will re-post the last off the APC thread fro continuity.

1. http://www.defpro.com/news/details/18440/ See para.2 note the key word is {B]"recommended"[/b]. And the official release.
http://www.navair.navy.mil/press_rel...413&site_id=23

2. http://www.defpro.com/news/details/20163/ See para.1
28 Nov. approved for full rate production.

3. http://www.army-technology.com/projects/supcobra/ great overview of the AH-1W and AH-1Z programs. See para.6 which should answer the question.

See post #7 this thread.

Two factors are causing the date issues which is another reason I use DefPro and a couple of others, they don't update all their info Global Security on this topic is a perfect example of an excellent hard source that does this sometimes. The biggest reason however was the redirection to give priority to the final opeval testing and production of the UH-1Y to meet the demands of the CORPS to replace it's aging HUEY's with a more reliable lift platform.

Will be offline for a couple of days, it's a time of reflection over "things lost" for the immediate family.
Have a great weekend and thank you for patience.

Regards,
Pat

[DRG]

Thanks Pat. All the Best

Don