ARLINGTON, Virginia, March 31, 2021 — The U.S. Navy today awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a $1.6 billion production contract for the next 11 P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Nine aircraft will join the U.S. Navy fleet and two will go to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a cooperative partner in the P-8A joint program since 2009. The contract brings the total number of U.S. Navy P-8A aircraft under contract to 128 and the RAAF total to 14.
The P-8A is a long-range anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare aircraft used by the U.S Navy. It’s vital for intelligence gathering, surveillance reconnaissance and search and rescue. Deployed around the world, with 103 aircraft in service and more than 300,000 flight-hours, the P-8’s performance and reliability delivers confidence to customers operating in an uncertain world.
The P-8 is militarized with maritime weapons, a modern open mission system architecture and commercial-like support for affordability. It’s the principal aircraft with the ability to detect and track submarines. The aircraft is modified to include a bomb bay and pylons for weapons. It has two weapons stations on each wing and can carry 129 sonobuoys. The aircraft is also fitted with an in-flight refueling system.
A military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation airplane, the P-8 combines the most advanced weapon system in the world with the cost advantages of the most popular airliner on the planet. The P-8 shares 86% commonality with the commercial 737NG, providing enormous supply chain economies of scale in production and support.
The P-8 has two variants: The P-8I, flown by the Indian Navy, and the P-8A Poseidon, flown by the U.S. Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. The RAAF has acquired the Boeing aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales process and will receive a variant designed and produced for the U.S. Navy called the P-8A Poseidon.
Leonardo celebrates today the 20th anniversary of the AW139 helicopter’s maiden flight. The first aircraft took to the skies from the Company’s facility in Cascina Costa di Samarate, Italy on 3 February 2001. The helicopter flew for 45 minutes checking initial airworthiness tests, hovering, lateral and forward flight, handling qualities and subsystems. This soon confirmed the impressive characteristics and the smoothness of the new model and its performance and capabilities were to become a new market benchmark, making it the most important helicopter programme in the last two decades at an international level.
The AW139 intermediate-twin engine 7 tonne boasts orders of almost 1,200 units from more than 280 customers in over 70 countries on all continents. The aircraft has shown extraordinary levels of reliability and operational capabilities with more than 3 million flight hours recorded since the first delivery took place at the beginning of 2004. Data of use testifies the extreme versatility of the AW139 which satisfies any market need: approximately half the world’s fleet for public utility tasks such as search and rescue and air ambulance, law enforcement, fire-fighting, disaster relief and military duties. The rest account for a leading position in its class in the offshore transport sector, plus VIP, institutional and corporate transport as well as other civil missions. The AW139 fleet has a global presence: around 30% in Europe, almost as much in Asia and Australasia, 15% in the Americas, followed by the Middle East. The international success of the AW139 is so important that to meet market demands the helicopter is produced on different assembly lines both in Italy, in the Vergiate plant, and in the United States in Philadelphia which has delivered around 30% of all units to date. The US Air Force will soon introduce the AW139-based Boeing MH-139 to replace the UH-1N fleet.
The AW139 has grown significantly over the years, adapting to the changing needs of customers. The maximum take-off weight increased from 6.4 to 7 tons. Almost 1,000 mission kits and equipment have been certified. With advanced protection systems against icing, the AW139 can fly in all-weather conditions. This model is also the only one in the world capable of continuing to fly for over 60 minutes without oil in the transmission, twice as much as the 30 minutes set by certification authorities. In 2020 new distinguished features for the avionics suite were introduced including synthetic vision, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System with offshore modes, improved 2D maps and wireless data loading, increasing crew situational awareness and reducing workload for operations at night or in marginal weather. Despite the experience and maturity achieved in almost 17 years of operational activity, the AW139 remains a young and modern programme, destined to play a leading role into the future. The AW139 truly embeds all areas of excellence and leadership in its field at Leonardo such as transmissions and dynamics, system integration and customization, best in class performance, mission versatility, latest safety standards and a comprehensive range of increasingly localised customer support and training services and solutions, developed and grown to allow customers worldwide to maximise the capabilities of the type.
