Coast Guard Air Forces

[buglerbilly]

RFP Imminent For U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft

Apr 2, 2010



By Bettina H. Chavanne

The U.S. Coast Guard may release its request for proposals (RFP) for more HC-144A Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) on April 2, according to aviation acquisition chief Capt. Jim Martin.

By the end of this year, the Coast Guard’s fleet will include 11 aircraft and 12 mission systems pallets. This new competition is for procurement of the MPA, which the Coast Guard calls the Ocean Sentry, outside of the old Deepwater agreement with former lead systems integrator Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS). The Coast Guard took over acquisition responsibility a few years ago when Deepwater erupted into a headline-grabbing example of problems in U.S. defense procurement.

Martin says five companies responded to the original sources sought document. Manufacturer EADS Casa, from whose ICGS-era CN-235 airframe the twin-engined HC-144A is derived, remains interested in the USCG-led acquisition.

“We expect it to go fairly smoothly,” Martin says, adding he hopes to award a contract by late July.

The Coast Guard is retiring its fleet of four Falcon HU-25s, and the Ocean Sentry is designed to fill that gap. But the timeline is “not lining up exactly with the retirement schedule,” Martin acknowledges. This year will not be too challenging because three additional HC-144As are being delivered to the Coast Guard’s base of operations in Miami. For the long term, however, between Fiscal 2011-2014, “we fall behind,” Martin says. He hopes to start catching up on the flight hour gap in 2015. “We won’t start catching up all at once, but it will be a start.”

The armed service has received eight of the 11 Ocean Sentries already on order, with plans for 36 total through the additional purchases. But the Coast Guard still faces a three-year gap in its airborne maritime patrol flight hours, as the pace of new aircraft slows in the face of budget constraints. “We wanted to have 20 HC-144As by 2014 and now it looks like we’ll only have 16,” Martin says.

Tight budgets also are forcing the Coast Guard to remove five H-65 helicopters from service. Beyond 36 HC-144As, the long-term plan for the fleet is to have 22 C-130s, 102 H-65s and 42 MH-60s, as well as new land- and cutter-based unmanned aerial vehicles, Martin says.

The MH-60 helicopter is on segment two of a four-segment upgrade that will run through 2018, Martin says. The next segment to be competed is for a new surface search radar, for which a request for proposals could be released in 2011. The H-65 has been undergoing the largest modification — a six-segment conversion and sustainment project that started in 2004. Of 102 aircraft, 55 have been upgraded to the latest airborne-use-of-force capability. Earlier upgrades entailed installing two Turbomeca Arriel 2C2-CG turbo-shaft engines and adaptation for joint air intercepts over the National Capital Region.

The Coast Guard is still in the midst of deciding what level capability it requires from land- and cutter-based UAVs. Martin says the Coast Guard’s FY ’12 budget will have some funds included to move the UAV project into its next phase.

HC-144As photo credit: U.S. Coast Guard

[buglerbilly]

DATE:02/04/10

SOURCE:Flight International

PICTURE: Soteria reveals S-92 livery for SAR-H

By Craig Hoyle

Two months after winning the UK's SAR-H search and rescue helicopter contest, Team Soteria has released the first picture showing the planned colour scheme for the future system's Sikorsky S-92s.

Comprised of CHC, Thales UK and equity partner RBS, Soteria expects to use a fleet of roughly 24 S-92s to deliver the SAR-H service from 12 sites around the UK, and on the Falkland Islands. The aircraft will replace assets currently used by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

The selected orange and black livery is intended to maximise visibility and also denote the S-92's use as an emergency service asset, Soteria says.


© Team Soteria

Soteria was selected in early February, and expects to sign a contract for the SAR-H deal later this year. The private finance initiative scheme is expected to be worth around £6 billion ($9.1 billion) over its planned 25-year life.

CHC has provided a fleet of four S-92s in Scotland since mid-2007 under an interim deal with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

[buglerbilly]

Japan Coast Guard Signs Contracts for Six More AW139s

(Source: AgustaWestland; issued July 19, 2010)

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace are pleased to announce that the Japan Coast Guard has signed contracts for six more AW139 medium twin helicopters. These aircraft will be deployed at Japan Coast Guard bases throughout Japan and used to perform search and rescue and maritime patrol missions.

With this latest contract the Japan Coast Guard has ordered a total of eleven AW139 helicopters, increasing the number of AW139 helicopters sold into Japan to seventeen. This number includes the law enforcement helicopters currently in service with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police TMP and the new contract with the Japan National Police for the Chiba prefecture and the electronic news gathering configured helicopters currently operating with NHK and Kansai TV.

