2019 I ISSUE 26
IT HOME.
WE MAKE IT
FLY
The H225M is the helicopter of choice in the most dangerous warzones in the world. Equipped with a highly advanced defensive aides suite, it keeps both pilots and crew safe. It includes radar, missile & laser warning receiver, chaff and flare, and much more. On top of that, it also boasts the heaviest payload capacity, the highest speeds, and the furthest range in its category. Combined, these make the H225M more than ready for the world’s most demanding missions. Defence. We make it fly.
tHe team PUBLISHER Ned Dawson EDITOR Mark Ogden DEPUTY EDITOR Alan Norris SUB EDITOR Leigh Neil EUROPE EDITOR Alexander Mladenov NORTH AMERICA EDITOR Buzz Covington CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Paul Kennard Scott McKenzie PROOFREADER Barbara McIntosh GRAPHIC DESIGN Carolina De Armas
KIA KAHA MEDIA GROUP
PO Box 37 978, Parnell, Auckland 1001, New Zealand T +64 21 757 747 EMAIL info@heliopsmag.com NEWS DESK news@heliopsmag.com
www.heliopsmag.com ISSN 1179-710X
ISSUE 26 2019
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22 BACCARAT – MORE THAN JUST A CARD GAME
Following the terrorist attacks in January 2015, in Paris, the French Army began a major review of its organization and part of this included the creation of the 4e Brigade d’Aérocombat (4BAC) in the following year. Commanded by Brigadier General Gout and headquartered at Clermont-Ferrand, in Central France, it is under the control of the French Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT) command.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> THE ‘FUTURE’ IN 40 WHERE’S FUTURE HEAVY LIFT? With the US Army focused on future assault and reconnaissance helicopters, Paul Kennard explores the ‘where now?’ for vertical heavy lift capability.
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ITALIAN NAVY DEFENDERS THE VARIED ROLES OF ITALY’S NAVAL AIRBASE MARISTAELI LUNI The Italian Navy (Marina Militare Italiana or MMI) airbase Maristaeli Luni has, since 1999, been named after Admiral Giovanni Fiorini, a major architect of the Italian Navy’s helicopter
ROMANIAN BLACK SEA KNIGHTS 72 THE EYES IN THE SKY FOR THE SEA FLEET It is a warm summer morning as commander Marius Mitric walks across the platform towards the large maintenance hangar of the “Black Sea Knights” at Tuzla Airport. The Romanian Air Force colonel seems to be an odd man out on the maritime airfield, but feels completely at home at the unit. His unit is small, has only eight pilots in service and operates just three IAR330L Puma Naval helicopters. However, the maritime helicopters operate continuously from the east coast of Romania – with 250 miles uncomfortably close to the annexed Crimea. Sven van Roij spoke to the commander about the diverse range of tasks of his helicopter group.
component and the main creator of Maristaeli (Marina Stazione Elicotteri) Luni (Sarzana-Luni helicopter terminal). One of the three MMI air bases, Maristaeli Luni has a relatively short history, with construction commencing in the 1960s in an area adjacent to the existing airfield.
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industry news
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Bell-Boeing awarded MV-22 upgrade contract Bell-Boeing has been awarded a $146 million contract for upgrades and maintenance on the USMC MV22 fleet brining the aircraft up to Block C configuration, with work expected to be completed by the middle of 2022.
VSR700 prototype first flight The prototype of Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 unmanned aerial system has performed its first flight at a drone test center near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. The VSR700 performed several take-offs and landings with the longest flight lasting around 10 minutes.
from the editor
@HeliFrontline Connect with like minded people in the industry & get in-the-moment updates, in real time, from every angle.
industry news >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9
UH-60M Black Hawks to Croatia The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of two UH-60M Black Hawks to Croatia, which includes spare engines, radio equipment, on-board weapons and training, valued at $115 million. The aircraft will further allow for interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces in response to a variety of missions and quick positioning of troops with minimal helicopter assets.
Final MD530F’s delivered The Afghan Air Force has taken delivery of the final five MD 530Fs ordered as part of a 30-aircraft order issued in September 2017. The aircraft were to Kandahar reassembled and ready for active service in less than 10 days.
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Netherlands MoD opens new NH90 facility Rotorsim, a joint venture between CAE and Leonardo, have started training on the NH90 Full Mission Flight Trainer following its relocation from Sesto Calende, Italy to Maritime Air Base de Kooy in Den Helder, the Netherlands.
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10th anniversary of AW159 Leonardo are celebrating the ten years anniversary of the first flight of the AW159 Wildcat from Yeovil, England. Over the last decade, more than 70 AW159s have been delivered to battlefield and maritime military operators around the world logging 50,000 flight hours.
Flight testing begins on Kuwaiti H225Ms Airbus has started flight testing the first H225Ms that are due to be delivered by the end of 2019. Kuwait has ordered 30 of the long-range multi-role H225Ms for operation by the Kuwait AF and the Kuwait National Guard.
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industry news
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Ardiden 1Ue obtains EASA certification Safran has received EASA type certification for its Ardiden 1U engine, installed in India’s Light Utility Helicopter. Since its first ground test in 2015, the Ardiden 1U certification campaign has accumulated around 1000 of hours of operation, in test beds or in flight.
US Army order 31 Simulators Ryan Aerospace (Australia) has been awarded a contract to supply more than 30 HELIMOD Mark III simulators for the US Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The contract is part of the Army’s “Aviator Training Next” Program, an experimental, way to provide helicopter pilot training during the primary phase using virtual reality technology.
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H145M delivered to Hungary The first two of twenty H145Ms have been delivered to the Hungarian Defense Forces. The aircraft are equipped with a fast roping system, high-performance camera, dual cargo hook, hoist, disaster management kit, ballistic protection and electronic countermeasures.
RCAF 408 Squadron trains for Iraq The Royal Canadian Air Force’s 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, from Edmonton, Alberta, have completed training at USMC Air Ground Combat Center, California, for an upcoming deployment to Iraq.
industry news
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Global Recognition 2019 Poster Airbus Helicopt ers AS350B 2
Airbus Helicopt ers AS355 Airbus Helicopt ers BK117
Airbus Helicopt ers EC145 Airbus Helicopt ers EC120
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Airbus Helicopt ers H125 Airbus Helicopt ers SA315B
Airbus Helicopt ers H175 Airbus Helicopt ers H155
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Bell 47
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Kopter SH09 Bell 206B
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Bell 429
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Bell 505 Bell 407 Bell 214B CH-54B
Eagle Helicopt ers Eagle Single
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Leonard o AW109
Eagle Helicopt ers 407HP
Boeing CH-47D
Sikorsky UH60
Kazan ANSAT Leonard o W3 Sokol
Enstrom 480B
Leonard o AW169
MD Helicopt ers MD500C
MD Helicopt ers MD520N
MD Helicopt ers MD500D
Leonard o AW009
Leonard o AW109 Trekker
Leonard o AW139
Leonard o AW189
MD Helicopt ers MD500E
MD Helicopt ers MD902
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Enstrom F28
Leonard o AW609 Mil Mi38
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Enstrom TH180 Kamov KA226 Robinso n R44
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Sikorsky S76 Enstrom 280FX
Sikorsky S92
Illustration s by Ugo Crisponi Aviationgr aphic.com
Leonard o AW119
Robinso n R66 Mil Mi26 Sikorsky S58T
Mil Mi171Sh Schweiz er RSG S-300
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This is the 2019 edition poster showcasing illustrations of some of the coolest looking helicopters around the world by renowned aviation artist Ugo Crisponi. This poster is a MUST HAVE.
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MDHI Awarded Kenyan Contract MD Helicopters has been awarded a Firm Fixed-Price contract for the provision of Contractor Logistics Support for the six MD 530F Cayuse Warriors ordered for the Kenya Defense Forces.
RAF work with Lebanese AF The Puma Force QFIs have been working Lebanese AF pilots to develop their procedures in response to complicated emergencies and malfunctions using the dynamic motion simulators based at RAF Benson.