The aircraft of choice in its class against which all existing and newcomers are measured, the AW139 also represents a turning point in the rotary-wing sector through the introductory concept of the Leonardo “helicopter family”. The AW139 is, in fact, the forefather of a helicopter family comprising of the smaller and lighter AW169 and the larger and heavier AW189. Models, the only case in the world, that share the same design philosophy, the same high performance, the same flight characteristics and the same certification standards, as well as the same approach to maintenance and training. A concept that allows operators with large diversified fleets, with models ranging from 4 to 9 tons of weight, to create significant synergies in crew training, flight operations, maintenance and logistics support.
Budapest, Hungary, November 17th, 2020 – The Hungarian Government and Embraer signed today a contract for the acquisition of two new generation multi-mission transport aircraft Embraer C-390 Millennium, in its air-to-air refueling (AAR) configuration, designated KC-390. Additionally, pilots and technicians training as well as other services and support are included in the contract as part of the process to strengthen the Hungarian Defence Forces capabilities specifically on the tactical airlift, AAR and medical evacuation roles as well as in other missions of public interest. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2023.
“Following the procurement of personnel air transport capabilities in 2018, we will see the arrival of KC-390 aircraft to Hungary in 2023-24, able to deliver large military loads in an operational environment, as well as providing air-to-air refueling services. We are acquiring a multi-role transport fleet for the Hungarian Defence Forces to fulfill the widest possible range of tasks within the national framework, in a sovereign way,” said Gáspár Maróth, government commissioner responsible for defence development.
“We are honored for being selected by the Hungarian Government and the Hungarian Defense Forces to provide the most advanced multi-mission transport aircraft available in the market,” said Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “Hungary is the second European nation and NATO operator to select the C-390 Millennium, a highly capable aircraft that offers excellent productivity through unrivalled combination of speed, payload and rapid reconfigurability for multi-mission operations.”
The KC-390 for the Hungarian Defence Forces will be the first in the world with the Intensive Care Unit in its configuration, an essential feature to perform humanitarian missions. The aircraft fully meets the requirements of the Hungarian Defense Forces, being able to perform different types of military and civilian missions including Humanitarian Support, Medical Evacuation, Search and Rescue, Cargo and Troops Transport, Precision Cargo Drop, Paratroopers Operations and AAR. These KC-390 are fully NATO compatible, not only in terms of its hardware but also in its avionics and communications configuration. Furthermore, the KC-390 probe and drogue refueling system means the aircraft can refuel the Hungarian JAS 39 Gripen as well as other aircraft that use the same technology.
The C-390 Millennium is fully operational and, since receiving its first aircraft in 2019, the Brazilian Air Force has deployed the airlift on several critical missions in Brazil and abroad with greater availability. Also, the Portuguese Government signed a contract for the acquisition of five C-390 Millennium in 2019 that are currently in the production line and will be in service in 2023.
The C-390 is a tactical transport jet aircraft designed to set new standards in its category. Some of the strong aspects of the aircraft are increased mobility, rugged design, higher flexibility, state-of-the-art proven technology and easier maintenance. Flying faster and delivering more cargo, both the C-390 Millennium and the KC-390 variant are the right sized platform for major deployment scenarios. Minimized interventions and on condition maintenance combined with highly reliable systems and components support the reduced downtime and costs, contributing to outstanding availability levels and low life cycle costs.
Armasuisse contracted Lockheed Martin (LMT) for a fleet of Indago 3 small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), with options for spares, training and tech support and additional systems for the Swiss Army.
Indago provides aerial reconnaissance in environments unreachable by normal fixed-wing, unmanned aircraft systems.
The first phase comprises manufacturing development to optimize the Indago 3’s configuration to meet Swiss Army requirements. These include:
Integration of a transponder for sense and avoid;
Installation of the Silvus Technologies’ radio; and
Implementation of Lockheed Martin CDL Systems’ VCSi Touch SUAS Ground Control System software that includes access to Swiss maps, including digital terrain elevation data (DTED), and Geofencing.
