As of December
2013, no decision has been made on the CSAR-X programme. However, in March this
year, Secretary of the US Air Force, Deborah Lee James announced on the budget
alignment for a new CSAR helicopter programme named Combat Rescue Helicopter
(CRH). Through a five-year reprioritisation measure, the USAF managed to gather
a total of $344 million for the CRH programme, awarded to Sikorsky.
Much debate has
taken place among military specialists on the significance of CSAR helicopters.
While the CRH programme has saw lights at the end of the tunnel, other forces
are facing similar issues – in finding sufficient fund as well as in opting for
the best CSAR helicopter for their current and future objectives.
HH-60G Pave Hawk – Whacked and Battered
As one of the
USAF principal helicopters, the Pave Hawk’s primary mission is to extract
downed pilots through CSAR operation. Designed and developed bottom-up based on
the infamous Black Hawk helicopter, the Pave Hawk underwent extensive upgrades
in communication and navigation systems. The helicopter employs the Precision
Avionics Vectoring Equipment (PAVE) technology hence the name Pave Hawk.
After more than
20 years in service and definitely thousands of take-offs and landings, the
USAF Pave Hawk fleet has started to indicate the signs of weariness. Safety
crews have detected cracks on most of the Pave Hawk helicopters available, a
major sign of metal fatigue – and of course a major safety concern for the
flying crews themselves.
The service’s fiscal year 2015 budget
proposal released in 2013 showed no sign for the life-extension programme for
the Pave Hawk fleet. Due to the non-existence of a life-extension programme,
the USAF is overwhelmed with a rapidly increasing flying-hours.
As a critical
asset of the USAF, the Pave Hawk possesses a number of significant features and
gadgetries that put it as best of its class. Two General Electric T700-GE-701C
turbo shaft engines power the helicopter, with the capability of cruising at
294km/h. It is also equipped with a cargo hook with approximately 3.6 tonne
capacity. For rescue operation, the Pave Hawk is fitted with a hoist that is
able to lift 270kg load from a hover altitude of 60.7 metre.
Thanks to its
night-vision goggle and the AN/AAQ-16 forward looking infrared imaging system, the helicopter is able to perform day and night operation. Among
other avionic suites retrofitted are AN/APN-235 Doppler navigation system, AN/APN-239
weather avoidance radar, AN/ALQ-202
radio jammer and AN/ALQ-213 electronic warfare management system.
More than 20
years after its introduction, the Pave Hawk has saw service in many major
operations including Operation Desert Storm, Operation Allied Force, SAR
operations following the Hurricane Katrina, Sri Lanka tsunami as well as the
tsunami that hit Japan in 2011.
Osprey – The American Late Boomer
Seen by many as an incredible piece of
aviation technology, the V-22 Osprey’s history commenced in the early years of
the 1980s following the tragic failure of Operation Eagle Claw. The incident
had highlighted the critical requirement of a new breed of Vertical Take-off
and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. Later in 1981, The US Department of Defense (DoD)
launched what called the Joint-service Vertical take-off/landing Experimental
(JVX) aircraft programme. Under the DoD term, Bell Helicopter joined Boeing
Vertol to form a team and later won the preliminary design contract in 1983.
In a paper by Dr Loren B Thompson of the Lexington Institute,
he stressed that Osprey possesses mix capabilities that principally include the
CSAR as well. He said that Robert Gates made a correct decision to turn off the
CSAR-X helicopter programme in 2009 as the DoD left the Osprey out of the
competition. The government failed to understand the trade off of cost against
capability. The paper also mentioned on the failure of the government to
identify the best aircraft and obviously, having left the Osprey out of the
competition portrayed their lack of knowledge on future requirements.
Thompson added, the USAF decision to procure a new generation
conventional CSAR helicopter would arguably affect its position as the best
CSAR provider among other services. The Marines, according to him had decided
to procure the much more capable Osprey instead of a more conventional
helicopter – and it is possible that in the near future the Marines will
surpass the Air Force in CSAR capability due to the aircraft’s ability to fly
faster and further.
As the world’s first production tiltrotor aircraft, the
Osprey is equipped with proprotors as well as a pair of 90ยบ rotating nacelles.
Able to take off vertically, the aircraft cruises the sky with the nacelles
facing forward 75% of the time. It is also powered by Rolls Royce AE 1107C
engines that enable the aircraft
to fly at a maximum speed of 565km/h - faster than any conventional
helicopters.
In a report dated June 2012, 32 weapon
systems were available at the Marines’ disposal. However, these weapon systems
have never saw battle due to the availability of helicopter gunships and close
air support aircraft that allow the Osprey to perform tactical transport role.
However, it was stressed that due to its ability to outrun escort aircrafts, in
a longer term it is important for the Osprey to possess its own self-defence
capabilities.
Current and future users of the Osprey
include the US, Japan and Israel. It is available in a few variants – CV-22B
for USSOCOM, MV-22B for the USMC, HV-22 for the US Navy CSAR operation (this
variant lose to the MH-60S) and also as a part of the Royal Air Force’s
proposed AEW&C replacement of their ageing Sea King helicopters.
American Industry Giants to Co-develop New CRH
Following its victory in the bid of the
CRH contract, Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin is optimist that there will be
enough funding for the team to initiate early integration works. In an
interview earlier this year, Samir Mehta, Sikorsky’s president of Defense
Systems and Services classified the future CRH as a “heavily modified Black
Hawk”. The Pave Hawk replacement model will feature better avionics as well as
mission systems. It will also undergo extensive structural modification and
this, according to Mehta will include the integration of composite blades.
