European main rotary-wing military and civil advanced programmes: key to succeed

The French MoD is expecting to receive first deliveries of the new joint light helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, HIL) Guépard H-160M in 2026, with the programme launch planned for 2021. © Airbus Helicopters

By Luca Peruzzi

The European rotary-wing industry, led by Airbus Helicopters and Leonardo Helicopters, together with main and smaller suppliers, research agencies and academic organizations, is continuously maintaining the Old Continent developments in the rotorcraft domain up to the edge. However the big investments in the US industry are challenging, and attract European customers and industries. The rotocraft cluster of the Old Continent is working on current and future military programmes throughout NATO and European Union organizations to develop new platforms and markets without forgetting the developments in the civil sector where the European Union with the Clean Sky programme is looking to tomorrow’s mobility and green technologies.

Joint armed forces light rotarywing programmes for France and Italy

The French MoD has accelerated the entry into service of the new joint light helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, HIL) Guépard to replace five different types of helicopters (Gazelle, Alouette III, Dauphin, Panther and Fennec), in service with all three French services, with a single platform and joint support for a total new 169 H-160Ms. According to the pre-development and support package contract awarded in February 2020 to an industrial team including Airbus

The Leonardo AW-169M Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) has been selected as the joint armed force rotary-wing platform by the Italian MoD. The same helicopter was selected by the Austrian MoD to replace its fleet of Alouette III. © Austrian MoD

The UK MoD has approved the plan for a new medium lift helicopter to be in service by the mid-2020s, enabling a consolidation of the Army’s disparate fleet of medium lift helicopters from four platform types to one, including the Puma fleet. © UK MoD Crowncopyright

Helicopters and Safran Helicopter Engines, the new military platform developed from the Airbus H-160 helicopter is scheduled to be delivered from 2026, with a programme launch planned for 2021. With a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 6,050 kg and powered by two new generation, reduced fuel consumption, Safran Helicopter Engines Arrano 1A 1,100-to-1,300 shp-each class engine, the H-160M will come in two different configurations for land and navalbased operations. Characterized by the noisereducing and performance-enhancing Blue Edge main rotor, a new canted fenestron and a horizontal biplane stabilizer, the new H-160M will be equipped with the Thales FlytX avionics suite and a tailored mission package. This includes Thales new Air Master C AESA compact radar and Safran Euroflir 410 EO/IR system, a selfprotection suite, as well as the capability to carry side-mounted gun, rockets pods, and launchers for MBDA ANL/SEA VENOM anti-ship missiles. The H-160M is expected to give a strong push on the international market, alongside the Airbus’ HForce arming and firing suite for the company’s H145M twin-engine light helicopter already adopted by Serbia and Hungary.

A joint armed forces requirement for 117 new helicopters to replace more than five different types of legacy platforms with the Leonardo AW169M Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) has been approved mid-last year by the Italian MoD. The first receiver of the new platform is the Italian Army, which in late 2020 accepted the first two AW-169M LUHs in a basic training configuration, while Leonardo, the Italian MoD and the service are working on the operational advanced multirole configuration called Multiruolo Avanzato (MA). A contract for a second batch of 15 helicopters was awarded in June 2020 while

To satisfy the UK MoD New Medium Helicopter (NMH), Leonardo is proposing to manufacture the AW-149 at the Yeovil plant, establishing an in-country supply-chain. The AW-149 has already reached the international market. © Leonardo

the overall requirement is for 50 platforms. With a MTOW of 4,800 kg (and 5,100 kg alternate gross weight) and a powerplant based on two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A 1,000 shp-each class engines, the AW-169M LUH is derived from the well-known parent platform with fully articulated main and tail rotors, alongside skids instead of wheel-based undercarriage, featuring a 6.3 m3 transport cabin and digital cockpit suite. According to Italian Army documentation, the mission suite is interoperable with the Forza NEC Army digitalization programme command and control system and includes Leonardo multiband software defined radios, HF, SATCOM and data, together with EO/IR turret, helicopter terrain avoidance warning system and advanced selfprotection system. The AW-169M has already attracted the interest of the Austrian MoD, which has selected the Leonardo platform (18 helicopters) to replace its fleet of Alouette III. The bigger AW-139M continues to be procured by both the Italian MoD and internationally, the main customer to be the US DoD with up to 84 Boeing MH-139A Grey Wolf in a customized version for the US Air Force.

