CAE Wins Defence Contracts MH-60R Rear-Crew Trainers for RAN

09 Juli 2015

Straight forward design allows for quick configuration changes to fit your mission requirements. The MH-60R helicopter has been designed by pilots, operators and maintainers for pilots, operators and maintainers, keeping focus on both day and night missions. In the ASW mode, the interior is designed to reduce operator workload and promote ease of operations. (image : Sikorsky)

CAE wins defence contracts valued at more than C$150 million

Montreal, Canada - (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) - CAE today announced that it has won defence contracts valued at more than C$150 million to provide simulation products as well as training services for global military customers.

Some of the key contracts include providing additional MH-60R training devices for the Royal Australian Navy, additional UH-72A Lakota flight training devices for the U.S. Army, and two full-mission simulators for an undisclosed customer in the Europe/Middle East/Africa region.

The contracts announced today are included as part of CAE's Defence and Security order intake for the first quarter. Also of note, the value of this announcement includes an order for two P-8A operational flight trainers for the U.S. Navy, which was communicated to trade media on June 29, 2015.

"Our focus on being a training systems integrator has enabled us to make good progress on the implementation of our strategy in the first quarter, which included the competitive win to provide the U.S. Army with long-term fixed-wing training services," said Gene Colabatistto, CAE's Group President, Defence & Security. "These additional contracts we are announcing today are all related to the extended use of simulation-based training as part of these programs, further demonstrating that global defence forces are increasingly adopting synthetic training for more of their training requirements."

US Navy/Royal Australian Navy

CAE was awarded a contract to develop an MH-60R composite maintenance trainer (CMT) as well as procure an MH-60R rear crew trainer (RCT) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) under the United States foreign military sale (FMS) program.

CAE USA will be the prime contractor responsible for the design and development of the MH-60R CMT that will be delivered in 2017 to HMAS Albatross, located near Nowra in New South Wales.  CAE USA will also procure a commercial-off-the-shelf MH-60R RCT from Australia-based Virtual Simulation Systems and have responsibility for delivery and installation at HMAS Albatross. CAE has already delivered one MH-60R tactical operational flight trainer (TOFT) and one MH-60R avionics maintenance trainer/weapons load trainer to the RAN, and will deliver a second MH-60R TOFT in 2016.

The MH-60R CMT will be a modified MH-60R helicopter specifically designed to provide mechanical, electrical and hydraulic systems training to RAN MH-60R aircraft maintenance personnel. The MH-60R CMT will include a suite of instructor-controlled malfunctions that facilitate training in fault isolation and removal/replacement of aircraft components.

The MH-60R RCT will be a modified aircraft mock-up that features a module for training hoist operations as well as two weapons modules for training MH-60R door gunnery operations.

(CAE)

TNI AL Segera Hidupkan Kembali Skuadron 100

17 Juni 2015

Skuadron 100 akan segera diisi oleh helikopter Airbus Helicopters AS-565MBe Panther (photo : Kaskus Militer)

Surabaya (ANTARA News) - Skuadron Udara 100 TNI AL yang berintikan helikopter anti kapal selam yang pernah begitu ditakuti lawan pada dasawarsa '60-an, akan dihidupkan kembali. Skuadron 100 ini akan menjadi tulang punggung kekuatan TNI AL dalam operasi di laut. 

Kepala Staf TNI AL, Laksamana TNI Ade Supandi, di Surabaya, Rabu, menyatakan, "Langkah awal menghidupkan kembali Skuadron 100 yang sempat dimiliki TNI pada '60-an itu dengan 11 unit helikopter yang akan diterima secara bertahap pada tahun ini."

Pada dasawarsa '70-an, skuadron helikopter TNI AL pernah diperkuat jajaran helikopter WASP buatan Inggris. 

Walau sama-sama memakai helikopter, namun skuadron helikopter TNI AL dan TNI AU memiliki beberapa perbedaan doktrin dan misi operasi. 

Salah satunya adalah manuver pendaratan dan lepas landas dari geladak pendaratan (helipad) di kapal perang yang bergerak alias berlayar di laut pada berbagai skenario cuaca, misi, dan persenjataan.  

Ini satu kemahiran utama yang sangat dipersyaratkan bagi penerbang-penerbang helikopter TNI AL, yang tidak diperlukan bagi penerbang helikopter di skuadron udara TNI AU. 

Dia ada di Surabaya untuk menerima brevet penerbang dari Pusat Penerbangan TNI AL dan diangkat menjadi warga kehormatan satuan itu oleh Komandan Pusat Penerbangan TNI AL, Laksamana Pertama TNI Sigit Setiyanta.