The first set of optimized systems will be delivered later this year with the remaining systems to be delivered several months following the first delivery. These Indago 3s will support tactical level reconnaissance and surveillance to support information collection, search and rescue, disaster relief and battle damage assessment.
“Indago 3 is uniquely qualified to support the Swiss Army’s mission needs,” said Steve Fortson, UAS Portfolio manager at Lockheed Martin. “Indagos operate very quietly from relatively low altitude and provide high fidelity sensor imagery. They are simple to use and require minimal training so soldiers can quickly execute their mission. The Silvus Technologies radios also deliver best-in-class performance and efficiency in a miniature package. They’re ideal for use in portable and embedded applications where size, weight, power and cost are key.”
Depending on payloads and operating environment, Indago 3 has a flight time of up to 50 minutes, a range of 10 kilometers, a cruise speed of 25 knots and dash at up to 40 knots. It can also operate at temperatures as low as 30-degrees below zero and as high as 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s cyber-secure with high fidelity color and infrared 3-axis stabilized sensors – and at approximately 5 lbs., Indago can be easily transported by a single backpack and deployed in less than three minutes.
Niel Golightly resigned today as Senior Vice President of Communications at the Boeing Company. Boeing has initiated a search for his successor. In the interim, the communications function will report to Greg Smith, Executive Vice President of enterprise operations and chief financial officer until a permanent successor is named.
Niel’s decision to resign stems from an employee complaint that brought to the Company’s attention an article he wrote in 1987 while serving in the military, about whether women should serve in combat.
Boeing does not agree with the views expressed in the article, and it does not reflect Niel’s views today. “My article was a 29-year-old Cold War navy pilot’s misguided contribution to a debate that was live at the time. My argument was embarrassingly wrong and offensive. The dialogue that followed its publication 33 years ago quickly opened my eyes, indelibly changed my mind, and shaped the principles of fairness, inclusion, respect and diversity that have guided my professional life since. The article is not a reflection of who I am; but nonetheless I have decided that in the interest of the company I will step down,” said Golightly.
“Niel and I discussed at length the article and its implications for his role as the Company’s lead spokesman,” said David Calhoun, President and CEO. “I greatly respect Niel for stepping down in the interest of the company. I thank him for his contributions to the Boeing Company, which have been substantial even in a short time. Our Executive Council and I thank him and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”
Mr. Calhoun added, “I want to emphasize our Company’s unrelenting commitment to diversity and inclusion in all its dimensions, and to ensuring that all of our employees have an equal opportunity to contribute and excel.”
The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a $1.5 billion production contract for the next 18 P-8A Poseidon aircraft. The contract includes eight aircraft for the U.S. Navy, six aircraft for the Republic of Korea Navy and four aircraft for the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
The Republic of Korea Navy and Royal New Zealand Air Force acquired the aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales process and will receive the same P-8A Poseidon variant designed and produced for the U.S. Navy. The Royal New Zealand Air Force is expected to begin receiving aircraft in 2022 and the Republic of Korea Navy is expected to begin receiving aircraft in 2023.
The P-8 is a proven long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. A military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation airplane, the P-8 combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the battle space.
The P-8 is militarized with maritime weapons, a modern open mission system architecture and commercial-like support for affordability. The aircraft is modified to include a bomb bay and pylons for weapons. It has two weapons stations on each wing and can carry 129 sonobuoys. The aircraft is also fitted with an in-flight refueling system.
With more than 254,000 flight hours to date, the P-8A Poseidon and P-8I variants patrol the globe performing anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; humanitarian; and search and rescue missions.
Article by Belén Morant, Media: Airbus Helicopters; Jonny Carroll; DTX Media
Tim Ochsner, Chief Pilot of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), explains the key to the success of the SAREX (search and rescue exercise)
When it comes to offering an adequate, effective and rapid response to natural disasters there’s no room for improvisation, particularly when a number of different agencies are involved. Tim Ochsner, Chief Pilot of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), explains the key to the success of the SAREX (search and rescue exercise) conducted by more than 20 different agencies since 2015, which has now established itself as the benchmark for rescue training in the US.
