Bell ARH program update

[HawkEyez]

Here is the latest excerpt on the lagging ARH program taken from the StarTelegram:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/16641864.htm

anyone have any insight on the delays with regards to the technical issues they are facing? Do you think they will get them resolved in time?

[HawkEyez]

Here is the latest excerpt on the Bell ARH program taken from the Star Telegram:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/16641864.htm

What is the deal? It looks like Bell needs to get their act together or they are going to take a big hit financially. :ugh:
Anyone have any further insight on the technical issues they are facing (e.g. weapons integration & engine)? Will they be able to meet the deadline set out for them?

[widgeon]

now compare this to EAD announcement ref the LUH
http://www.verticalmag.com/control/news/templates/?a=3445&z=6

One wonders how long Bell would have delayed the process if they had won.

[chuckolamofola]

Comparing LUH and ARH is not like comparing Apples to Apples. LUH didn't have too have much in the way of mission equipment and is for the most part a plain Jane EC145. On the other hand, the ARH airframe is fairly common to the 407 but the mission equipment and armament adds a lot more complexity. Eurocopter only has to deal with hoist and avoinics vendors, Bell has several that aren't meeting their commitments either. :=
It will also be interesting to see how smooth the actual transistion is for LUH. Maintaining an FAA certified aircraft in the Guard hasn't been done before either, not to mention what the cost will add for mission creep.
Chuck

[widgeon]

You have a point but every military program that Bell is involved in has major delivery and cost problems AH1Z , UH1Y not to mention the Osprey . Had they won the LUH with the 410 I wonder would they have had the resources available to make it work. All of these are developments of existing models Sikorsky I guess have their own problems with the H92 for the Canadians. Are EC giving all the Army techs sets of metric wrenches I wonder. Talking of military programs not much news US101 recently.