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| Sikorsky’s president of Defense Systems and Services classified the future CRH as a “heavily modified Black Hawk” |
The CRH programme will cover a total of
112 helicopters with a projected cost of around $7 billion. According to Mehta,
the Sikorsky team itself was surprised by the very late decision. He added that
it was only on March 4 that the team was made known on the fortunate decision.
The decision to build a new helicopter on the Black Hawk platform was initially
made in order to drive the cost down, which according to him has helped
Sikorsky win the contract due to its relatively low cost.
Though not much have been said on the
upcoming CRH programme, one may expect the helicopter to exhibit the
resemblance of Sikorsky’s latest offering, the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter. The
S-70i is the latest addition to the family of Black Hawk helicopters. Since its
first flight in 2010, the helicopter has entered service with the Royal Brunei
Air Force and the Colombian Army Air Assault Division.
The helicopter has a maximum gross weight
of approximately 10 tonnes with a large cabin capable to accommodate 13
soldiers and two crewmembers. Carrying the traits of a conventional combat
helicopter, the S-70i is equipped with crashworthy airframe with single piece
cockpit assembly.
In addition,
the helicopter can as well be fitted with medical equipment, external rescue
hoist, rappelling equipment and also the Integrated Vehicle Health Management
system. The cockpit features four ten-inch colour displays, digital automatic
flight control system as well as flight management system (FMS). In term of
offensive capability, the S-70i can be armed with Battlehawk system, comprising
of machine guns, 70mm rocket launchers, air-to-ground missile system,
helmet-mounted sight and external stores weapon system.
Powered by two T700-GE701D
turboshaft engines, the helicopter is able to fly at a maximum cruise speed of
277km/h at a service ceiling of 13200 feet. Fully loaded, the S-70i is able to
reach a distance of 459km with no reserve.
Others That Made the List
At the early stage of the CSAR-X programme, the USAF
drafted a list of potential helicopter candidates that they believed suit the
service’s current and future mission objectives. Among the listed helicopters
were the Chinook, US-101, H-92 Superhawk as well as European born EC725 and the
NH-90.
The legendary CH-47 Chinook
by Boeing is in high demand due to its superior performance portrayed in
Afghanistan. Thanks to its muscularity, the Chinook is able to perform in hot
and high conditions without having to produce excessive output. Through the
Chinook, Boeing offers the capability to perform more precise positioning as
well as the proven challenging close-in manoeuvres.
According to earlier
analysis, the Chinook has a higher compatibility with the US and foreign forces
due to its presence in international stage since decades ago. Boeing also
offers the more capable, highly modified MH-47G Special Ops variant, which they
believe, gives them an edge in term of R&D requirement.
However, on the negative
side, the Chinook is known for being a large and noise helicopter, making it an
easier target by the opposition. There were also issues regarding its rotor
downwash, which had caused difficulties in executing evacuation missions. To
make things worse, in technicality, the Chinook has the worst fuel consumption
among other US helicopters. It too requires more rigid maintenance as well as
longer assembly time in case of air transport into battle theatre.
According to the study conducted, the Chinook, if
chosen will have logistic issues if the US decided to conduct sea-basing
operations. Its large size does not permit the helicopter to be based on Navy
ships.
European Giants in the Action
Other than the Chinook, the
USAF also evaluated the US101 offered by Lockheed Martin. Based on the
EH101/AW101 by Italian helicopter giant AgustaWestland, the US101 was the only
platform that offered a helicopter with three engines configuration. The
configuration, according to Lockheed, offers tremendous advantage in terms of
survivability by being able to produce spare power in case of one engine
shutdown. The helicopter has no issue regarding compatibility with the US
forces and in fact, it offers very high compatibility with NATO allies and is
able to execute long-range missions provided it is equipped with extra tank.
However, the downside of the
US101 far outweighed its advantages. First is the issue regarding its extra
tank location – in its belly. For the USAF, the tank location is somewhat
critical given the fact that the helicopter will be shot a lot and of course,
from the ground. This feature will severely affect the safety of flying crews and
knowing that your safety is being compromised definitely will not help either.
In term of maintenance, the
USAF managed to learn something about the helicopter from its neighbour, the
Canada. The Canadian forces have had a number of issues regarding maintenance
of their EH101, which down the road did some financial harm to them. There were
also mechanical problems with the Canadian and the British EH101 hence the lack
of mission-ready helicopters.
Within the American soil
itself, the VH-71 Presidential helicopter (based on US101) has seen a very poor
initial programme rating. President Barack Obama asked US then Secretary of
Defence Robert Gates to hold or cancel the programme. Later in June 2009 the US
Navy decided to officially cancel the programme. Having spent a total of $4.4
billion and taken delivery of nine out of the 28 VH-71 ordered, the US
government decided to sell the helicopters as spare parts to the Canada for its
Cormorant fleet.
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| Canadian Cormorant |
Meanwhile, EADS
(now Airbus Group) through Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopter) offered two of
its best CSAR capable helicopters, the EC725 Caracal and the NH-90. The Airbus
Group saw the CSAR-X programme as a platform to increase sales to $10 billion
by the year 2020.
EADS North
America COO, Dave Oliver in his statement said that both the EC725 and the
NH-90 were put in the list because of their “proven capabilities at best value
and lowest cost to the taxpayer”. Although the CSAR-X programme was somewhat
smaller compared to the $35 billion tanker bid, EADS entered the CSAR-X
programme to boost its presence in the US military market.
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| RMAF EC725 |
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| French NH-90 in Canjuers |