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industry news
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RAN supports bushfire operations The Australian Defense Industry is working hand-in-hand with the Royal Australian Navy to support firefighting efforts throughout New South Wales with 723 Squadron delivering an EC135 helicopter to RAAF Base Williamtown. The aircraft was put to task conducting fire assessments around the Coffs Harbor district.
NH90 sim for Spanish Army Indra has installed a NH90 training simulator at the Héroes del Revellín base in La Rioja, Spain as part of the Spanish Army Helicopter Simulation Center. The new system will be integrated into the Army’s simulator network, allowing pilots to carry out joint training missions with simulators found in other army bases such as the CH-47D, AS532, EC135 or EC665 Tiger.
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First Sea Lion Delivered The first NH90 Sea Lion has been delivered to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), with a further two to be delivered by the end of 2019. In total, 18 Sea Lions have been ordered for the German Navy, with deliveries expected to be completed in 2022 to replace the Sea King.
Royal Saudi Complete MH-60R Training Royal Saudi Naval Forces have participated in a winging ceremony following training, initially at Naval Air Station Pensacola then completing their training with HSM-40 on the MH-60R at Naval Station Mayport.
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industry news
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Ecuadorian Air Force orders H145M The Ecuadorian Air Force has signed a contract for the purchase of six H145Ms as part of a modernization and operational improvement program and will be operated by 22 Fighter Wing at Guayaquil who currently operates Indian built HAL Dhruv.
SOF/PR Defense Contract for Erickson Erickson has been awarded a seven year, $996M contract to provide modifications for the Air Force Materiel Command, Life Cycle Management Center for Fixed and Rotary Wing platforms. The rotary wing platforms consist of the HH-60G, TH-1H, and UH-1H aircraft.
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UAE to order CH-47Fs The US State Department has approved the sale to the United Arab Emirates of ten CH-47F Chinooks for an estimated value of $830.3 million. The order will include related equipment including navigation systems, weapons, Extended Range Fuel System, communications equipment, sensors, protection systems and training.
HH-60W arrives at Eglin AF Base 413th Flight Test Squadron, USAF has taken delivery of two HH-60W CSAR aircraft from the Sikorsky Developmental Flight Center. The aircrafts current experimental flight clearance does not allow instrument flight or the use of its transponder and aircrew flew the entire trip visually or VFR.
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industry news
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Sikorsky and Rheinmetall to support CH-53K at Leipzig In a move to support Germany’s heavy lift helicopter program, Sikorsky and Rheinmetall have announced that they intend to set up a logistics and fleet management center at Leipzig/Halle Airport if the Bundeswehr selects the CH-53K as its next heavy-lift transport helicopter.
USN 35,000th Pilot winged Training Air Wing Five has celebrated a milestone in Naval Aviation when the 35,000th rotary wing student received their coveted “Wings of Gold” at Naval Air Station Whiting Field.
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Jordan’s first female UH-60 pilot The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s first female rotary-wing aviator, Cadet Aya Basheer Ibrahim Alsourany, has started training UH-60 at the Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site in Pennsylvania.
723 Squadron 10,000 flying hours The Royal Australian Navy EC135s of 723 Squadron have recently logged 10,000 flying hours during since 2016 and this milestone was attained during support of the New South Wales bushfires.
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More than just a Card Game STORY & PHOTOS BY ALAN NORRIS
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F
ollowing the terrorist attacks in January 2015, in Paris, the French Army began a major review of its organization and part of this included the creation of the 4e Brigade d’Aérocombat (4BAC) in the following year. Commanded by Brigadier General Gout and headquartered at ClermontFerrand, in Central France, it is under the control of the French Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (ALAT) command. The rotary assets of 4BAC include: 1e Régiment d’Hélicoptères de Combat (1e RHC), based in Phalsbourg, close to the border of Germany, with a mixed fleet of Gazelles, Pumas, NH90’s and Tigers, and 3e RHC located in Etain with Gazelles and Pumas. The largest unit is situated in the South of France. 5e RHC in Pau, who operate a mixed fleet of Gazelles, Pumas, Cougars and Tigers. Pau is also the home of 4e Régiment d’Hélicoptères des Forces Spéciales that provides air support to the French Special Forces.
For the past three years 4BAC has staged a major exercise called BACCARAT that aims to validate and maintain the operational readiness of 4BAC.
BACCARAT EXERCISE The exercise was extended across four military training grounds covering 1500 miles² (4,000km²). It involved over 2000 personnel and 50 helicopters during ten days of high-intensity conflict training, day and night troop maneuvers and air mobility flights all culminating in a live firing event on the Suippes range. This is one of the largest military ranges in France covering an area of 52 miles² (135km²) and was established on lands devastated by the First World War. The firing range is primarily used by cavalry and artillery units but also has an air-to-ground firing zone dedicated to helicopters. General Gout explains “This exercise will
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test the tactical and technical skills of the participating joint units. This type of operational exercise also helps us to ensure that the combination of ground troops to engage in combat along with the helicopter regiments works cohesively. Being able to put troops on the ground in confined areas quickly and stealthily is an important element of airmobility. Exercises like this also enable NATO allied countries to work together and manage good operational practices
by working on basic helicoptering skills, integrating airmobile subgroups and for tactical leaders to qualify for combat.” General Gout continues “it gives the commander a powerful advantage if executed efficiently.” Over a two-week period Vouziers Séchaut Air Base, a former military airfield in the Champagne-Ardenne region approximately 117 miles (188km) East of Paris, became the focus and home of a temporary operational command
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and communication center, mobile Air Traffic Control, refueling stations and a ground troop base camp along with armored vehicles. French army helicopters formed the backbone of the rotary assets during the exercise with aircraft from its three combat regiments. International participation included the integration of a Spanish Army Aviation, Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra (FAMET), squadron into a battle group and sharing helicopter patrols along with Italian special forces troops. For the first time the British Army Air Corps took part in the exercise sending Apaches and AW159 Wildcat aircraft. At Sissonne, only 20 minutes flying from Vouziers Séchaut, there are two specially built urban complexes complete with villages, railway sidings, train carriages, buses and various disused military vehicles. All designed for tactical training in built up areas and were the location for a number of day and night confined area airmobile movements. In one scenario troops from the 13th Demi-Brigade of the French Foreign Legion, acting as the opposing force, attacked and captured the village. The following day an early morning airmobile counter assault was mounted, to retake the village, deploying troops of the French
Army 3e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine from a French Puma and a Spanish CH-47D and NH90. For the aviation regiments these intense combat scenarios help develop and integrate offensive and defensive joint tactical missions. For the French Army ground forces they offer the opportunity to exercise together with airmobile assets. For the duration of the exercise a mobile air traffic control tower was on site along with fire crews and vehicles. In the buildup to the exercise the ALAT controllers have to create the different airspaces that the exercise will need and then obtain authorization from the French civil National air traffic control department (DGAC) to ensure they do not infringe any civil air space. Military air space is not marked on civilian maps and with an average of 125 movements a day during the exercise they advise the DGAC of specific areas where they will be operating on a daily basis. “We do not need to file a flight plan if the helicopters remain within the reserved military air space for the exercise but if operating outside of this then we need to register a flight plan.” They are able to do almost whatever they want within the military flight zone including night activity and even flying throughout the night.
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The tower is active 24 hours a day and has no radar with all aircraft engine start-ups, take offs and landings controlled visually and on radio commands only. Due to the confined space within the tower normally only one controller is on duty at any one time with a second ATC person used to record aircraft movements. Away from the main field forward arming and refueling points were also set up at short notice during the exercise providing temporary locations to hot refuel multiple helicopters simultaneously using mobile combat support tankers. An air traffic controller was deployed in these advanced fields to control aircraft movements using a handheld radio.