The UK Puma replacement, the Polish and the German sagas

The main rotary-wing manufacturers are lining up to offer their best solutions for the expected launch by the UK MoD of the so-called New Medium Helicopter (NMH) to replace the Royal Air Force’s aging fleet of 22 Puma HC.2, in addition to Bell 212s, Bell 412s and Eurocopter SA-365 Dauphin. In the ‘Defence in a Competitive Age’ document published last March, the UK MoD states that ‘investment in a new medium lift helicopter in the mid-2020s will enable a consolidation of the Army’s disparate fleet of medium lift helicopters from four platform types to one; including the replacement of Puma’. The total should be of 35-40 new platforms,

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Airbus Helicopters has indicated its super-medium H-175 platform with local assembly opportunities and possibly the H-225M, alongside the NH-90 as potential candidates for the UK MoD New Medium Helicopter programme. © Airbus Helicopters

although a one-to-one replacement may not be realistic. As the Puma is to be retired by 2025, the requirement is expected to restrict the tender to already available platforms. For the UK NMH requirement, Airbus Helicopters has indicated its super-medium H-175 with industrial opportunities and possibly the H-225M, Leonardo is proposing the AW-149, while Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky is expected to offer the S-70M/S-70i Black Hawk and NHIndustries the NH-90, among the potential contenders. Leonardo Helicopters is proposing to manufacture the AW-149 in the UK, at its Yeovil plant while Airbus offers the potential development of the military variant of the H-175, in both cases also for export. The Polish MoD isn’t relaunching its programme to replace its existing fleets of W-3s, Mi-8s and Mi-2s, although these are ageing and need upgrading. The Polish rotary-wing industry including both PZL-Świdnik, a Leonardo company and PZL-Mielec, a Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin company, can satisfy modernization or replacement requirements. Last fall, the German MoD has cancelled, over cost worries, the new

The Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky’s PZL Mielec-built S-70i is being delivered to the worldwide customers of the Black Hawk. © PZL Mielec The New Exploration and Escort Helicopter (NEES, Nuovo Elicottero da Esplorazione e Scorta), also known as AW-249, is being developed by Leonardo to provide a new generation of multirole combat helicopters for the Italian Army. © Leonardo

heavy transport helicopter tender to replace the CH-53G, although the requirement would be re-examined but a contract would not be ready in 2021. The two contenders industrial teams were led by Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky with the CH-53K Stallion and Boeing with the H-47 Chinook.

New and upgraded attack helicopters

The Central and Southern European armies are set to begin fielding new or upgraded fleet of attack helicopters by the middle of the decade. Launched with a contract awarded to Leonardo in 2017 to replace the current fleet of Italian Army’s Mangusta AH-129s, the New Exploration and Escort Helicopter (NEES, Nuovo Elicottero da Esplorazione e Scorta) programme has a fleet requirement for 48 helicopters of which three already contracted and four additional to be procured in 2021, all in a new more capable full operational capability (FOC) configuration requested by the Italian MoD and Army. With a MTOW of 7,500-8,000 kg, the new AW-249 has been developed around the existing and proven dynamic systems of the AW-149 and a new airframe and systems to cope with the new mission, requirements calling for at least three hours endurance with a full combat load. Equipped with the same but more powerful General Electric CT7-8E6 turboshaft already used by the in-service NH90 for fleets communality, the AW-249 will maintain a tandem configuration with the same 20 mm TM-197B gun and Rafael Spike missiles of the AH-129, together with an advanced EO/IR surveillance and targeting system and a complete new mission suite. This is based on a new battle management system and interoperable C2 under the Forza NEC programme as well as equipped (fitted for) for teaming with unmanned systems. The Italian MoD has requested a study to meet the NEES requirements also through international collaborations, propaedeutic to the future participation to cooperation programmes in the Future Fast Rotocraft (FFR) domain, without providing future details. The new helicopter is also being proposed in Poland with the participation of local industry. The long-awaited upgrade programme for the Tiger attack helicopter in service with French, German and Spanish Armies is expected to be signed in 2021 and managed, as for the helicopter procurement, by OCCAR. The Tiger Mk III modernization programme is expected to upgrade the entire armament, communications and avionics systems to keep the platform upto-date up to 2038 and beyond. The French MoD has contracted MBDA to develop the new MAST-F missile, while Germany and Spain are likely to maintain the Israeli Rafael Spike missile.