Andrew Symonds, President, AgustaWestland Japan, said “We are happy that the Japan Coast Guard has decided to expand its fleet of AW139’s in the framework of its fleet modernization programme which envisages the introduction of up to 24 new platforms. This new order provides clear evidence of the customer’s confidence with the outstanding operational capabilities and cost/effectiveness of the platform and we are confident that sales of the AW139 will continue to grow throughout Japan in the future.”

The Japan Coast Guard’s AW139’s are equipped for all-weather, day/night and ship-based operations, with a comprehensive mission equipment package that includes a rescue hoist, high definition FLIR, communications and navigation equipment package.

The AW139 has rapidly become the medium twin helicopter of choice for search and rescue missions around the world. It has been ordered or is now in service with a number of leading rescue operators in many countries also including Japan, South Korea, the UK, Italy, Spain, Estonia, Cyprus, UAE and Malaysia.

The AW139 has become the benchmark medium-twin helicopter and orders for over 460 helicopters have been placed by over 130 commercial and government customers in almost 50 countries to carry out a wide range of roles including search and rescue, emergency medical services, offshore transport, VIP/corporate transport, electronic new gathering, law enforcement, homeland security and military utility transport.

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[buglerbilly]

Tenth Project Sentinel Aircraft Fitted with the SELEX Galileo Surveillance

(Source: Selex Galileo; issued Aug. 4, 2010)

TURIN, Italy --- SELEX Galileo, a Finmeccanica Company, is pleased to announce the delivery by COBHAM Australia of the tenth and last Project Sentinel DHC-8 aircraft, modified for a civil maritime surveillance role, to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

These aircraft are fitted with the SELEX Galileo-developed Surveillance Information Management (SIM) system, which is in the final stages of development and delivery.

The contract for the development of the SIM system was signed with COBHAM Australia in December 2006, with the delivery of the final version of the operational software scheduled for December 2010.

A ceremony has taken place Darwin, Australia on the 28th of July to mark the acceptance into service of the final DHC-8 surveillance aircraft to be delivered under Project Sentinel for the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

The SIM system, part of SELEX Galileo’s ATOS family, consists of an airborne segment and a ground-based segment. The airborne segment will be carried in COBHAM Australia’s DHC-8 aircraft and two Australian Helicopters Pty. Ltd helicopters. The ground-based segment consists of the command, control and communications node that is installed in the Australian Maritime Surveillance Operations Centre of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service in Canberra, and two deployable terminals for use in field operations.

The SIM system will perform a key role in the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service’s surveillance of Australia’s maritime approaches. The SIM system provides the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service with an improved ability to plan surveillance missions, and to follow the progress of these missions in real-time through progressive reporting of mission data over a satellite link to the Australian Maritime Surveillance Operations Centre in Canberra.

The system also has the capability to provide live video transmissions of important events to the Operations Centre if required. A particular advantage of the system is its ability to gather and correlate evidentiary-quality information for use in prosecutions of persons or vessels involved in illegal activities.

“SELEX Galileo is proud to be involved in the development of this world-leading system for civil maritime surveillance,” said Fabrizio Giulianini, Deputy CEO of SELEX Galileo. “This system has been specifically designed to meet the Australian Government’s need for visibility of its maritime environment, and is the first system to come to market specifically designed to gather and protect the evidence of violations.”

“The Surveillance Information Management System is another important step in the SELEX Galileo development of the ATOS family of mission systems already sold to the Italian Government and internationally to six other countries”, added Fabrizio Giulianini, Deputy CEO of SELEX Galileo.

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[buglerbilly]

Canadian Forces’ Cormorants Pass 40,000 Operating Hours

(Source: AgustaWestland; issued Aug. 17, 2010)

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to congratulate the Canadian Forces on achieving the benchmark of 40,000 operating hours with its fleet of AW101 search and rescue mid/heavy helicopters. The Canadian Forces has 14 of the helicopters designated the CH-149 “Cormorant” which entered service between 2000 and 2002.

The Canadian Forces have a higher flying rate than any other AW101 fleet and Cormorant 901, currently flying out of Canadian Forces Base Comox with 442 Squadron, has the highest number of airframe hours on any of the AW101s anywhere in the world. To date, AgustaWestland has awarded 34 Cormorant crew members with 1,000 flight hour certificates and two crew members with 2,000-hour certificates.

During this time, Canadian Forces personnel have conducted thousands of missions and hundreds of rescues including:

-- A 1,200 km. round-trip rescue off Newfoundland;
-- A night time rescue from 30-metre deep crevasse 8,700’ up the side of an icy glacier;
-- A 3,500 km trip to rescue a hunter stranded on an Arctic ice flow.

The Cormorant has a mission availability rate in excess of 98 per cent attesting to its reliability for emergency and critical mission deployment. The fact that the Cormorant can be relied upon to launch for rescue virtually anytime, anywhere, can also be credited to the hard work of the aerospace division at IMP Group Ltd., which is contracted by the Canadian Forces to provide the helicopter’s in-service support (ISS).