BACCARAT AIRCRAFT The French Army Aviation has approximately 150 helicopters in its inventory, with almost 20% of these taking part in the exercise including Tigers and NH90 TTH from 1e and 5e RHC plus Gazelles and Pumas from the 1e and 3e RHC. The Spanish Army sent Tiger’s from BHELA I in Central Spain, a NH90 TTH from BHELMA III in Logroño and CH-47D’s from BHELTRA V based in Colmenar Viejo, Madrid. The British Army Air Corps sent AH64D Longbow Apaches from 3 Regiment based in Wattisham and AW159 Wildcat from 1 Regiment located at Yeovilton. France originally ordered the HAP (Hélicoptère
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d’Appui et de Protection) variant which is an escort and fire support version. Powered by two MTU Safran Rolls-Royce MTR390-2C turboshafts that give a maximum speed of 145kt (270 km/h) and a MTOW of 13,000 lb (6,000 kg). The model is fitted with a SAGEM gyro-stabilized roof-mounted STRIX sight with FLIR camera, CCD TV, laser rangefinder and a direct optical sight. A turreted chin-mounted AM-30781 Nexter 30mm cannon, linked to both the roof and helmet mounted sights, has a firing rate of 750 rounds per minute. Stub wings on both sides can carry two MBDA Mistral air-to-air missiles each, two inner and two outer hard points can carry either two paniers of twelve or twenty-two 68mm unguided rockets. If the Mistral missiles are not fitted, then both paniers can be fitted making a total of 68 rockets. In its combat support role, the HAP uses its rockets for medium and long-range target, the Mistral missiles for airborne targets and its cannon for short-range ground targets. Both crewmembers use a Thales TopOwl helmet-mounted display and sighting system which can show images from any of the sensors on the aircraft and is able to slave any of the weapons being carried. TopOwl can switch from
intensified image projection to high-resolution infrared imaging with one click to improve visibility in degraded visual conditions like brownout, whiteout, and night flying. The helmet system weighs less than 2.2 kg and has a customized helmet liner to individually fit each crewmember. The Tiger HAD (Helicóptero de Apoyo y Destrucción, Spanish for “Support and Destruction Helicopter”) is basically indistinguishable to the HAP version from the outside. But with a 14% increase in engine power available from the enhanced MTR390-E turboshafts it is better suited for operations in hot environments hence why the model was chosen by the Spanish Army Aviation. The 1467 shp generated by the engines means that the MTOW is increased to 14,550 lb (6,600 kg). The Spanish also requested a two-way satellite communication Link capability, enhanced ballistic protection and the capability to operate the Rafael Spike- ER missiles. This is an air-toground missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance and is equipped with an imaging infrared seeker. License built by General Dynamics, Santa Bárbara Sistemas in Spain, it has a minimum range of 400 m and a maximum of
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DELIVERING GLOBAL COVERAGE OF THE HELICOPTER INDUSTRY
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5.0 mi (8,000 m) with a penetration of about 39in (1,000 mm) of armor. Spain ordered 24 in 2004, with the first two delivered in 2014 In 2015 France decided to upgrade its entire Tiger fleet to the HAD standard by 2025, also placing an order for seven additional new aircraft, the first 36 retrofitted were delivered in 2017. This retrofit involves performing over 100 airframe modifications and installing two new enhanced MTR390E engines, an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator, improved ballistic protection and a new electronic warfare system. A new STRIX optical sighting system is installed complete with a laser designator to allow the aircraft to be armed with eight Lockheed Martin Hellfire II missiles. The ALAT will eventually receive a total of 80 machines which will be configured to fire both the Mistral and Hellfire. The SA330B Puma has been the main troop transport aircraft for the ALAT since the 1970s and has gone through a number of upgrades including composite blades, the addition of a defensive aids suite and a communications upgrade; they plan to continue flying the Puma until 2030. In 2007 the French government ordered 34 NH90 TTHs to
replace the Puma in the long term. The first NH90 Final Operational Capability (FOC) aircraft was delivered in 2012 followed a year later with the official hand over to 1RHC in Phalsbourg. Since 1973 the ALAT has operated the single engine light multi-role Gazelle in a number of variants and in spite of their age, as with the Puma, it is planned to remain in service providing support for ground troops until 2030. The current SA342M variant is NVG compatible and primarily an anti-tank aircraft capable of carrying four tube-launched MBDA HOT missiles. It was originally fitted with the SFIM APX M397 sighting system but has been upgraded with the SAFRAN Viviane sight. This is a stabilized roof mounted sight with a through the lens direct view or an infrared image and a laser rangefinder effective to 3 miles (5km). It is mounted above the systems operator and required structural reinforcement to the roof due to the sights increased weight and the main blades from the AS350 were retrofitted to the Gazelle to increase performance and MTOW of the aircraft The Apache AH1 is an AgustaWestland license-built version of the Boeing AH-64D
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Apache Longbow attack helicopter for the British Army Air Corps (AAC). The aircraft differ from the AH-64D having the 2100shp RollsRoyce Turbomeca RTM322 engines, the Selex ES Helicopter Integrated Defensive Aids System (HIDAS) and a folding blade mechanism allowing the British version to operate from ships. The AH1 is primarily operated in the armed reconnaissance and close air support roles and fitted with a nose mounted M230 30mm chain gun delivering a rate of fire of 625 rounds per minute. The four multipurpose stub wings can be fitted with Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and 38 CRV-7 80mm rockets. The AW159 Wildcat replaced the British AAC Lynx Mk.7/8/9 aircraft and is operated by both the Royal Navy and British Army. It is powered by two 1361shp Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC) CTS800-4N turboshaft engines giving the aircraft a max take-off weight of 13,228lb
(6,000kg). The Wildcat is fitted with a nose mounted MX-15 Wescam Electro Optical Device which can be used as a target designator for the Apache AH1. Its main armament is pintle-mounted general-purpose machine gun can be fitted and the Wildcat is used for battlefield reconnaissance, troop transport and force protection roles.  Every exercise on this scale provides all the assets involved the opportunity to implement, in realistic scenarios, rotary and ground maneuvers that take advantage of the changing pace that helicopters can offer in a combat environment. For a relatively young brigade this was the third major exercise since its formation and Baccarat is a real test for all the participants it brought together. Airmobility is not unique to 4BAC but working with its European allies is an opportunity to develop tactics and learn mutually beneficial procedures that can be carried forward into the future. n
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Where’s The
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‘Future’ in Future Heavy Lift?
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With the US Army focused on future assault and reconnaissance helicopters, Paul Kennard explores the ‘where now?’ for vertical heavy lift capability.
FLRAA AND FARA The US Army is in the middle of an ambitious and expensive re-equipment program. The twin programs of FLRAA (Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft) and FARA (Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft) are due to deliver a UH-60 Black Hawk replacement and a long-delayed successor to the OH-58 Kiowa by the end of the 2020s. Indeed, so pressing is the FARA ‘need’ that the US Army is pushing hard for Industry to exploit novel contracting and production initiatives to bring the entry into service date as far ‘left’ as possible. FLRAA has two competing design concepts already flying; Bell have so far met or exceeded all baseline requirements with their tiltrotor V-280 Valor, achieving level flight speeds in excess of 300kts and successfully acquiring follow-on funding from the Army to examine some ‘stretch’ capability areas such as optionally manned operations. The Sikorsky / Boeing demonstrator, the SB>1 Defiant has not, to date, shown the same level of progress and maturity. This complex coaxial rotored / thrust compounded design has yet (as of November 2019) to reach speeds much faster than a hover taxy. The rear mounted propulsor, essential to achieve the hoped-for high cruise speed, has yet (publicly at least) to be engaged in flight. From an objective viewpoint, it seems that Bell are at a considerable technical advantage. FARA too is proceeding apace. Four designs from Sikorsky, Bell, AVX/L3 and Karem Aviation have already been revealed, with only Boeing yet to unveil their concept before the due March 2020 down-selection date, when the Army will award two companies with a contract to build, fly and demonstrate their machines in an aggressive timescale. The FARA field has significant variety in design concepts; some are traditional tandem cockpits, others side by side. Some exploit thrust compounding; others lift compounding. Some have single rotors; some have coaxial rotors. With the AH-64 Apache in the midst of a complex digital upgrade to AH-64E standard, where does that leave the Army’s needs for vertical heavy lift?
