The test flight of the Eurocopter X³ technology demonstrator (First unveiled in February 2009) as shown another company‘s vision of the helicopter of the future. With the traditional ‘Penny Farthing’ layout beginning to reach its upper technological limit, alternative layouts and composite designs will need to be thoroughly investigated in the near future. The X³ (or X Cube Eurocopter parlance and suitably [...]
The advent of the Kamen K-MAX dedicated cargo lifter, with an unmanned variant, seems to have covered the base for a robust, battlefield logistics helicopter. Despite its excellent performance, it does have a number of notable disadvantages. Namely, it cannot carry troops, it has a single engine, only one crewman can squeeze into its cockpit and all loads need to [...]
Following on from the previous post about the Nimrod MRA.4 and the two prototypes sat idle at Woodford Aerodrome, I contacted my MP and received the following reply from Peter Luff, the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology: ‘Thank you for your letter of 18 May enclosing correspondence from your constituent, Mr Richard Stockley, about the MOD’s plans for [...]
The MOD has announced that the upgraded Lynx Mk.9A has arrived and started operational service in Afghanistan. The first aircraft arrived in theatre courtesy of an RAF C-17 Globemaster III earlier this month. Although no specific date was given for their arrival at Camp Bastion, two aircraft, ZG888 and ZG915, were noted at Brize Norton on April 12 awaiting shipment [...]
In a previous post, ‘Looking South: an Alternative Slant’, the subject of the retirement of the Nimrod MR.2 and the delay of the MRA.4 into service attracted some discussion and debate. Having concerns about this lack of airborne maritime cover I contacted my MP to raise the issue at a higher level, and received the following response from Bill Rammell, [...]
THE MOD has announced the contract to re-engine the remainder of the Army Air Corps (AAC) Lynx Mk 9 helicopters, to bring them up to Mk 9A standard. The contract, worth £41.8milllion, has been awarded to AgustaWestland and will see the final 10 airframes upgraded. These are in addition to the previous 12 which began conversion at the end of [...]
THE SEARCH for oil in the South Atlantic has briefly caused the eyes of the nation to divert its gaze from Afghanistan to the Falkland Islands. The Government of Argentina has seen fit to voice its concerns over the potential untapped mineral wealth under the ocean, and is clearly unhappy about the UK getting all the benefits it would bring. [...]
Since its inception the MV-22 Osprey has generated a significant amount of controversy, especially during its protracted development. This development phase was significantly long, at times tragic, and the costs were somewhat insurmountable, even by UK MOD procurement standards. However, now that the aircraft has actually been fielded in Iraq and Afghanistan, the question can now be asked, is it [...]
Like any joke, it’s the way you tell it that makes a good one great. The same goes for the Major Projects Report 2009, issued by the MOD on 15th December, with special regard to the AW159 Lynx Wildcat. The Future Lynx Wildcat is one of our favourite subjects, in a large pool of MoD debacles the Wildcat is in [...]
The Lynx Wildcat, whether you love it or loath it, will undoubtedly be the Army Air Corps main mode of battlefield transportation for the next three decades, despite its stratospheric development and procurement costs. As a previous post highlighted the AW139/149 as a low-cost Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) alternative to the Wildcat, this post highlights its lightweight cousin, the AW109. [...]
“It was the English,” Kaspar cried, “Who put the French to rout; But what they fought each other for I could not well make out.” ‘The Battle of Blenheim’ – Robert Southey (1774 -1843) A searching question was posted on this website 18th July, asking what was the point of Afghanistan and what we are hoping to achieve. Before attempting [...]
With any conflict, whether it is conventional or counter insurgency (COIN), airpower will play an important, if not pivotal role. When fighting a large, sophisticated army the air assets need to be equally sophisticated to counter the vast array of weapons that will be deployed against them. In a counter insurgency war, the anti-aircraft weapons deployed by the enemy tend [...]
A recent article in The Independent on Sunday, 2nd August, highlighted the current problems with UK’s long-term commitment to Afghanistan. With regard to this deployment, the British Ambassador to Washington, Sir Nigel Sheinwald, commented that UK forces could be there for ‘decades’. By decades it is reasonable to assume that Sir Nigel means timescale of twenty to thirty years as [...]
Not for the first time in its history has the AgustaWestland Lynx Wildcat been the focus of this website or the media in general, and not for all the right reasons. Lynx Wildcat’s latest foray back into the headlines has been due to vast increase in its development costs. The actual cost of the Lynx Wildcat project has been open [...]
Whether the Government likes it or not, helicopters are on the agenda and regularly on the front page. In this instance we take a delve into the recent story of the ‘Cut and Shut Chinook Scandal’, which actually isn’t a scandal. It isn’t actually much of a story, but at the moment it is being used as a stick to [...]
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