CVLSP Back on the radar
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Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Land of the Angles
CVLSP Back on the radar
USAF Seeks To Replace UH-1N Helicopter
USAF Seeks To Replace UH-1N Helicopter - Defense News
Loaded with all the additional mission systems, defensive provisions and added to that full fuel and at least 9 PAX, it will be interesting to see the outcome of the cost verses capability platform size, as I imagine the USAF and OEM’s will surely be looking at options for a common platform solution for this and the CSAR-X program and this isn’t going to be in the 11,000 to 17,000 lb category.
USAF Seeks To Replace UH-1N Helicopter - Defense News
Loaded with all the additional mission systems, defensive provisions and added to that full fuel and at least 9 PAX, it will be interesting to see the outcome of the cost verses capability platform size, as I imagine the USAF and OEM’s will surely be looking at options for a common platform solution for this and the CSAR-X program and this isn’t going to be in the 11,000 to 17,000 lb category.
USAF Seeks To Replace UH-1N Helicopter
By JOHN REED
Published: 29 Dec 2009 18:26
The U.S. Air Force has restarted its effort to replace 62 Vietnam War-vintage UH-1N Huey helicopters with a commercially available helicopter by 2015, according to a Dec. 17 service document.
The Air Force expects to award a contract for the UH-N1 helicopters as soon as fiscal year 2012 and wants to have at least six aircraft by 2015, the target date for initial operational capability. (AIR FORCE)
The sources-sought notice seeks contractors who can provide the Air Force with up to 93 helicopters - dubbed the Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (CVLSP) - that can carry at least nine passengers and that have proved themselves in commercial or government service. The service wants to put the new helicopters into service quickly: "We will consider some performance trade offs to meet schedule at an affordable cost."
The Air Force expects to award a contract for the helicopters as soon as fiscal year 2012 and wants to have at least six aircraft by 2015, the target date for initial operational capability. Another 10 choppers are due no later than Sept. 30, 2017.
One way the service hopes to do this is by purchasing an aircraft that is currently in production, according to the document.
The service's UH-1N fleet dates to the 1970s and is used primarily at nuclear missile bases in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming, where they patrol missile fields, fly search-and-rescue missions, and more. The Air Force has another squadron of Hueys at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., that provide VIP airlift around Washington. The Sixth Special Operations Squadron also flies a handful of the aircraft for special operations missions at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Those aircraft fly a cruising speed of roughly 100 knots and can carry up to 13 passengers depending on the situation.
While the missions flown by the current Huey fleet are relatively benign, the service is looking for a helicopter with a fairly high degree of survivability in combat situations, according to the notice.
The new choppers must be armored against 7.62mm small arms fire, feature electro-optical and infrared sensors, infrared countermeasures, be night-vision-goggle ready, and carry enough firepower to dispatch several enemy infantry squads during one mission, according to the notice.
The Air Force also wants the aircraft to be equipped with secure satellite communications as well as nonsecure line-of-sight communications links.
In addition to carrying nine passengers or 3,195 pounds of cargo, the CVLSP birds must be able to maintain a minimum of 135 knots airspeed while flying at 6,500 feet and be able to fly for at least three hours unrefueled at 6,500 feet.
The Army is replacing its antiquated Hueys with 345 EADS-built UH-72 Lakotas in a multiyear contract estimated to cost $3 billion. The Army uses the unarmed Lakota for stateside missions such as medical evacuations, drug hunting and personnel transport.
By JOHN REED
Published: 29 Dec 2009 18:26
The U.S. Air Force has restarted its effort to replace 62 Vietnam War-vintage UH-1N Huey helicopters with a commercially available helicopter by 2015, according to a Dec. 17 service document.
The Air Force expects to award a contract for the UH-N1 helicopters as soon as fiscal year 2012 and wants to have at least six aircraft by 2015, the target date for initial operational capability. (AIR FORCE)
The sources-sought notice seeks contractors who can provide the Air Force with up to 93 helicopters - dubbed the Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (CVLSP) - that can carry at least nine passengers and that have proved themselves in commercial or government service. The service wants to put the new helicopters into service quickly: "We will consider some performance trade offs to meet schedule at an affordable cost."
The Air Force expects to award a contract for the helicopters as soon as fiscal year 2012 and wants to have at least six aircraft by 2015, the target date for initial operational capability. Another 10 choppers are due no later than Sept. 30, 2017.
One way the service hopes to do this is by purchasing an aircraft that is currently in production, according to the document.
The service's UH-1N fleet dates to the 1970s and is used primarily at nuclear missile bases in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming, where they patrol missile fields, fly search-and-rescue missions, and more. The Air Force has another squadron of Hueys at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., that provide VIP airlift around Washington. The Sixth Special Operations Squadron also flies a handful of the aircraft for special operations missions at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Those aircraft fly a cruising speed of roughly 100 knots and can carry up to 13 passengers depending on the situation.