Penyematan brevet itu puncak rangkaian HUT Ke-59 Pusat Penerbangan TNI AL (1956-2015). Ritual pemberian brevet diawali dengan penerbangan Supandi dalam helikopter Bell-412 bernomor registrasi HU-420, yang dipiloti Mayor Pelaut Triwibowo.

Penerbangan kehormatan itu selama 28 menit di ketinggian 500 meter dari permukaan laut. Saat mendarat, dua helikopter latih Bonanza mendampingi. Setelah mendarat, barulah Setiyanta menyematkan brevet itu di dada kanan seragam Supandi. 

"Ke-11 helikopter itu penting, karena Skuadron 100 itu sempat dilebur dengan skuadron lain karena tidak memiliki pesawat. Kami ingin memiliki kekuatan tempur yang lengkap dengan Sistem Senjata Armada Terpadu (SSAT)," kata Supandi.

SSAT dalam doktrin peperangan TNI AL memiliki empat komponen, yakni kapal perang, pesawat udara, pasukan pendarat/pendudukan (Korps Marinir TNI AL), dan pangkalan. "Dengan menjadi warga kehormatan, saya memiliki kewajiban untuk memberi perhatian kepada Pusat Penerbangan TNI AL," katanya.

"Selain membangun kekuatan, kami juga berencana melakukan validasi organisasi baru yang sudah disetujui pemerintah adalah pembentukan Komando Armada Indonesia yang berpusat di Surabaya," katanya.

Koarmada Armada Indonesia di Surabaya itu membawahkan tiga komando, yaitu Komando Armada Indonesia Kawasan Barat TNI AL, Komando Armada Indonesia Kawasan Tengah TNI AL, dan Komando Armada Indonesia Kawasan Timur TNI AL. 

"Komando Armada Indonesia juga akan membawahkan 14 pangkalan utama TNI AL dan tiga pasukan Marinir TNI AL," katanya. Sejauh ini ada 11 pangkalan utama TNI AL yang akan ditambah Pangkalan Utama TNI AL Pontianak, Pangkalan Utama TNI AL Tarakan, dan Pangkalan Utama TNI AL Sorong. 

Khusus Pangkalan Utama TNI AL Tarakan, dinilai sangat penting karena menjadi titik fokus pengamanan perairan Blok Ambalat, yang pernah diributkan Malaysia sebagai milik sah mereka. 

Semua satuan itu dipimpin seorang laksamana pertama TNI AL.

(Antara)

Navy Commissions Helicopter Squadron

12 Juni 2015

The Australian Government has approved the acquisition of 24 MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ naval combat helicopters at a cost of over $3 billion. The ‘Romeo’ helicopter was chosen because it represents the best value for money for taxpayers and was the lowest risk option. The ‘Romeo’ is a proven capability currently operated by the United States Navy. The United States Navy has accepted around 100 ‘Romeos’ which have accumulated 90,000 flying hours, including on operational deployments. (photo : Aus DoD)

Today Minister of Defence joined the Member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis, MP, and Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, AO, CSC, RAN at the commissioning of Navy’s helicopter training squadron for the MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’.

The commissioning of 725 Squadron, at the Naval Air Station HMAS Albatross in Nowra, is an important milestone for Navy and marks the formal induction of the Squadron and aircraft into the fleet.

Some $3.2 billion dollars has been invested in procuring 24 Seahawk Romeo helicopters for Navy. Eleven aircraft have been accepted into service to date, with the delivery running on budget and ahead of schedule.

These maritime combat helicopters are the next generation submarine hunter and anti-surface warfare helicopters. They provide the Navy with multi-mission and multi-target precision strike capabilities and increase Navy’s versatility and potency as a high-end fighting force.

MoD congratulate the men and women of 725 Squadron and the Fleet Air Arm who have worked tirelessly preparing for this next phase. They have undergone extensive training, trials and preparation to ensure the aircraft and personnel are fit and ready for service.

The Seahawk Romeo helicopters have already been involved in First of Class Flight trials in HMAS Perth. The aircraft are on track to achieve an Initial Operating Capability at sea in August this year.

725 Squadron has a long and proud military history since initial formation in 1943. This is the fourth time the Squadron has formed, having first commenced anti-submarine training in 1959.

(Aus DoD)

Royal Australian Navy MH-60Rs Arrive At Patuxent River and Depart to Australia

11 Juni 2015

Two more MH-60R Seahawk helicopters inside a C-17 transport aircraft for their delivery to the Royal Australian Navy, which has now received half of the 24 Seahawks it has on order. (photo : Navair)

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. --- Two of the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) MH-60R Seahawk helicopters were loaded onto a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C-17 at Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River, Maryland, for delivery to their new home in Australia May 27, 2015. 

