Australia Orders Seven CH-47F Chinooks, Spares & Simulators in A$513M Package

22 Maret 2010

CH-47F Chinook (photo : Australian Aviation)

New Chinook CH-47 Helicopters

Greg Combet, the Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, today announced the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has signed a contract with the US Army Security Assistance Command to acquire seven CH-47F Chinook helicopters, two Simulators and associated spares.

“The aircraft will replace the existing fleet of six CH-47D Chinooks operated by C Squadron of the 5th Aviation Regiment based in Townsville, and the first two aircraft are planned to enter service in 2014, with all seven in service by 2017,” Mr Combet said.

“The CH-47D fleet is providing outstanding support to the ADF, particularly in Afghanistan, and this acquisition of seven new CH-47F Chinook helicopters by the Australian Government will strengthen our ability to support our soldiers in the future.

“The CH-47Fs purchased for the Australian Defence Force are planned to incorporate some minor Australian specific mission equipment enhancements including crashworthy crew and passenger seating, fitment of Miniguns, and underfloor ballistic protection.

“However, the primary aircraft elements will remain consistent with the US Army fleet so we can leverage the benefits of their large fleet for engineering and other support.

“The contract to procure the aircraft through the US Government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme was signed at a ceremony at the Australian Embassy in Washington on Friday 19 March. It follows Government approval of Project AIR 9000 Phase 5C announced by the Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, on 25 February 2010.

“Australian industry will have the opportunity to incorporate the Australian specific enhancements and to support the new helicopters as part of through-life support arrangements,” Mr Combet said.

The contract was valued at $513.5million.

(Defense Aerospace)

China Tests 1st Self-Developed Heavy-Lift Chopper

19 Maret 2010

AVIC's AC313 heavy lify helicopter (photo : Sina)

State-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China staged a successful maiden test flight Thursday of its self-developed heavy-lift helicopter, the latest advance for the country's ambitious aerospace industry.

The 13.8-ton AC313 can carry 27 passengers or 15 injured on stretchers, and has a maximum range of 560 miles (900 kilometers), according to the Web site of the official People's Daily newspaper. It was successfully test flown Thursday morning in Jiangxi province, the paper said.

The aircraft appears to be larger version of the 7-ton Zhi-8 medium transport helicopter, itself a close copy of the French SA 321 Super Frelon. China bought 13 of the French helicopters in the 70s and at least one was reportedly disassembled for study and reverse-engineering.

China's aerospace spans military jets, commercial airliners, and even a manned space flight program.

The corporation is a central driver of that effort, having already built latest-generation fighter jets and midrange commercial airliners, and now working on a larger plane that would compete with Airbus and Boeing.

At 56 tons, the Russian Mi-26 is far and away the world's largest helicopter, twice as heavy as the American CH-47 Chinook.

(Combat Aircraft)

Australia Confirms Order for Seven CH-47F Chinooks

25 Februari 2010

Boeing CH-47F Chinook (photo : Key Aero)

Australia has approved the purchase of seven Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters for A$755 million ($670 million).

The first two helicopters will enter service in 2014 and all seven will be operational by 2017, says the Australian Government. The helicopters will replace the Australian army's six older CH-47D helicopters.

"These new helicopters will give the Australian Defence Force (ADF) a robust, deployable medium-lift helicopter capability out to 2040," says Australia's defence minister John Faulkner.

"While the existing fleet of 'D' model Chinooks had provided outstanding support to the ADF since entering service in 1995, the aircraft faced increasing capability and support issues."

This "second pass approval" comes after Australia said during its 2009 defence white paper that it could buy the CH-47F to augment its army's medium-lift capabilities.

The "F" models offer a range of improvements including a strengthened airframe to reduce fatigue, improved deployability, and digital systems, says the defence ministry. "The new Australian Chinooks will also receive some additional ADF-specific equipment to meet certain operational and safety requirements," adds Faulkner.

Canberra will buy the helicopters and maintain them in the same broad configuration as the US Army Chinooks, "providing enhanced benefits to the ADF in areas including spares, support, training and airworthiness", says the ministry.

"The Government will consider whether to participate in the US Chinook Product Improvement Program when information on this programme is of second pass quality. Participation in this program would align the configuration of Australian Chinooks with future US Army Chinooks," says Faulkner.

(Flight International)

Boeing Tawarkan Produk & Kerjasama Pembuatan Komponen

12 Februari 2010

Maret 2006 Boeing menawarkan Chinook bekas dengan harga 15 juta USD sebagai pesawat helikopter multifungsi karena selain bisa mengangkut pasukan dalam jumlah yang besar dan kendaraan ringan juga dapat dipakai untuk mengatasi berbagai jenis musibah alam (photo : Worldwide Military)

Menhan Menerima Kunjungan Presiden Boeing Int’l Corp Asia Tenggara

Jakarta-DMC, Menteri Perthanan RI, Purnomo Yusgiantoro , Rabu (10/02), menerima kunjungan Presiden Boeing Int’l Corp Asia Tenggara, Mr. Ralph L Boyce, beserta pendampingnya Senior executive Director S.E. Asia Region, Richard M. Hutehinson dan Vice President Asia Pasific, Joseph H.Song di kantor Kementerian Pertahanan RI, Jakarta.

Maksud kedatangan Mr. Ralph L Boyce yang merupakan matan duta besar Amerika Serikat untuk Indonesia tahun 1999-2002, adalah untuk menawarkan kerjasama untuk penjualan pesawat terbang bagi kepentingan pertahanan.

Perusahaan penerbangan Boeing adalah perusahaan milik Amerika Serikat yang telah menjalin kerjasama dengan berbagai perusahaan pesawat internasional, termasuk salah satunya dengan PT DI. Bentuk kerjasama dengan perusahaan pembuatan pesawat terbang beberapa Negara tersebut, yaitu memberi kesempatan membuat bagian tertentu dari pesawat Boeing.

Menanggapi maksud dari kunjungan ini, Menhan RI menjelaskan bahwa Indonesia membutuhkan pesawat dengan sistem multi fungsi tidak hanya digunakan untuk tujuan perang (Strike), tetapi pesawat ini juga digunakan untuk operasi selain perang seperti contohnya adalah untuk angkutan logistik, sehingga Menhan mengharapkan agar dapat dikirimkan prototype yang dihimpun dalam list penawaran.

Pada kesempatan ini juga Menhan saat menerima tamunya menjelaskan tentang adanya rencana pelaksanaan pameran Indo Defence pada akhir tahun 2010, untuk itu Menhan mengharapkan pihak Boeing juga dapat ikut berpartisipasi di dalam pemeran tersebut. (WRH/HDY)

(DMC)