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HEAVY LIFT STANDARD The CH-47 Chinook has been the workhorse of Aviation’s heavy lift role for the past five decades. The breed has been significantly matured and improved over the years; greater engine power, higher reliability, more complex mission avionics and better flight control systems have all contributed to the current CH-47F being a far more capable, more digital, platform than its immediate predecessor the CH-47D1 and an quantum leap when compared to the CH-47A. However, the CH-47 has not been improved in all areas. The migration from CH-47D to Ch-47F caused a certain amount of ‘middle aged spread’. The result is that the ‘F’ is somewhere around 1500lbs heavier than the equivalent ‘D’. This can place the new machine at a disadvantage, especially where payload is vital and conditions are severe, such as operations in high Density Altitude. This reduced performance has second order impacts upon other programs; the Army’s new ‘light’ vehicle, the Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) for example is a heavier beast than the HMMWV (‘Hummer’) it replaces as it employs lessons learnt re protection for troops from recent campaigns, especially in terms of
1. The “E” designator was used for the SOCOM MH-47E variant.
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resistance to Improvised Explosive Devices. The increased weight of the Chinook, coupled with the heavier JLTV, results in less mission flexibility as fuel or payload needs to be traded – either the JLTV isn’t carried as far underslung or the vehicle is de-‘roled’ to an extent. The Army anticipated such a problem and initiated the CH-47F “Block II” program to ‘buy back’ some of the performance loss. The Block II enhancements included a new rotor design, the Advanced Chinook Rotor Blade (ACRB), which features swept back tips for the first time, and promises to increase payload by some 1500lbs; a very ‘convenient’ figure. There are also improvements to the transmission drivetrains, which, Boeing claim’s increases available torque by 9% by reducing losses between the engines and the rotors. Finally, the current fuel system (for ‘thin-tank’ aircraft) has 6 separate tanks, one main and two auxiliary tanks per side, with associated piping, transfer and booster pumps. The Block II reverts to a simpler design, with one tank per side, the same as the ‘fat tank’ aircraft have. This configuration provides a handy weight reduction and reduces the complexity, and therefore the likelihood of malfunction in the system. From a personal perspective, having flown the UK’s version of the CH-47D for 2000hrs, I’m a little sceptical of the new tank design, particularly from a survivability and crash-worthiness perspective. The old 6-tank design enabled the crew to isolate a tank in case of battle damage and for the tanks to separate and seal independently in the event of a heavy landing. The UK aircraft, at least, also had a dry-bay inert gas fire suppression system.
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Thus, with Block II enhancements for the CH-47F and MH-47G coming down the line, the US Army has kicked the can of a new Heavy Lift helicopter down the road by another decade or so? Well, errrr, actually, no… they haven’t.
CREDIT CRUNCH The US Army it appears is facing a bit of a ‘credit crunch’ when it comes to funding its re-equipment program. Much like the 1970s, the Army is undertaking an ambitious modernisation program to refocus from counterinsurgency (Vietnam) to conventional peer-peer warfighting (Cold War in Europe). Today, the Army’s commitment to the wars in Afghanistan and The Middle East is considerably scaled back, and attention is switching rapidly back to a resurgent Russia and an expansionist China, as well as their increasingly well-equipped Proxy Nations. These rival nations have not stood still in their efforts to improve their own weapon systems, especially in respect to Anti-Access Area Denial (A2AD) capabilities designed to make Western militaries fight hard to even enter the contested areas through layers of Surface to Air Missiles and Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) dominance, including the liberal use of cyber-attacks. In the 1970s, the US Army invested hard in the
‘Big 5’ – the Black Hawk, the Apache, the Bradley troop carrier, the Abrams Main Battle Tank (MBT) and the Patriot SAM. To be ready to contest on the near future’s battlefield, the Army has identified a number of key capability areas that require priority enhancements. In a throwback to the 1970s, they are termed ‘The Big 6’. They are; 1. Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) – in effect, artillery. Once labelled ‘The God of War’, artillery has been somewhat sidelined by recent campaigns. However, the efficacy of Russian artillery in Ukraine and elsewhere has forced the Army to confront the awkward truth they are arguably outgunned on today’s battlefield. 2. Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV). The Bradley replacement, in both manned and unmanned versions.
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3. Networking. Enhancing and hardening C2 against EMS-denial and cyber-attack. 4. Soldier Lethality (SL). New weapons, armour and integrated systems for the ‘boots on the ground’, including use of wearable technology and micro-UAVs. 5. Air and Missile Defense (AMD). New systems to replace Patriot, detect/destroy enemy aircraft and UAVs and, potentially, some form of ‘Iron Dome’ ballistic weapon protection. 6. Future Vertical Lift (FVL). Higher speed, longer-range and improved survivability on the battlefields of the future. In terms of priority, the Army places FVL 3rd in the list, behind LRPF and NGCV. However, this ambitious re-equipment programme is already significantly ‘overheated’ in terms of affordability. As always, quoting figures is a dangerous game, but it seems that the Army is planning on spending some $3Bn per year over its budget request for the next 5 years on new equipment. Savings therefore have to be made.
JMR Which circles us back to the CH-47F Block II. Whilst, notionally, the heavy lift requirement is included in FVL as Joint Multi RoleHeavy (JMR-H) and JMR-Ultra (JMR-U) neither concept is being
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actively pursued or funded under current spending plans. Both concepts are designed to bring the speed, altitude and range capabilities of the JMR-Medium (effectively FLRAA through the JMR Technology Demonstration program) and JMR-Light (FARA) to larger platforms. JMR-H is designated as the direct Chinook and potentially CH-53K replacement (it is ‘Joint’ after all…..), with broadly similar payload capability. The Army initially, and it now seems rather ambitiously, cited an in-service date of 2035 for JMR-H. Even more fanciful at the moment is JMR-U which seeks to replicate the cargo carrying capabilities of fixed wing platforms such as the Lockheed Martin C-130J and EADS A400M Atlas in a vertical lift form. The technological challenges and costs of developing JMR-U will likely prove prohibitive, not to mention that it will inevitably spark a ‘turf war’ with the US Air Force over the Tactical Air Transport role. It is therefore likely that JMR-U, if it ever sees the light of day, will be a truly ‘joint’ program with the Air Force as it will require access to USAF funding lines and clear demarcation between the relative services’ parochial interests. JMR-H has, at least been examined in concept form. AVX Aircraft (teamed with L3), one of the bidders for FARA, have shown a planned ‘family’ of platforms that leverage off JMR derived technology, including a ‘Cargo’ tiltrotor with a proposed payload of over 10 000lbs and a Chinook sized cabin. In the early 2000s Bell and Boeing, as designers and producers of the V-22 Osprey, were funded to look at what a larger Chinook equivalent would look like. Dubbed, inevitably, the ‘V-44’, the design was conceptually striking and novel, a Quad Tilt Rotor (QTR), with the scope to scale up to JMR-U size with, potentially, six rotors. The feasibility studies were enough to show that, although credible,
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the development costs would be steep and that the technology required would not be simple or risk-free to produce. Although an old design, in airframe terms the CH-47F fleet is the youngest in the Army’s inventory, with the last new aircraft coming down the line in the near future. Cancelling or delaying the Block II after the Engineering Manufacturing Demonstration (EMD) phase will help to fund those ‘Big 6’ ambitions. But. It would leave the Army without a heavy-lift helicopter in full-rate production, development or even design. True, the -47 line will not be completely closed as there is a line for Block II enhanced MH47Gs for SOCOM (and, it seems, likely the UK Royal Air Force) and there remains a trickle of overseas orders for the basic CH-47F, with some significant export opportunities with both Germany and Israel close to finalising their heavy lift requirements and, given the stark shortfall of heavy lift that’s been exposed by operations in Mali, even the potential of a French order. However, these will not secure jobs and supply chain as effectively as full-rate Block II production for the US Army would do, nor keep the production costs (and hence unit cost) down.