How did the need arise to organise rescue training on such a large scale as SAREX?
In 2011, the state of Texas had huge problems with wildfires, and the following years we had two major floods. All the agencies equipped with aerial capability for these kinds of situations were involved: the Army with their Lakotas, our local EMS agencies, the Austin Police Department with their H125 and San Antonio Police Department with an H125 as well…
We all quickly formed a team and worked together out of necessity due to the flooding. We didn’t have time to set much up – we just did it.
After those events, we thought we needed to come up with a better plan for training, establish a communication plan and standard operating procedures. We had to establish a cooperation framework that was independent to the parties we tend to work with, because at the end of the day these things can change. That’s how the SAREX exercise came about.
The new capability for Airbus’ C295 to serve as an aerial tanker brings additional flexibility for this tactical airlifter, further increasing its already-proven versatility and opening additional mission opportunities.
Airbus Defence and Space developed a removable air-to-air refuelling (AAR) kit for the twin-engine aircraft that utilises a 100-ft.-long deployable hose with a “basket” at the end – enabling the transfer of fuel to receiver aircraft equipped with a probe. A remote vision system allows crewmembers aboard the C295 tanker to monitor refuelling operations from the cargo cabin.
Recent flights to test the kit involved an Airbus-owned C295 that refuelled a C295 from the Spanish Air Force, as well as proximity tests with the C295 and a fast fighter aircraft – a Spanish Air Force F-18.
“Customers are increasingly interested in purchasing not just an aircraft, but a versatile platform that can be used for different missions,” explained Martín Espinosa, the Airbus Defence and Space engineering technical manager responsible for the C295’s aerial refuelling test campaign. “The development of the air-to-air refuelling capabilities of the C295 forms part of this strategic vision.”
The C295’s aerial refuelling capability would be a highly valuable mission-extender for customers using C295s. These customers include the armed forces of current and future C295 operators responsible for civil and military search and rescue missions.
Additionally, it could serve as a cost-effective platform to train fighter pilots in the skills needed for air-to-air refuelling. “The C295 tanker kit could facilitate training of fighter pilots for missions involving refuelling, or even for AAR services on a lease-by-the-hour basis at a fraction of the cost of heavier aircraft,” explained Luis Díaz-Miguel, the Tactical Airlifters Marketing Manager.
Captain Gabiña, a Spanish Air Force pilot involved in the aerial refuelling tests, gave high marks to the C295 in its new role as tanker. “The degree of difficulty in flight test is always high since it involves performing manoeuvers that no one has done before. It should be noted that due to the positive behaviour of the aircraft, the operation has been good and straightforward,” he said.
(Reuters) – Teams combing the wreckage of a Hawaii sightseeing helicopter that crashed on Kauai island found no sign of survivors on Friday and recovered six sets of human remains before suspending the search due to bad weather, police and fire officials said.
The grim announcement came in a news conference almost 24 hours after the aircraft, first reported missing on Thursday evening, went down in a remote area of rugged terrain near the end of a tour flight over the island’s famed Na Pali Coast.
The crash was at least the ninth, and by far the deadliest, involving sightseeing helicopters in Hawaii over the past five years, according to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) records.
The confirmed manifest of the ill-fated aircraft, flown by Kauai-based tour operator Safari Helicopters, consisted of six passengers, two of them children, and one pilot, Kauai County fire battalion chief Solomon Kanoho told reporters.
The identities of the dead were being kept confidential until next of kin could be notified, authorities said.
“We are heartbroken by this tragedy and we continue to ask the public to consider the sensitive nature of this devastating situation,” Mayor Derek Kawakami said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of all victims during this extremely difficult time.”
The Kauai fire department called off its search-and-recovery efforts late Friday afternoon due to fog and poor visibility but planned to resume the operation at daybreak on Saturday, Kanoho said.
