US buys Russian helicopters

[Ian Corrigible]

Originally Posted by rotor-rooter

What an utter, inept, failure. Of course, it will all be swept under the carpet and no-one will ever be held accountable.

In the context of the $6 trillion (or thereabouts) spent on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, fully agree. However, three points to bear in mind on the specific topic of Mi-17s and S-61Ts:

• The purchase of Mi-17s for Iraq and Afghanistan was kicked off in 2006, with the controversial $322 million contract to ARINC awarded in December 2007
• The State Department's S-61T buy was specifically undertaken in an attempt to reduce reliance on Mi-8/17s (after extensive lobbying by Sikorsky and its Congressional delegation)
• The S-61T program was wound up as a direct result of the USA's 2014 Afghanistan drawdown

Sikorsky's Troy facility has been directly impacted by the S-61T program cancellation, with 100 layoffs made in recent years, and a further 25% headcount reduction (160 employees) was announced just this week, as a result of the Navy's MH-60R production program nearing completion.

Still, Sikorsky does now stand to benefit from the decision announced last November to end any further Mi-17 purchases for Afghanistan, which will now receive refurb'd UH-60A Black Hawks instead.

Regardless, the U.S. Govt will remain one of the biggest operators of Mi-8/17s, which have been operated by various TLAs for decades. AFM ran an interesting piece in May 2014, in which it identified 50 or so Hips in U.S. service.

I/C

[Lonewolf_50]

From the report linked by rotor-rooter

Along with the increased expense and difficulty in maintaining the Mi-17 helicopter fleet, utility helicopters are in high demand and the required maintenance exceeds current capacity and capability, leading to maintenance backlogs and a reduced number of aircraft available. Included in the recapitalization effort is an initiative to transition the force away from Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters to more reliable, cost-effective, and easier to sustain U.S.-made UH-60 helicopters.

I wonder if those UH-60As, refurb'd, will go through an A-L mod or remain in the A configuration. There's a difference in Max Gross Weight of 1700+ pounds. (At least according to the little cheat sheet I keep from an old Sikorsky blurb on A, L, and M).

[Mee3]

yea right, like the Iraqis can drive black hawk or whatever out US made of the box.

[Lonewolf_50]

@Mee3: This has to do with Afghanistan, not Iraq. With the combined brevity and incoherence of your post, would you please explain just what it is that you mean?

[Ian Corrigible]

Originally Posted by Lonewolf_50

I wonder if those UH-60As, refurb'd, will go through an A-L mod or remain in the A configuration.

C/o Av Week:

The Black Hawks to be delivered to the Afghan army will be UH-60A+s, with a lighter airframe than the UH-60A but fitted with the General Electric T700-GE-701C engines that equip the heavier UH-60L. The Pentagon says this model is more appropriate for Afghanistan's climate and terrain.

I/C

[Lonewolf_50]

I was thinking of the IDGB that came into vogue when the Navy got the Seahawk based on the S-70/UH-60 design. That gear box upgrade (IIRC) informed the improvements to the UH-60L gear box .... anyway, Ian, thanks for the link. I suspect most of the upgrade work will take place in CONUS so that conversion job looks to be spreading some DoD dollars to various districts.