COMPROMISE? Perhaps the answer is, as always, a compromise. The EMD phase for Block II will, hopefully, prove the performance benefits of the ACRB and certify them for use on the airframe. The Army could enter a less ambitious and significantly less expensive program to re-blade the Block I fleet with the ACRB to deliver a ‘Block 1.5’ capability with the 1500lbs or so of payload bought back.
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Intriguingly, the US Army has also been funding a demonstration program that replaces the standard Honeywell T55-714A engines on the CH-47D/F with a pair of General Electric T408 engines, normally to be found (as a threesome) powering the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter. Despite a troubled development program, and being significantly late for its prime customer, the US Marine Corps, the King Stallion has immense potential, comfortably outlifting the CH-47F in pure payload terms and competing actively against the CH-47F in the German and Israeli heavy lift competitions. Whilst the T55-714A produces circa 5000hp per engine, the T408 outputs some 2500hp more per engine. An immediate 30+% increase in engine power could, with appropriate drivetrain, transmission and rotor system upgrades, propel the CH47 to near payload equivalence with the CH-53K at a significantly reduced cost; and Boeing claim that the T408 would also provide an approximate 15% fuel saving over the T55. The rationale behind the Army’s funding for the T408 experiment is not clear; however an up-engined Chinook may prove a frightening ‘stalking horse’ for Sikorsky, who have already suffered the embarrassment of seeing the Senate Armed Service Committee publicly order the Marines to request a briefing on CH-47 capabilities as, at least a partial, amelioration of the delays and cost overruns afflicting the King Stallion program. More prosaically, perhaps the US Army has decided to only kick the Heavy Lift can a few years down the road, not the 20 or so years that would be required to design, develop, test and field some form of JMR-H. If a ‘Block 1.5’ CH-47F provides a useful short term uplift in performance, the Army could invest in the fleet wide upgrade while paying Boeing to study what a ‘CH-47H’ might look like with the rest of the Block II modifications and a new drivetrain able to fully utilise the enhanced power and reduced operating costs promised by the T408 engines. Sadly then, the QTR seems further away than ever. Heavy lift assets will stay stuck at 170-180kts for the foreseeable future. Perhaps the successful delivery of FLRAA and FARA may yet embolden the US Army to take the next step up the capability ladder, but, until they do, a combination of ‘Block 1.5’ CH-47F and “CH-47H” may just be the correct and pragmatic approach. n
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Presenting
The best selection of MD500’s at work
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Over 30 stunning images of helicopters in action Modern eye catching design Global industry events marked for easy reference
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Italian Navy Defenders THE VARIED ROLES OF ITALY’S NAVAL AIRBASE MARISTAELI LUNI TEXT & PHOTOS ERIK BRUIJNS AND MARK DE GREEUW
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The Italian Navy (Marina Militare Italiana or MMI) airbase Maristaeli Luni has, since 1999, been named after Admiral Giovanni Fiorini, a major architect of the Italian Navy’s helicopter component and the main creator of Maristaeli (Marina Stazione Elicotteri) Luni (Sarzana-Luni helicopter terminal). One of the three MMI air bases, Maristaeli Luni has a relatively short history, with construction commencing in the 1960s in an area adjacent to the existing airfield. The base became operational on 1 November 1969 with the establishment of 5º Gruppo Elicoterri, equipped with the Agusta-Bell AB-47J and during May 1971, 1º Gruppo Elicoterri moved in from Catania-Fontanarossa, Sicily, with their Sikorsky SH-34s. Both units have remained headquartered there ever since and form the heart of the base’s operational and supporting activities.
OPERATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY Maristaeli Luni’s primary function is to provide logistical support, training and standardisation of crews for the two Gruppo Elicoterri, operating a mix of AgustaWestland (formerly EH Industries) EH-101 variants and NH Industries SH-90s. In addition, it supports ship-embarked aircraft and those deployed in operational theatres. The main tasks of the two Gruppo Elicoterri are to maintain the operational readiness of air and maintenance crews and their aircraft, operating primarily in the anti-surface & anti-submarine roles. The units also support the 1st San Marco Regiment, an amphibious unit of the Italian Navy (Italian Marines). Two base units provide training for both pilots and supporting crew. Aircrew have the ability to train in the AgustaWestland EH101 simulator, which was delivered in 2011. The full mission flight simulator (FMFS) and rear crew trainer (RCT) facility provides a complete training environment for EH-101 crews of all versions, enabling both student pilots and experienced crews to receive initial and recurrency flight and mission training, or practice emergency cockpit procedures, night-vision goggle training, ship deck landings and tactical mission training. The RCT portion of the simulator mirrors the rear cabin of the Anti-Surface Warfare (ASW) version of the EH-101 and is used to teach and refresh tactical crews’ operation of all the sensors, avionics and software
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systems in the aircraft. The FMFS and RCT can either be used independently or be networked to offer a complete and realistic mission training environment for the EH-101 pilots and sensor operators. The NH Industries SH-90 crews at Luni, however, don’t benefit from having a simulator on base and therefore have to use one of NH Industries’ simulators. Maristaeli Luni also operates a ‘helo-dunker’; a mock-up helicopter cockpit and cabin suspended from a large steel girder over a large swimming pool in the Survival Training Centre building. The helo-dunker is used for underwater escape training and can be plunged into the pool and flipped over into a variety of positions to train crews to escape from a submerged helicopter in an unusual orientation after an accident. Commander Rambelli is responsible for the Survival Training Centre and he explained, “Once a year pilots and crew need to go through the training course to stay current on their survival capabilities. The two-day course consists
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of a theoretical part and a ‘wet’ part, where pilots and crew get hands-on training at increasing levels of difficulty. We train 450 to 500 pilots and crew members every year and we have over 20 years of experience.” Cdr. Rambelli advised that initial training of Navy pilots and crew takes four days but because the Air Force does not use oxygen bottles in its training syllabus, Air Force personnel require a day less. He then continued, “We do not only train Italian Navy aircrew. We have a wide range of operators, like the Air Force, Polizia, Carabinieri, Coast Guard and also Leonardo crew. Over the years we have also trained aircrew from foreign countries. The Hellenic Navy has been training in our facility for many years and on 4 February 2019 we started a multi-year training program for the Qatar Navy, who are in the process of acquiring the NH-90.” The Italian Navy uses the modular egress training simulator (METS) Model 40 from Canadian-based Survival Systems Limited, a stateof-the-art system that was introduced in September 2018 and which provides a wide range of possibilities for training. “It gives us the ability to train many scenarios and we now also have the possibility to train on the rescue hoist, something we could not do in the past in a controlled environment. The beauty of the new system is that it gives us the ability to change up to eight interchangeable emergency escape exits, modifying the layout of the helo-dunker to replicate the EH-101, NH-90 or AW-139 with just the one system,” reported Cdr. Rambelli. The MMI operates a total of 18 EH-101’s in three versions; six in
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the SH-101A Anti-Surface/Submarine Warfare configuration, four in the EH-101A Airborne Early Warning (AEW) configuration and eight airframes in the UH-101A Amphibious Support Helicopter (ASH) configuration. Unlike the AEW and ASW versions, the ASH benefits from a folding rear cargo ramp, allowing 1° Gruppo Elicoterri to perform a large array of missions for the MMI, including search and rescue (SAR), civil protection, anti-immigration duties, counter terrorism, anti-piracy duties on oil platforms and cruise ships and general transport/support duties. 1° Gruppo Elicoterri is also responsible for providing support to the Operations Group Commandos for combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions. In 2000 the MMI placed an order for a total of 46 NFH-90 and 10 NH-90TTH helicopters to replace the Agusta-Bell AB-212s in service with the Italian Navy since April 1976. Locally designated the SH90A and MH-90A respectively, these state-of-the-art helicopters give a welcome boost to the capabilities of the Italian Navy. The composite airframe and fly-by-wire technology provides a huge step-up in capability over the AB-212. The Italian Navy chose to introduce five SH-90’s in the meaningful operation capability (MOC) standard into service early, before the full capability ‘Step B’ version was available, allowing both aircrew and maintenance personnel to integrate the aircraft into service without unneccessary delay and resulting in the helicopter entering full operational capability (FOC) earlier than would otherwise have been possible. The first fully operational airframes in the Step B configuration entered service on
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8 November 2013, supporting the systems integration for air-tosurface missiles such as the MBDA Marte Mk./2S and torpedoes, plus boasting advanced satellite and encrypted communications, radar and avionics capabilities. To date around 30 airframes have been delivered and are in a pool of helicopters shared between 4° Gruppo Elicoterri, based at Grottaglie and 5° Gruppo Elicoterri. In addition to this allocation of airframes, both units provide their helicopters for ship-based missions, with several SH-90’s stationed onboard Italian Navy ships at any given time.