The long-awaited upgrade programme for the Tiger attack helicopter in service with French, German and Spanish Armies is expected to be signed in 2021 and managed, as for the helicopter procurement, by OCCAR. © German MoD Conceived for civil and governmental operations, the AW609 is designed to meet civil FAA Part 25, Part 29 and new tiltrotor specific standards for certification. It combines the vertical flight and take-off/ landing of a helicopter together with the speed and operational altitude of a fixed-wing platform. © Leonardo

The family of NH-90 helicopters provided by the NHIndustries consortium continues to earn European and international customers, being an example of European rotocraft industry working together. © Airbus Helicopters

NATO’s Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability

Last April, NATO has published an unclassified list of required and desired attributes for its Next Generation Rotocraft Capability (NGRC) through its Support and Procurement Agency in preparation for industry days currently scheduled for September. The NGRC programme calls for the development of a new medium helicopter aiming to replace approximately 1,000 rotarywing platforms ranging from Mi-8/17s to Pumas, as well as from UH-60s to AW-101s. The aim of the NGRC initiative, launched in October 2020 by the Defence Ministries of France, Germany, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom, is to find a replacement for a significant amount of platforms reaching the end of their life cycle in the 2035-2040 timeframe in a timely and cost-effective manner, while concurrently leveraging a broad range of recent advances in technology, production methods, as well as operational concepts. A team of experts from the five nations led by the UK has been defining a robust statement of requirements for informing an envisioned concept phase and a multi-phase cooperation plan for defining, developing and fielding of the NGRC capability. The broad set of attributes released last April includes the ability to act as an optionally unmanned/remotely piloted vehicle; interior room enough for 12 to 16 combat-ready troops; and configurable to perform special operations, anti-surface warfare/ electronic warfare, search-and-rescue (SAR), personnel recovery and medevac missions. The attributes also include a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) inclusive of the digital backbone and artificial intelligence aided multisensor fusion, allowing cost effective and simple integration of upgrades and spiral developments (including sensitive/proprietary equipment). The NGRC must have a load lifting capacity of at least 4,000 kg, a range of 900 nautical miles (1,650 kilometers), a combat radius of 400 nm with 30 minutes of loiter time, a cruise airspeed of at least 180 knots, with an optimal 220 knots speed request, and a target MTOW of 10,000 to 17,000 kg. NATO wants all that at a flyaway cost of no more than € 35 million and a cost per flight hour optimally set at € 5,000 but not greater than € 10,000. The NGRC attributes also call for a common airframe with land/

air and maritime variants (full wet-assembled) which has to address all land/air and maritime requirements. In case they cannot be addressed, development of separate land/air and maritime variants should be considered. The Naval variant should be able to be deployed for medium-long periods (6-9 months) and fully operate from frigates and destroyers class vessels, presenting a not larger footprint or dimensions of either the NH-90 (NFH) or the AW-101, including optional capability of folding main rotor/tail to be moved onto ship’s elevator/hangar for maritime operations. The list of 10 desired attributes runs from specifying certain mission equipment to a two-minute automated rapid start, fly-by-wire controls, and air-to-air refueling capability, a complete mission suite with equipment for both land- and naval-based operations, together with advanced teaming of organic and third parties unmanned vehicle (MUMT) including the capability to manage swarm of drones, launch and recovery of small drones, as well as the capability of full range of scalable, lethal and non-lethal effects, including available hardpoints and mountings for weapon systems and sensors package. According to the work carried out with the collaboration of industry through the dedicated NATO Industry Advisory Group (NIAG), the NGRC will be focusing on cost, timeline, sustainment, interoperability and regulatory approval while developing the new requirements for the future rotorcraft capability. A high-level consultative and advisory body of senior officers from member countries, the dedicated NIAG is also expected to complete two on-going studies by 2023. Running in parallel, these two-year studies address respectively survivability and effectiveness against ground based air defense (GBAD) and NATO rotorcraft interoperability and survivability. Originated after the US DoD launched the development of new rotorcraft platforms under the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) efforts, including the Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), the NGRC could be informed and influenced by US progresses. The United Kingdom signed in 2020 an agreement with the US to look into the feasibility of the FVL, while Italy has shown interest indicating the FVL into the MoD’s multi-year planning document 20202022, the Minister of Defence Lorenzo Guerini

Heading a team of some 70 companies, research agencies and academic organizations across Europe, Leonardo Next-Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NextGenCTR) will evolve the platform concept to cope with mobility and green sustainability. © Leonardo

Leonardo Helicopters is advancing towards final assembly of the technology demonstrator of its NextGenCTR by year-end, on schedule for a first flight in 2023. © Leonardo

having said last November that the dialogue among parties, both institutional and industrial, is on-going.

