Dauphins

[clan]

Scorpy, is correct the cost of upgrading the Dauphin is not a lot of money. Not sure about the 1.5m though the size  of electronic components has never been smaller, and the cost is the lowest they will ever be, So if you cannot upgrade, because of cost you can enhance what you have for very little. Eurocopter have cheaper alternatives on everything they offer the customer, as a supplier to them I know they beat the price down to the last 0.0001 of a cent. And the customer should do the same to them believe me they have room to move.

[IAS]

It reminds me of a photo, issued about the time the AC bought the Dauphin, of a Saudi's SA365F firing the AS15TT, could be wrong, it was quite a long time ago.

IAS

[Silver]

Very interesting points guys.

I would be inclined to agree with a Dauphin upgrade - and given that the cost would be circa €1.5million it seems to make a lot of sense also.

BTW, What would be the comparisons with, say, an EC-145 re speed, no of passengers, etc. ?


However, on the downside, if the Dauphins are upgraded (and so available for troop transport) the DoD may use that as a reason NOT to get any medium-lift helis !


Still, it would be good to see the naval versions in action again, perhaps complete with a new colour scheme like this -

[Silver]

clan,
Are you serious  '>
New 'twin-squirels' for €1 million each ?

If so, €7 million to replace the AIII fleet !

[n-e-foo]

Ack, I don't see the the ML Heli order happening anytime soon. By that I mean within the next 5 years - I personally am starting to swing for the Dauphin upgrade/ possibly with new aircraft being ordered as a replacement (as originally intended I believe) for the A3.

The way things look on the outside, to me at least, is that the Air Corps are going to be losing that SAR role almost completely so trying to rationalize the purchase of ML heli's to the government might be stretching it a bit considering current circumstances.

Questions - would the Dauphins serve as useful troop transports, if the IAC had 8 (plucking figures from the sky). 4 as dedicated troop transports and maintaining 4 as troop transport/backup SAR aircraft to compliment the Coastguard and maintain proficiency at the SAR role? Compared to ML heli's?

More importantly - is their any appetite within the IAC for keeping an upgraded Dauphin?

And finally. The question of hiring the S-61n for troop transport. Now I could be wrong but as a civilian aircraft the main door on the S-61n seems considerably smaller than its military counterpart.. surely this would raise practicality questions if the aircraft was going to be used to transport troops into a "hotspot", because I imagine they'd want to be getting out of the chopper ASAP. Is this less of an issue than I reckon, if an issue at all? Just spewing some thoughts out '>

[clan]

Silver, yes I am serious, 1 Million Euro each. One was bought and brought to Ireland by a private indivdual this has since been sold at a profit. Eurocopter at the time were doing amazing deals to keep the factory ticking over has it had slowed quite a bit. I am sure the DOD were offered the same deal.

[sealion]

Quote (scorpy @ 06 Nov. 2003,08:32)

The 365 N has heavier reinforced undercarriage and harpoon installation for deck landings. I heard a figure of 1.5 mil a pop to totally overhaul the Dauphin avionics including removing the 4 axis autopilot and replacing it with a 3 axis and replacing the search radar with a lighter, cheaper and more reliable weather radar. The weight saving alone would enhance the usefulness of the aircraft, and seeing as it won't be used for SAR in the future, it doesn't need some of that junk. The progress made since the 80's on reducing component size is obvious, I mean just look at the mobile phone. Doing this overhaul and purchasing 2 new 365N's would work out much cheaper than replacing the whole fleet with two types. Use the extra money to concentrate on getting the medium lift right and you have an instant improvement in your light utility capability by having faster, more useful Dauphins instead of 135/145s. Oh, and will someone PLEASE paint the damn things GREEN!

Not wanting to be pedantic,But the SA365 F is the Naval Variant used By france and Saudi arabia, capable of firing AS15TT missiles amongst others. The 365Fi is the same aircraft obviously without the offensive ability The "i" refers to the unique fit for Ireland.5 SA365Fi type were delivered all identical, with 2 having strengthened Undercarriage and Harpoon for deck landings.The 365N is a civilian version,with no search radar. It is in use by Bond for transport of personell to the Marathon Kinsale head Gas platforms.

SA365F

SA365N

[Silver]

At that rate the DoD may well have purchased them cheaper -by buying in bulk !
Twits  

[Silver]

Interesting pic, not sure who operates this Dauphin (it's from a Russian website) -

[Taj]

It is in fact a Saudi Dauphin firing an AS15TT.While the equipment fit for the French and Irish SA365f is almost identical-the French using theirs for "plane guard" duties from the deck of the Charlles de Gaulle, the Saudi's employ a strange looking search radar for target search and missile acquisition.It has a flat antannae which protrudes froem underneath the nose and can just be seen behind the exhaust flash from the ASM.
Could anyone see the merits of an upgraded Dauphin-to Saudi standard-operating from an upgraded Eithne on a mission similar to Niamhs role in Liberia.Surely it would be much more suitable to send a helicopter equipped "almost warship" rather than a coast guard type vessel.Think of the security an on board missile armed Dauphin would provide......and if this doesn't happen can we just please copy the Saudi colour scheme??!!

[Silver]

BTW, the Price Waterhouse report recomended that the Dauphins, Alouettes and Gazelle(s) be replaced with a single type of heli, notably a "Twin-Squirel type heli ".
(That was presuming that at least four medium-lift helis would also be purchased)

[Silver]

I suspected that it may be a Saudi Dauphin, judging by the 'desert' colour scheme.
Don't think that colour scheme would be suitable for our 365's - the French Marine camo scheme further up this thread would be more in keeping with our usual naval area of ops.
Not much chance of us getting either scheme anyway, I reckon   '>

An armed Dauphin on board Eithne would be a great asset !
However, I believe the only way it would be a success is if we train Naval Service personnel to fly it !

[alpha foxtrot 07]

the missle looks american, made the US coast guard are taking a more aggressive stance on drug trafficing

[John K]

Well the Dauphins were a result of allowing Pilots choose their ideal heli. not taking into account the crewmens opinion! eg small door, low headroom, but it had a glass cockpit and all singing, all dancing autopilot!

[clan]

It looks the business, in fact the colour schemes on all the pictues look great. Beats our current colour scheme anyday. How about the 10million the DOD spent on the new goverment jet, this could have been used to upgrade the 4 Dauphins maybe some missle launchers added, two used for LE Eithne two painted in camouflage with rocket launchers to be used to ferry ARW and for infantry support. And then we could get the Medium lift for SAR and other troop transport. Beats spending it on Big bird and her chocolates.