NAVY TESTING A relatively new component of Maristaeli Luni is the Centro Sperimentale Aeromarittimo (CSA) or Naval test evolution center. Established on 1 January 2006, it represents the evolution of the pre-existing EH-101 working group set up in 1996 to manage the introduction into service of the EH-101. Commander Pingitore explained, “The center is responsible for conducting the study and operational evaluation of helicopters and systems related to the specific maritime use of the aircraft of the Italian Navy. Our aircrew are experts on the EH-101, NH-90 and AB-212 and we have test pilots and crew who are able to fly and operate with all types of aircraft within the Italian Navy. We perform flight testing with not only the Italian Navy aircraft but also aircraft from other Italian government agencies. As we do not have any aircraft assigned to
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the CSA, depending on our needs we take the aircraft directly from the squadrons, or in some cases from Leonardo.” Test pilots and flight engineers who are selected to work for the CSA all go to Naval Air Station Patuxent River in the United States for a one-year course at the US Naval Test Pilot School, before graduating as Naval test pilot or flight engineer. Commander Pingitore elaborated, “During the course we fly on all types of aircraft in the US, both fixed wing and rotary aircraft, to get as diverse training as possible. This will help us when we get to the CSA and start working on the different test programs. We then return on a yearly basis for specific testing. As example we will soon be testing a new fly-by wire system on the Blackhawk helicopter. In addition to this we have an exchange program each May with the test pilot school for a period of two weeks to exchange experiences and learn from each other.” The CSA is comprised of five sections, being ship interface testing, general aircraft handling testing, aircraft sensor testing, technical solution testing and electronic warfare testing. Commander Pingitore explained, “Our ability to test in different areas is vital for the Italian Navy. We are involved in testing of prototypes of new aircraft, but also weapons that we use on our aircraft. CSA performed the first launches of torpedoes and missiles, as well as firing new guns that we have on board the helicopters. We perform dynamic system testing between aircraft and Navy ships and try to find the limits of the aircraft. Collaboration between other governmental agencies is vital in this. Together with the army,
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the CSA worked on landing the first Agusta A-129 Mangusta on a Navy ship. We make use of sophisticated instruments during these tests, including telemetry data for real-time data interpretation.” The unique skills of the CSA and the results ensuing from their application, make the testing unit an instrument of significant value for the Italian Navy, in the context of the management of aircraft and the development of new programs. “Our work, however, isn’t limited to only aircraft, their systems and weapons,” as Commander Pingitore continued. “We are heavily involved in the design of flight decks for the new Italian Navy ships and we also give support to Qatar, who are building new ships for their Navy, the first of which is expected to be finalised in 2021. The CSA helps in the design of the flight deck, hangars and all rooms linked to flight activities onboard.”
OPERATIONAL INVOLVEMENT In 2010, 1° Gruppo Elicoterri was deployed to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission with the task group ‘Shark’, comprising a total of 67 military aircrew, helicopter maintenance technicians, administrative, logistical and medical personnel, as well as riflemen from the 1st San Marco Regiment for protection and security tasks. The task group operated from October 2010 to 7 December 2011, with about
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300 men and women in a three to four-month rotation. Three UH-101A helicopters operated both day and night, thanks to their forward-looking infrared (FLIR), night vision goggle (NVG) and effective self-protection systems. Operating under the Western Regional Command NATO (Regional Command RC-WEST) in the Herat area of Western Afghanistan - where the Italian command is also located - they were tasked with surveillance, patrol, convoy escort and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions, and amassed approximately 900 flight hours in 1112 sorties, over 224 missions, during which they transported about 3,700 passengers and 95,000kg of materials. With the operational area also extending towards the south of Afghanistan, the helicopters also supported the Italian personnel of the Sassari Mechanized Brigade and the 1st San Marco Regiment, all three machines finally returning to Italy in January 2012. Since 2015, 5° Gruppo Elicoterri has been involved in operation ‘Mare Sicuro’. Following the worsening of the Libyan crisis and the increasing risks caused by the presence of extremist entities that significantly raise the terrorist threat level, the Naval operation conducts protection missions in the maritime environment, safeguarding national interests such as freedom of navigation at sea, protection of naval vessels engaged in rescue operations, merchant ships, Italian fishing vessels and oil platforms in the area. The Naval surveillance and security operation started on 12 March 2015 and utilizes naval vessels as well as helicopters stationed onboard these ships. Due to the strong geo-political instability on the African continent - in particular in Libya and the sub-Saharan regions - illegal immigration has significantly intensified. For this reason, the operation often involves search and rescue missions to safeguard human life at sea. ‘Mare Sicuro’ has an operational area of approximately 160,000 km² of sea, located in the central
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Mediterranean and overlooking the Libyan coast, and with up to five vessels operating continuously to ensure constant surveillance in the area of operations. As a result of longstanding European Union concerns regarding the effect of Somali-based piracy and armed robbery at sea off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean, and in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and international law, the European Union Naval Force Atalanta (EU NAVFOR - Atalanta) was launched on 8 December 2008, created within the framework of the European Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Somali-based piracy is characterised by criminals taking control of vessels transiting the high-risk area in the region to extort ransom money for the crew, vessel and cargo, bearing all the features of organised crime. Crews held hostage by pirates often face a prolonged period of captivity averaging five months, although some hostages have been held for almost three years. Moreover, piracy impacts on international trade, maritime security and the economic activities and security of countries in the region. On 30 July 2018 Operation Atalanta was extended by the European Council until December 2020 and it has the following objectives: to protect of vessels of the World Food Programme (WFP) and other vulnerable shipping, to deter, prevent and repress piracy and armed robbery at sea, to monitor fishing activities off the coast of Somalia and to support other EU missions and international organisations working
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to strengthen maritime security and capacity in the region. The participation of the Italian Navy and units from many other UN countries has been highly effective in preventing attacks before they happen. At the height of Somali piracy in January 2011, 736 hostages and 32 ships were being held by pirates but by October 2016 that number had dropped to zero, with no hostages or ships being held. With a continuous rotation of deployed units, the Italian Navy and 5° Gruppo Elicoterri have provided support and will keep on providing support when called upon. EU NAVFOR MED operation ‘Sophia’ was launched on 22 June 2015, as part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to better manage irregular migration and disrupt traffickers and smugglers’ networks. The operation entered its active phase in October 2015, enabling the identification, capture and disposal of vessels used or suspected of being used by migrant smugglers or traffickers. Since then, the operation has contributed to the arrest and transfer to the Italian authorities of 110 suspected smugglers and traffickers and has neutralised 470 vessels. In addition, the operation has helped rescue close to 40,000 people. Operation ‘Sophia’ falls under the command of the Italian Navy and has its headquarters in Rome, with 5° Gruppo Elicoterri providing continuous support with aircrew and helicopters. The Council added additional supporting tasks to the operation’s mandate on 20 June 2016. These included setting up a traineemonitoring mechanism to ensure the long-term efficiency of the training of the Libyan Coastguard, conducting new surveillance activities to gather information on illegal trafficking of oil exports from Libya in accordance with UNSCR 2146 (2014) and 2362 (2017) and finally, enhancing possibilities for sharing information on human trafficking with member states’ law enforcement agencies, FRONTEX and EUROPOL. Since then, the operation has trained 136 Libyan Coastguard and Navy personnel, hailed over 650 ships, carried out 51 friendly approaches, seven flag enquiries and three inspections within the framework of its contribution to the implementation of the UN arms embargo on the high seas off the coast of Libya. These operations are not without controversy and one crucial issue relates to the ports at which migrants disembark, as all migrants rescued by the ships of the mission were taken to Italian ports and Italy has long urged that this issue be resolved. At the end of 2018 an extension was granted for the operation until 31 March 2019, at which time a decision was made that searching on the water with boats would cease, but it was agreed to maintain airborne searching for any illegal activities. Time will tell what effect this will have on the region and the amount of illegal activity. Acknowledgment: The authors would like to thank the Italian Navy for their help in preparing this article and offer special thanks to Commander Fossati, NAS Luni Executive Officer and all the men and women of 1° Gruppo Elicoterri and 5° Gruppo Elicoterri. n
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STORY & PHOTOS BY SVEN VAN ROIJ
THE ROMANIAN BLACK SEA KNIGHTS EYES IN THE SKY FOR THE SEA FLEET
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It is a warm summer morning as commander Marius Mitric walks across the platform towards the large maintenance hangar of the “Black Sea Knights” at Tuzla Airport. The Romanian Air Force colonel seems to be an odd man out on the maritime airfield, but feels completely at home at the unit. His unit is small, has only eight pilots in service and operates just three IAR330L Puma Naval helicopters. However, the maritime helicopters operate continuously from the east coast of Romania – with 250 miles uncomfortably close to the annexed Crimea. Sven van Roij spoke to the commander about the diverse range of tasks of his helicopter group.