Leonardo prepares for AW-609 tiltrotor type certification

Last April, the fourth AW-609 tiltrotor aircraft, fully representative of the final production configuration, arrived at Leonardo Helicopters’ headquarters to support the final stage of programme testing ahead of civil certification and allow, when appropriate, customer-dedicated demonstration activities in both Europe and the US for worldwide customers. Conceived for civil and governmental operations, the AW609 is designed to meet civil FAA Part 25, Part 29 and new tiltrotor specific standards for certification. With a MTOW of 8,165 kg, a 14.1 meters length and 18.3 meters wide with proprotor diameter of 7.9 meters, the AW-609 can lift off with up to 12 passengers and two pilots like a helicopter, and then accelerate to reach up to 510 km/h max cruise speed operating at a service ceiling up to 7,620 meters avoiding weather in pressurized cabin conditions to cover long distances before reaching the area of operation. Capable of using autorotation and presenting a downwash similar to helicopters, according to Leonardo, the AW609 represents a game changer on the vertical market for both civil and government response missions, offering a new level of flexibility to a variety of applications, including para-public and national security missions like special operations, utility, homeland security, naval, search and rescue, alongside casualty/medical evacuation.

European civil developments in rotorcraft domain

Clean Sky is the leading protagonist of Europe’s aeronautical research and innovation, championing the air transport needs of tomorrow’s increasingly mobile and growing population. Under the European Union’s Clean Sky 2 research and technology initiative, the fast rotorcraft innovative aircraft demonstration platform (IADP) consists of two concurrent concepts: the Next-Generation Civil Tiltrotor (NextGenCTR) and the Racer compound rotorcraft demonstrator. Heading a team of some 70 companies, research agencies and academic organizations across Europe, Leonardo Helicopters is advancing towards final assembly of the technology demonstrator by yearend, on schedule for a first flight in 2023. The enabling feature of the new tiltrotor, the tilting mechanism enabling vertical take-off and landing – was completely redesigned, incorporating a fixed engine installation with a split gearbox to provide the proprotor tilting mechanism. The NGCTR will use an AW-609 fuselage, adapted to fit a straight wing and its distinctive V-tail and landing gear. The NGCTR is expected to reach a cruise speed of 280 knots and promises to reduce carbon emissions and noise levels respectively by 50% and 30% compared to the AW-139. The Racer project aims to demonstrate that the compound rotorcraft configuration – implement-

The Racer project aims to demonstrate that the compound rotorcraft configuration opens up new mobility roles that neither conventional helicopters nor fixed-wing aircraft can currently cover in a sustainable way. © Airbus Helicopters

Some fifty companies and academic institutions from across Europe are involved in the new Racer compound rotorcraft, and major components for the Airbus are now coming together for a first flight scheduled in mid2022. © Airbus Helicopters

ing and combining cutting-edge technologies from the Clean Sky 1 programme - opens up new mobility roles that neither conventional helicopters nor fixed-wing aircraft can currently cover in sustainable way, for both the operators and the industry. In all some 50 companies and academic institutions from across Europe are involved, and major components for the Airbus new compound rotorcraft are now coming together for a targeted mid-2022 first flight. The Racer is an evolution of the company’s X-Cubed approach to high-speed rotary-wing flight, using the combination of a box wing with pusher propellers to drive aircraft beyond conventional rotorcraft speed and range without severe penalties in emissions, noise and operating costs. The high-speed demonstrator targets a speed of 220 knots.

Development of key technologies across the entire rotorcraft spectrum thanks to the two promising advanced concepts in the civil and green domains will further enrich the know-how and capabilities of the Old Continent cluster of rotary-wing industries, research agencies and academic organizations. The European industry shows it has significant potential to compete in the world arena of the new fast rotorcraft technologies, also considering the evolving government and military sector scenario.