These two Seahawks mark the halfway point for the U.S. Navy’s foreign military sales agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia for training and production of 24 MH-60R helicopters, which began in June 2011. 

“As they come off the production line, the Australians have picked them up two at a time,” said Cmdr. Scott Stringer, HX-21 MH-60 government flight test director. “This is a multi-year plan that should carry into mid-2016. We are delivering brand new aircraft to the Australians. They still have that new car smell with very few flight hours.” 

RAN squadron 725 is in the process of establishing MH-60R operations at NAS Nowra, New South Wales. 

Later this year, HX-21 and RAN squadron 725 are scheduled to test unique modifications on the MH-60Rs. These modifications are based on unique RAN requirements and include the addition of an instrument landing system and a crash-survivable data recorder. 

The collaborative U.S. and RAN test and evaluation of the MH-60R modifications also allows for an open exchange of professional views and experiences. 

Because of interoperability -- how the two navies have trained and operated together -- Stringer explained how he could foresee a U.S. Navy H-60 pilot seamlessly operating during a cross-deck tour on an Australian ship or vice versa. 

“We have six people supporting the MH-60R acquisition and sustainment effort at Pax River and share office space with the RAAF Classic Hornet and Super Hornet sustainment team,” said Cmdr. Andrew Dawes, RAN MH-60R project resident team lead. “This is something we take a great deal of pride in and greatly appreciate the support that everyone at NAS Pax River is providing in this process.” 

The mission of HX-21 is to conduct the highest quality developmental flight test and evaluation of rotary-wing and tilt-rotor aircraft, airborne systems in support of all United States Navy and United States Marine Corps training, operational combat and operational combat support missions.

(NavAir)

Malaysian Naval Chief Says Priority is Upgrades, but ASW Helos, Corvettes on Shopping List

23 Mei 2015

RMN operates 6 Airbus Helicopter AS-555SN light ASW helicopter and 6 AgustaWestland Super Lynx medium ASW helicopter (photo : Malaysian Defence) 

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) is prioritising upgrades and service life extension programmes (SLEP) over the next five years, although it is also seeking to buy anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters and new corvettes, the service's chief has told IHS Jane's .

Admiral Abdul Aziz Jaafar said that during the 11th Malaysia Plan, which lays out the Malaysian government's fiscal spending plan for 2016-20, "the priority and the focus of the RMN is to ensure that our existing assets maintain its high degree of readiness in performing its operational duties in protecting the sovereignty of the nation."

This means that the emphasis will be on "upgrading and planning the Service Life Extension Programme of our existing frigates and corvettes", he said.

(Jane's)

AgustaWestland in Talks with Vietnam over Naval Helicopter Needs

22 Mei 2015

AW-159 ASW helo (photo :Trevor Thornton)

AgustaWestland's Asia-Pacific head has revealed that the company is in preliminary discussions with the Vietnamese Navy over its helicopter requirements.

Andrew Symonds, vice-president of Asia Pacific at AgustaWestland, told reporters at IMDEX 2015 that the company was in talks with Vietnam over which helicopters would best meet the Vietnamese Navy's needs.

"We're offering them a variety of aircraft to see which platforms meet their requirements, so we talking to them about the AW109, AW139, and we're talking to them about the AW159 for anti-submarine warfare requirements," he said.

He added that a Vietnamese naval delegation is expected to visit the United Kingdom later this year to continue the dialogue on its requirements.

(Jane's)

MH-60R FMS Team Supports Royal Australian Navy

21 Mei 2015

MH-60R simulator (photo : Naval Air Systems Command)

A team of U.S. Navy and defense industry contractors recently delivered an advanced helicopter training device to the Royal Australian Navy.

The MH-60R Foreign Military Sales (FMS) team from the Naval Aviation Training Systems Program Office (PMA-205) and Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division , in conjunction with CAE USA of Tampa, Florida, defined and procured training devices to support aircrew proficiency and real-world mission rehearsal for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in February.

The simulator delivered to the RAN includes a full-motion, operational flight trainer (OFT), which will prepare pilots and co-pilots for flight, as well as a weapons tactics trainer (WTT) to guide sensor operators in the helicopter. The OFT and WTT can be operated as standalone devices, or combined to form a tactical operational flight trainer (TOFT), which provides comprehensive aircrew mission training. The MH-60R training devices are now installed at the RAN’s training facility in New South Wales at HMAS Albatross, home of the RAN’s Fleet Air Arm.

“I’m really proud of the hard work, dedication and time our FMS team put in to deliver the first MH-60R TOFT to the Royal Australian Navy,” said Capt. Craig Dorrans , PMA-205 program manager. “The state-of-the-art TOFT will serve as a catalyst for operational flight preparation and weapons tactics training for the RAN.”