Although the remains of just six of the seven people who were aboard the ill-fated aircraft have been recovered, Kanoho added: “There are no indications of survivors.”
TOURISTS FROM TWO FAMILIES
Kanoho previously said the passengers on board the helicopter had been in two groups – a party of two from one family and a party of four from another.
Kanoho declined to describe details of the wreckage out of respect for the victims’ loved ones.
While the cause of the crash has yet to be determined, Kanoho said the area where the helicopter went down had experienced “some very bad weather” beforehand, adding that the chopper had crashed within its prescribed flight route.
The NTSB, which said it was sending a three-member team to investigate the crash, reported in May that there had been eight accidents involving Hawaii tour helicopters over the past five years, with four deaths and 18 injuries.
The agency made that report after a tour helicopter went down in a residential neighborhood on the island of Oahu in April, killing three people.
The latest crash was in Koke’e State Park in an area called Nu’alolo, a steep-sided valley north of Waimea Canyon State Park, according to a statement posted by the Kauai police department on Facebook.
Waimea Canyon is a tourist destination known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” and police said the helicopter was last heard from at about 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, when the pilot radioed that the aircraft was just departing that area.
A search was launched a short time later, after Safari alerted authorities that the helicopter was 30 minutes overdue on its flight back to the airfield in Lihue on the island’s southeast end, officials said.
A U.S. Coast Guard cutter vessel and helicopter search crew were immediately dispatched. The search was expanded at daybreak on Friday to include air, sea and ground teams from the Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, police, fire department and other agencies.
The missing aircraft was equipped with an electronic locator beacon, but no signals were received after it disappeared, the Coast Guard said.
According to its website, Safari offers aerial sightseeing excursions to Kauai’s major attractions over the Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon. The Na Pali Coast, known for jagged green cliffs laced with towering waterfalls, is one of the most visited attractions on Kauai, the fourth-largest island in the Hawaiian chain.
Reporting by Maria Caspani and Peter Szekely in New York and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Leslie Adler
– Features night-vision goggle compatibility, Head-Up Displays and Synthetic Vision for mission success
– Advanced human-machine interface will reduce pilot workload
– Touch-screen capabilities to increase ease of operation
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Airbus’ new C295 tactical aircraft will come equipped with Collins Aerospace System’s state-of-the-art Pro Line Fusion™ flight deck, significantly advancing the capabilities of C295 operators. The selection marks the first fixed-wing search and rescue platform to include Pro Line Fusion among its standard equipment. Collins Aerospace is a unit of United Technologies Corp.
The Pro Line Fusion flight deck designed for the C295 includes key features to help operators during search and rescue, and other tactical missions, being equipped with:
Four 14.1-inch (35.8 cm) touchscreen displays to provide a more intuitive interface for pilots to interact and customize their information on the flight deck
Night-vision goggle capability to help ensure successful missions in low light conditions
Head-Up Displays that enable the pilot to keep their eyes up for enhanced situational awareness
Enhanced Vision System (EVS) sensor that allows pilots to see through low-visibility conditions
Overlaid weather radar that shows a graphical depiction of weather along the flight plan for easy viewing
Integrated Terrain Awareness and Warning System that enables high-resolution 3D obstacle depiction and enhances mission safety
Fully integrated Mission Flight Management Systems supporting Search and Rescue patterns, Computed Air Release Points and High Altitude Release Points
In addition, the flight deck was designed to meet evolving airspace and regulatory requirements, future-proofing it for years to come.
“This flight deck implementation is a great example of how Collins Aerospace is able to apply the latest commercial avionics technology and integrate it with military functions and capabilities to create the perfect fit for our customers,” said Dave Schreck, vice president and general manager for Military Avionics and Helicopters at Collins Aerospace. “Our Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics system will reduce pilot workload and increase ease of operation for all future C295 operators.”
Canada’s Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) will serve as the launch customer for the C295 with the first delivery expected before the end of the year.