Frigates In the 1920s, an air arm was created in the Royal Romanian Navy. The air arm operated both flying boats and floatplanes of Romanian, Italian and German origin. Mitric: ‘the concept of Naval Aviation started with hydroaviation. We had airplanes for sea landing until approximately 1965.’ Maritime aviation within the Romanian Navy was reintroduced after the acquisition of two frigates from the British Royal Navy, in early 2003, for £116 million. The two Type 22 Broadsword class frigates were acquired from the United Kingdom due to the modernization of the Romanian fleet, with the aim of joining the NATO alliance. The anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapon systems were not included in the deal. Hence various – non-English – systems were mounted on the frigates, including a 76 mm Oto Melara Super Rapid naval gun. The Forțele Navale Române (Romanian Navy) also operates a third, Romanianbuilt, Mărășești-class frigate since 1985. ‘Only the former-British frigates can accommodate the Puma on its deck and inside its hangar. Our third frigate can be used as a landing platform, is used for VERTRAP-operations (vertical rappelling), hoist operations and so on’, Mitric explains. The Type 22 frigates are regularly deployed for operations with a Puma Naval on board, but the vessels systems are outdated. Over the recent years, major equipment programs were delayed and suspended, including the modernization of the Type
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Divers are hooked onto the so-called rigrope below a Puma Naval to train for insertion and extraction in maritime operations. The curvature in the rope clearly shows the forward speed of the Puma Naval.
22 frigates and the corvettes. The Romanian government halted its naval modernization plans again in January of this year, due to legal and administrative delays.
The IAR 330 Romania has been a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) since the end of March 2004. The country has come a long way in this regard, having been the first country to join the Partnership for Peace (PfP) in January 1994. From 1955 until 1989 Romania was a member of the Warsaw Pact military alliance - NATO’s communist counterpart during the Cold War. Despite this fact, the country chose not to depend on the USSR for providing helicopter capacity. Therefore, Industria Aeronautică Română – better known as IAR Brașov – built Western helicopters under license for the Forțele Aeriene Române (the Romanian Air Force) for many decades. As early as the summer of 1974, the company purchased the SA 330 license from the French stateowned aerospace manufacturer Aérospatiale. In the autumn that
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The Romanian Navy operates just three IAR330L Puma Naval helicopters. However, the maritime helicopters operate continuously from the east coast of Romania – with 250 miles uncomfortably close to the annexed Crimea.
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A combined Special Forces team, consisting of army, air force and naval forces, jump from a Puma Naval at an altitude of 8000 feet and at a airspeed of 80 knots.
followed, the first helicopter – type designation IAR 330L – flew. In the ‘90s, an upgrade of a few helicopters to support and anti-tank version followed. In cooperation with Israeli Elbit Systems, twentyfive L-version helicopters were converted to Sistem Optronic de Cercetare Antii Anti-Tanc (Optical-Electronic Reconnaissance and Anti Armour System), in short SOCAT. Between 2005 and 2008, twelve helicopters were modernized to IAR 330M, an unarmed transport version of the SOCAT. In 2006, a program was started to acquire three naval helicopters to operate from the two frigates that Romania bought from England. Commander Marius Mitric: ‘The Romanian Navy decided to develop a maritime version of the Puma due to the knowledge of the IAR-330 gained through the Forțele Aeriene Române, instead of buying an existing, “of the shelf” naval helicopter. In particular the airforces positive experiences with regard to maintenance and the large stock of spare parts in Romania contributed to the decision to let IAR Brașov develop a new, maritime version of the IAR 330: the Puma Naval.’ The core of the Puma Naval is a classic Puma. Mitric: ‘The airframe has been upgraded with everything we need to execute
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Commander Marius Mitric is a qualified instructor for day and night operations and NVG flight ops. During sunset he lets one of the members of his unit take off for an NVG training session.
missions onboard our frigates’. The Puma Naval is NVG-compatible, its glass cockpit interface unit (CIU) can be used for editing of navigation points, includes GPS with digital moving map and an RDR-1700A integrated Search, Surveillance and Weather radar installation. The aircraft can be equipped with flares or chaff, have an built-in a harpoon to hook up on the frigates landing grid system and have a winch installed on their starboard side. The nose mounted Electro-Optical Observation pod has the capacity to show the crew Clear Camera Daylight (CCD) footage, includes forward looking infrared (FLIR) detectors and a Direction Finder System. For emergency situations above water, IAR Brașov has equipped the helicopters with the well-known, orange-colored Crash Position Indicator (CPI), clearly visible on the left side of the tailboom. Flotation gear has also been attached under the nose and above the semi-retractible undercarriage of the helicopter. To save
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space in the hangars of the frigates, the main rotor blades of the Puma Naval can be folded backwards. All three helicopters are equipped to work with Special Forces from home and abroad. ‘We particularly work with our own naval Special Forces (SF) but we have a lot of procedures in common with the land forces too. Troops train with our aircraft because we have all the equipment we need for insertion and extraction in maritime operations, including fastrope and rigrope. We can drop paratroopers, execute diver jumps with little and heavy equipment and are trained to execute day and night missions with Special Forces’ lists the commander of the unit. Since 2015, the Puma Navals are equipped to operate as an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapons platform. For the purpose of these operations, the aircraft can accommodate an acoustic console and sonobuoy launcher as well as a LINK-11 Data Link Systems
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The Romanian Navy operates three IAR 330 Puma Naval helicopters (registration 140141-142). The last helicopter delivered is shown here during a slight turn at a training sortie above the Black Sea coast.
console. Optionally, the helicopters can be equipped with a Dillon Aero 7.62 M134 rotary machine gun or Soviet-built DShK 12.7 heavy machine gun and torpedoes.