The RAN aircrew and maintainers began training at the U.S. Navy’s schoolhouse at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, in spring 2013. The RAN returned to its newly constructed Seahawk Simulation and Warfare Centre after completion in March with its first TOFT, as well as an Avionics Maintenance Trainer/Weapons Load Trainer. A second TOFT is scheduled for delivery in 2016 along with four more maintenance and part-task trainers scheduled over the next several years.

The RAN selected the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk in 2011 as its new anti-submarine/anti-surface warfare helicopter after seeking to replace its existing S-70B-2 Seahawk helicopters.

The MH-60R training devices are used to train pilots, co-pilots and sensor operators in the complete range of missions flown by the MH-60R Seahawk helicopter.

(NavAir)

RSG, PT DI Team Up to Deliver Advanced ASW Platform for the Indonesian Armed Forces

15 April 2015

HELRAS DS-100 - Helicopter Long-Range Active Sonar (all photos : L3 Ocean Systems)

FORT WORTH, Texas – Rotorcraft Services Group, Inc. (RSG), an industry leader in aircraft technical services, announced its teaming agreement with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) for the development and integration of an advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare suite for the Airbus AS565 MBe Panther helicopter. The integrated mission equipment suite will include L-3 Ocean Systems DS-100 Helicopter Long-Range Active Sonar (HELRAS) and Raytheon Mk46 or Whitehead A244/S lightweight torpedo launching system.  The systems modular design will allow the multirole ASW helicopter to be quickly reconfigured for non-combat roles, including Maritime Surveillance, Search and Rescue, MEDEVAC, Utility and External Cargo Lift operations.

“We look forward to leveraging our company’s unique blend of expertise, customer commitment and drive for innovation to deliver the most advanced and cost effective ASW platform for the Indonesian Armed Forces in partnership with PTDI, L-3 Oceans systems and Airbus Helicopters “ said Fida Waishek, President of RSG AeroDesign “The HELRAS has been demonstrated through numerous NATO naval exercises to be the highest performance helicopter dipping sonar in the world for both shallow and deep water operations. The low frequency system uses high resolution Doppler processing and long shaped pulses to detect submarines at very long range and near-zero Doppler target signal.”   In addition to its long-range surveillance and search capabilities, the DS-100 is well-suited to redetection, target localization and weapon delivery against deep and shallow water targets.

RSG is an approved supplier for leading Aerospace OEMs worldwide including Agusta Aerospace Corporation, Airbus Helicopters, Changhe Aircraft Industries Group Co., Enstrom Helicopter Corporation, Hafei Aviation Industry Co., Helicopter Support Inc., Korean Aerospace Industries, L-3 Communications Ocean Systems, L-3 Communications Wescam, MD Helicopters, PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Safran USA, Inc., Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and Sikorsky Global Helicopters.

Rotorcraft Services Group business units include RSG Aviation, a full service completion and MRO facility serving all helicopter makes and models; RSG Products, a manufacturer of FAA PMA approved products including Garmin G500H installation kits, air conditioning systems and airborne video camera systems; and RSG AeroDesign, an integrated engineering unit providing comprehensive engineering and certification services and products to both the fixed-wing and rotary-wing markets. Additional information is available on the Web at www.rotorcraftservices.com

(RSG)

First of Two MH-60R Flight Simulator Commissioned Into Service

28 Maret 2015

The full-motion simulators are part of a package for the delivery of 24 new MH-60R helicopters under an AUD3.2 billion (USD2.5 billion) contract to replace the RAN's 16 S-70B-2 Seahawk (photo : ABC)

New flight simulator for Navy helicopter crews

The Minister for Defence, Kevin Andrews, and the Member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis, today announced that the first of two Navy MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ flight simulators had been commissioned into service.

The Seahawk Romeo training system is part of the $3.2 billion dollar investment that will deliver 24 new Seahawk Romeo naval combat helicopters.

More than 100 long term jobs will be created in the Shoalhaven area to support the new Seahawk Romeo capability.

The training system will include two full motion flight simulators and a wide range of sophisticated maintenance trainers, allowing Navy’s Seahawk Romeo crews to safely train in Australia across a wide range of operational and mission related training scenarios.

HMAS Albatross in Nowra, has already begun training Seahawk Romeo crew, with a training capacity of around 80 students a year, including pilots, aviation warfare officers, sensor operators, and maintenance personnel.

The simulators will prepare Navy crews for advanced maritime combat operations from Navy ships all over the world.

It is expected that the second simulator will be delivered in 2016.

The Seahawk Romeo helicopters are on track to achieve an Initial Operational Capability at sea by August 2015.

(Aus DoD)