AB139 Pics

[Old Redeye]

Pilatus,

"Should be" does not necessarly equate to "will be", alas.  I'm offering a suggested course of action, not reporting on a welcome development, unfortunately.  That said, the IAC is looking into a follow-on to the first AW-139 four-ship order, and the AW-149 is the likely candidate.  4x NH-90TT's would be ideal, but probably too difficult to justify the expense.

Cheers,  ORE

[Old Redeye]

New AW149 Helicopter Details Revealed at Farnborough  
  
(Source: Agusta Westland; issued July 19, 2006)

Artist’s impression of the AW149 future multi-role battlefield helicopter, which was formally unveiled by Agusta Westland at Farnborough.

Details of the new generation AgustaWestland AW149 7-8 ton multi-role battlefield helicopter have been announced today at the Farnborough International Airshow. The AW149 is AgustaWestland’s answer to growing military and government customer demand for a new generation, affordable, multi-purpose, medium class military helicopter.  
 
The AW149 will widen the AgustaWestland product range offering customers a larger helicopter than the best selling 6.4 ton AW139 helicopter. The AW149 will be optimised for military operations and will be able to carry up to 15 troops in crashworthy seats.  
 
The aircraft features a 5-blade main rotor for low vibration and noise levels and will have a cruise speed of 160 knots. The large cabin for up to 15 troops also features large sliding doors allowing easy access for troops and the loading of large bulky equipment.  
 
The aircraft will be capable of being equipped with a range of weapons on the external carriers for armed escort and armed suppression roles. A range of role equipment will allow the aircraft to be configured for roles such as search and rescue, command and control, medical evacuation and external load lifting.  
 
The fully integrated, open-system avionics architecture, will allow a wide range of customer specific and future mission systems to be integrated. The cockpit display system will utilize large area active matrix liquid crystal displays. In addition to a comprehensive communications and navigation systems the AW149 will be equipped with a fully digital, 4-axis AFCS and an integrated Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS).  
 
Designed to meet the latest military and civil certification requirements the AW149 will feature a crashworthy and a damage tolerant airframe and system redundancy to provide high levels of survivability and crashworthiness. A heavy duty wheeled tricycle landing gear will allow operations from unprepared surfaces while providing easy maneuverability on the ground. The crashworthy and self sealing fuel tanks are located behind the main cabin allowing a low level cabin floor for easy loading while providing ample ground clearance for operation from rough terrain.  
 
The AW149 will be capable of single or dual pilot operations in all weathers, day or night, and will have available, as an option, a rotor de-icing system. High levels of ballistic tolerance and optional Defensive Aids Suite (DAS) and weapon systems will give the aircraft the ability to operate safely in high threat environments.  
 
The AW149 will provide military customers with an affordable multi-mission helicopter and will be offered with a range of support solutions to minimize through life support costs.  
 
 
MAIN SPECIFICATIONS:  
 
Crew 1 or 2 pilots  
Cabin Seating 12 crashworthy seats with space for equipment  
15 crashworthy seats in high density configuration  
Cabin Volume 10 m3  
Cargo Bay 4 m3  
Cruise Speed 160 knots  
Range >500 nm with 2 crew and 12 fully equipped troops  
Hover Capability Hover Out of Ground Effect @ 6000 ft, 95 deg. F at Maximum All Up Weight  
Powerplants 2 x 2,000 shp class turboshafts

[Old Redeye]

AgustaWestland unveils next-generation helicopter details.

By Donna Richardson,  Jane's Aviation Reporter, London

AgustaWestland unveiled further details of a new next-generation multirole battlefield helicopter at the Farnborough International Air Show from 17-23 July.

The 7-8 tonne AW 149 medium-weight, twin-engine helicopter is due to achieve initial operating capability by 2011, making it a potential competitor in a number of European requirements.

An AgustaWestland spokesman said the AW 149 fits between the Future Lynx and NH90 helicopters and its nearest competitors are the Sikorsky Black Hawk and Bell UH-1Y.

The spokesman would not reveal details of potential customers for the next-generation aircraft, but confirmed the company is holding talks with a number of interested parties.

'We are talking to various partners and potential customers, but we are not prepared to make any announcements yet,' he said.

Countries with requirements carrying an in-service date of beyond 2010 include Austria with a requirement to replace AB 212s (possibly 24); Greece to replace UH-1H in the troop transport role (22); Norway (10); Netherlands with a requirement for additional NH90s, which might involve a new competition (15); Spain with a requirement to replace Super Pumas (42); [and Ireland as a follow-on to four AW-139's already on order (4-6)].

The AW 149 is capable of carrying up to 15 troops, will have a cruise speed of 160 kt and features a five-blade main rotor for low vibration and noise levels.

The aircraft will feature a fully digital, four-axis automatic flight-control system that can be integrated as and when required, according to customer needs.

A full-scale model of the aircraft is due to be unveiled at the 2007 Paris Air Show, with the first flight anticipated in 2008.

[The Blue Max]

Do you not feel if the IAC utilises to get the two options on the AW139s that they still would possible aquire upto Four AW149s or a Larger (MLH) like the S92 or NH90 would you not feel that DOD would have such large field of heil's such as EC135P2,AW139,AW149/NH90/S92 would this not be viewed as too many types of heli's for IAC to have and maintain??

[Fouga23]

For the IAC I think 2/3 different types max. Would be even better if the different heli's share the same powerplant.

[Guinness]

Good thinkin' there Fouga23!!

I wish the RNLAF thought the same way..

We bought the AS-532U2 Cougar instead of the UH-60 Blackhawk while we had the AH-64D's in the house ( same powerplant as the UH-60's)
But don't forget politics '>

Guinness

[Old Redeye]

having 4-5 larger, more capable tactical helicopters like the NH-90 or H-92 would be great, but probably not practical for the reasons outlined - training, and costs to purchase and maintain.  Therefore, 4-5 AW-149's is probably the most logical solution, providing excellent capability, particularly when matched with Finnish NH-90's in a joint Nordic Plus air detachment, in which the NH-90's have prinipal troop lift and air mobility/slingload missions, while the 149's perform C2, recce, medevac and general utility.