Selection and training With the reintroduction of maritime aviation, the Romanian Navy also created a demand for pilot selection and Flight Training. The first pilots of the ‘Black Sea Knights’ were trained at Aurel Vlaicu Flight School, the Romanian Air Force Application School based at Boboc. Mitric: ‘All eight initial Puma Naval pilots were naval officers in the rank of lieutenant at the moment they were selected in December 2005. At Boboc Air Base, these students flew approximately hundred hours on the license built IAR-316 Alouette III. After the successful completion of their initial flight training, the students continued their training at Boboc with sixty to eighty hours on the IAR 330L SOCAT. In this way, our pilots received their
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The Romanian Navy operates three IAR 330 Puma Navals for maritime duties. The 142 is seen here during a low flying exercise near the home base Tuzla Airfield.
common skills via the Air Force. After their initial training, they started to train on the IAR 330 Puma Naval.’ In order to keep the small fleet up and running, the navy initially received support from the Romanian Air Force’s technical service. ‘The first technical crews came from the Forțele Aeriene Române. Once there was enough time to train our own naval crews, the Air Force mechanics retired. Currently, we do have enough technical crews within our own unit for the four specialities: armament, electrical, mechanics and radio’, Mitric clarifies. The colonel gained a lot of experience on the type through the years. He continues: ‘I was assigned to the squadron back in 2010. After three years, I went to Bucharest to work at the Carol I National Defense University and in 2015, I returned to the squadron.’ Prior to his placement at the maritime unit, the commander had been working for the Forțele Aeriene Române for ten years. He currently has more than 800 flight hours on the Puma SOCAT and 1200 on the Puma Naval. The commander is also a qualified as an instructor for day and night operations and NVG flight ops. He is proud to look ahead into the future: ‘The squadron
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Two of the three Puma Navals in use with the Romanian Navy are checked prior to a new flight from the Tuzla Airfield military platform.
is on the eve of a large expansion of the number of flight crews. At this moment, we have nine pilots with a currency on the type that we operate. These are the eight initial pilots and myself, as the unit commander. Six additional pilots are currently coming from the Air Force Academy. An additional seven will finish their school, training and flying phase in September/October 2020.’ With the arrival of this young group of naval aviators – for the first time in thirteen years – a lot will change for the small ‘Black Sea Knights’ squadron.
Annexation of Crimea As the name of the squadron suggests, the unit is located a stone’s throw from the Black Sea. In addition to Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, Russia and Turkey also border the Black Sea. Since the 2014 Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, the tension in the region has risen. In 2018, the State Secretary in the Romanian Ministry of National Defense Nicolae Nasta expressed his concerns: ‘Moscow has achieved the ability to militarily control twothirds of the Black Sea basin, creating a security issue for NATO’. To protect the sovereignty of the country, there has been a large increase in flight movements due to the enhanced Air Policing.
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A Puma Naval turns away above the two former British Type 22 Broadsword class frigates. The three-masted ‘Mircea’, the training vessel of the Romanian Navy, is moored behind it.
The Romanian Air Force monitors the airspace together with NATO allies, which operate from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in south east Romania. Much more is also expected from the Puma Naval crews. Mitric: ‘Since the annexation, we have increased our training with own forces and with our allies to become better in what we do. We have to be accustomed to the new treats that we receive daily and we prepare for what the future might bring us. Over the recent years, we have learned a lot about specific missions – such as antisubmarine warfare and anti-surface warfare – from our partners. We also increased our training and operational flights from frigates on sea. In the early days of our squardron, there were limited activities on board. Nowaydays, there are constantly helicopters on board of the frigates. The continued delivery of an operational helicopter embarked on board is now our primary mission.’
Tuzla Airport The helicopters that are not embarked on board can be found in maintenance facility of IAR Brașov or at Tuzla Airport near Constanța, the oldest continuously inhabited city of Romania and
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A Romanian Puma Naval shows her teeth. Since 2015, the Puma Navals are equipped to operate as an anti-submarine warfare weapons platform. For this task the helicopters can be equipped with torpedos on either side of the hull.
a popular holiday resort. Once there were about twenty IAR330s of the Romanian Air Force stationed at the base in the southwest of the country. Nowadays, it is a combined airfield which houses the Puma Navals, a civil aeroclub and Regional Air Services, a company providing SAR, flights for the offshore industry and sea survival training. The helicopters of the Black Sea Knights are part of the Helicopter Group 256 and are placed under the Frigate Flotilla 56. The Helicopter Group was founded in the military port of Constanța – the largest deep-water port in the Black Sea – on July 13, 2007. At the time of the establishment of the Helicopter Group, the first IAR-330 Puma Naval (140) had already been received. The second Puma Naval (141) was received in December 2007. A year later, the third and last helicopter (142) was commissioned. Mitric: ‘Our first operations were flown from Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, since Tuzla was not prepared to receive the type. It took two years to get our unit prepared and to adjust Tuzla Airports infrastructure and hangar. In 2009, the squadron was housed at Tuzla’.
Future The Romanian armed forces demand a lot from its strikingly small and relatively dated helicopter fleet, certainly now that tensions are rising in the region. In best theory, operating three helicopters does mean one aircraft will be operational at all times. Another would undergo maintenance and the third aircraft would be available for training. Mitric agrees with the tightness of his fleet. ‘At this moment, it is our priority to have at least one helicopter ready to embark on a frigate at all times.’ Mitric agrees that it is impossible to have all helicopters operational at all
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The Romanian Navy has three active and passive sonobuoys at its disposal; the passive AN/SSQ-53F DIFAR, the active AN/ SSQ-62E DICASS and the AN/SSQ-36B Expendable Bathythermograph. A new badge is stored in the hangar, with combined units of the Special Forces in the background.
times. Nevertheless, with a tight schedule, his crews manage to be operational for relatively many hours. Mitric is looking forward to a renewal and expansion of ‘his’ helicopter fleet: ‘Hopefully, we will have the capability to operate more than three helicopters in the future. It is difficult nowadays to work only with three helicopters. But I think we will have the chance, in a couple of years, to receive new helicopters with better equipment. With the expansion of our fleet our pilots can make more flying hours. Crew training is the most important to us. As long as we are able to train our pilots and personal, we are capable to execute all kind of missions at high level.’ Mitric does not make clear statements about a possible new type, manufacturer or year of replacement. Nevertheless, there has been much lobbying in Romania in recent years to replace helicopters of the Romanian Armed Forces. For example, the Airbus/IAR assembly line for the H215 was inaugurated in 2016 at Ghimbav. Airbus stipulated that Romania had to purchase at least sixteen H215Ms from the line to give positive signals to the export market. In November of the
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Since 2015, the Puma Navals are equipped to operate as an antisubmarine warfare weapons platform. For this task the helicopters can be equipped with torpedos on either side of the hull.
same year, Bell Helicopters and IAR signed a letter of intent for possible cooperation, if Romania were to buy the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter. In August 2017, the Romanian Defense Minister signed a letter of intent with Bell Helicopter to acquire twentyfour AH-1Z Vipers and twenty one UH-1Y Venoms for the country’s armed forces. A year later, Bell promised the open an assembly, maintenance and overhaul line in Romania for both the Viper and Venom. In October 2018, the Minister of National Defense visited Bell Helicopters in the USA. In the same month, Airbus Helicopters threatened to suspend the construction of its factory in Brașov, since none of the promised orders for the H215M had been received. The replacement of the Puma Naval and expansion of the fleet is necessary, since the core of the type dates from the 70s of the last century. Mitric emphasizes the importance of replacing his fleet: ‘A new type is really needed – by which type I don’t care – as long as we can respond to recent developments in our direct environment. The capabilities of our Puma Naval are limited, which means that we cannot perform all of our missions. For example, the type does not have a 4-axis autopilot. It is therefore not possible to use a dipping sonar. Using sonobuoys is weather dependent, which means we cannot act in all weather conditions.’ The small unit is eagerly looking forward to the future but for now plans on the fleet renewal remains unclear. n
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