While the missions flown by the current Huey fleet are relatively benign, the service is looking for a helicopter with a fairly high degree of survivability in combat situations, according to the notice.
The new choppers must be armored against 7.62mm small arms fire, feature electro-optical and infrared sensors, infrared countermeasures, be night-vision-goggle ready, and carry enough firepower to dispatch several enemy infantry squads during one mission, according to the notice.
The Air Force also wants the aircraft to be equipped with secure satellite communications as well as nonsecure line-of-sight communications links.
In addition to carrying nine passengers or 3,195 pounds of cargo, the CVLSP birds must be able to maintain a minimum of 135 knots airspeed while flying at 6,500 feet and be able to fly for at least three hours unrefueled at 6,500 feet.
The Army is replacing its antiquated Hueys with 345 EADS-built UH-72 Lakotas in a multiyear contract estimated to cost $3 billion. The Army uses the unarmed Lakota for stateside missions such as medical evacuations, drug hunting and personnel transport.
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: The Alps
Being a member of the Helicopter Association International, (HAI) I recall reading a contract bidding submission on the website regarding an announcement from AMC Hq at Scott AFB, asking for provision of VIP transportation to DoD officials on the east coast around the DC, Maryland and Virginia areas and laid out the specs. This was back in 2005/6
Read in Verticalmag issue Jan 2008, about an article on Air Service Center Helicopters providing 407 and 412 for short off shore VERTREP (similar to the BI AS-365N3 Dauphines providing support to the RN ships offshore here) and they also provided an S-76A and Bell 222 for transportation of flag rank officers and general staff from Navy and Air Force around the DC area in 2007.
Therefore I conclude like with the Lakota program, the USAF are probably looking for a commercial off the shelf a/c like our COMR system over here. However the only snag is there's a hint about using the aircraft for combat ready status.
I had seen on the old FAS website about 10 years ago when they were describing and showing pics of world combat aircraft, under the UH-1 area, there were several pics from old and new from US Army to USAF and USN and USMC variants and one that caught my eye was an artists concept of a UH-1Y in USAF markings!!
Read in Verticalmag issue Jan 2008, about an article on Air Service Center Helicopters providing 407 and 412 for short off shore VERTREP (similar to the BI AS-365N3 Dauphines providing support to the RN ships offshore here) and they also provided an S-76A and Bell 222 for transportation of flag rank officers and general staff from Navy and Air Force around the DC area in 2007.
Therefore I conclude like with the Lakota program, the USAF are probably looking for a commercial off the shelf a/c like our COMR system over here. However the only snag is there's a hint about using the aircraft for combat ready status.
I had seen on the old FAS website about 10 years ago when they were describing and showing pics of world combat aircraft, under the UH-1 area, there were several pics from old and new from US Army to USAF and USN and USMC variants and one that caught my eye was an artists concept of a UH-1Y in USAF markings!!
Joined: Oct 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 7,371
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From: Den Haag
Its just amamzing that these war birds are still fully operational
a) These USAF aircraft have never been near a war, and
b) They probably have about 10% of the hours of most of their civil counterparts
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: USA
Most (if not all) of the USAF UH-1N fleet went to Vietnam around 1969 to replace the UH-1P fleet. The fleet is around the 10,000 hour mark now, give or take. Due to the ongoing slip in the CVLSP and CSAR programs they are slowly being retrofitted with 212 components to keep them airworthy.
The two main shortcomings of the twin huey in it's current role in are range and pax load. Two years ago I knew what the requirements were, but don't know how close-hold they were so I won't specify here. Suffice it to say the standard UH-60 doesn't have the unrefueled range without the internal aux tanks in the cabin, and doesn't have the passenger capability (cube) with them installed. Otherwise, they would just use the HH-60G's that CSARX will replace.
As far as I know, the smallest aircraft considered is the UH-1Y and the largest is the Chinook. IMHO, they are too small and too large respectively. Obviously savings from fleet commonality with CSARX would be a deal maker, but that program is stalled too. If the decision on CSARX comes to the S-92 variant or the Merlin (HH-71?), then CVLSP becomes a no brainer.
The two main shortcomings of the twin huey in it's current role in are range and pax load. Two years ago I knew what the requirements were, but don't know how close-hold they were so I won't specify here. Suffice it to say the standard UH-60 doesn't have the unrefueled range without the internal aux tanks in the cabin, and doesn't have the passenger capability (cube) with them installed. Otherwise, they would just use the HH-60G's that CSARX will replace.
As far as I know, the smallest aircraft considered is the UH-1Y and the largest is the Chinook. IMHO, they are too small and too large respectively. Obviously savings from fleet commonality with CSARX would be a deal maker, but that program is stalled too. If the decision on CSARX comes to the S-92 variant or the Merlin (HH-71?), then CVLSP becomes a no brainer.