Over 190 AW101 helicopters have been built or sold to civil and military customers around the world in a wide variety of configurations. The worldwide fleet had achieved in excess of 200,000 flight hours in Canada, UK, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, and Japan providing exceptional performance and an extremely high degree of safety.

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[buglerbilly]

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Coast Guard Looking to Fill Unmanned Aircraft Patrol Gap

Posted by John M. Doyle at 8/31/2010 7:42 AM CDT

Under current acquisition plans, the U.S. Coast Guard doesn't anticipate fielding an unmanned patrol aircraft to extend the reach of its National Security Cutter (NSC) fleet until 2016-2017.

That's because an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that meets Coast Guard needs isn't currently available – either through commercial or government suppliers, says William Posage, a civilian executive in the Coast Guard Research and Development Center. Those needs are outlined in a congressionally-mandated report completed by experts from the Coast Guard, other government agencies and industry in March, Posage told a briefing during the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) conference in Denver.


The first National Security Cutter, with landing deck. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)

In 2008, after the Coast Guard scrapped its plans to use the Eagle Eye vertical take-off-and-landing UAV, Congress required the agency to investigate the most effective unmanned aircraft system for the big new cutters.

Posage says the Coast Guard isn't in acquisition mode yet so the report doesn't recommend a specific platform. But it does list certain requirements including: maritime search radar and electro optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors that integrate fully with the ship's intelligence technology network. Additionally, the new aircraft must be sturdy enough to handle weather and sea states in all Coast Guard areas of operation from the Bering Sea to tropical waters near the Equator.

But until a UAV is fully-operational off the NSCs, the Coast Guard will need to close an annual maritime air patrolling gap of about 9,200 flying hours.The Coast Guard is exploring the use of land-based UAVs, such as the Northrop Grumman Global Hawk or General Atomics Predator, to narrow the gap, says Capt. Jim Sommer, deputy director of the Coast Guard's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Joint Program Office with Customs and Border Protection, a sister Homeland Security Department agency.

The JPO has developed a maritime radar-equipped Predator, known as the Guardian. Customs and Border and Protection operates six Predator UAVs – three in Arizona, two in North Dakota and one Guardian variant based in Florida. A second Guardian is slated for delivery later this year with another one expected next year.


The Guardian with its underslung maritime radar. (General Atomics photo)

Sommer notes the land-based UAVs will only eliminate about 2,200 hours of that air patrol gap, leaving 7,000 hours to be filled some other way He adds that one cutter-based helicopter can patrol about 18,000 square miles in a day but two UAVs flying 12 to 16 hours could expand that reach to 58,000 square miles.

He also notes that only three of the planned eight new cutters have been completed, so there is still some time to acquire the right UAV. The Coast Guard is also looking at the Navy's Fire Scout unmanned helicopter which can take off and land on a ship's deck and can be equipped with maritime radar. But Posage says the Coast Guard's immediate focus is “a risk reduction effort” to avoid buying an inadequate UAV again.

[buglerbilly]

Augusta: Navy Trials AW139 Helicopter On Its Ships

(Source: Italian Navy; issued Sept. 21, 2010)

(Issued in Italian only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)


An AgustaWestand AW139 utility helicopter lashed down on the deck of the Italian Navy ship Sirio (P409) during evaluation trials. (Italian Navy photo)

AUGUSTA, Sicily --- The Italian Navy ships Sirio, Orione and Bettica, of the Naval Patrol Force Command for Coastal Surveillance and Defense (Comando delle Forze da Pattugliamento per la Sorveglianza e la Difesa Costiera, COMFORPAT) have been designated for the evaluation trials of the AgustaWestalnd AW139 aircraft.

The first unit to be introduced to this helicopter, which was being used on naval operations for the first time, was Sirio, which carried out deck landings, take-offs and deck lashing.

After tests to verify possible interference between the ship’s on-board radio and radar systems and the helicopter’s avionics, the test pilots flew to the ship Orione where they will continue the trials before a final evaluation on the ship Comandante Bettica.

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[buglerbilly]

Helitech Portugal: Questions linger over Portuguese SAR helicopters

October 06, 2010

Members of the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa or FAP) have expressed frustration with the availability of the service’s EH101 Merlin SAR helicopters.

At the Helitech exhibition in Portugal on 5-7 October, the FAP prominently displayed one of the 12 EH101 Merlins it has ordered from AgustaWestland in December 2001.

Since the first aircraft arrived, the Merlins have carried out more than 10,000 flight hours and saved the lives of more than 650 people, playing a key role in the country's ability to provide SAR across a vast region of the Atlantic Ocean.

Portugal is second only to Canada in terms of the area it has to provide SAR coverage for, with helicopters based on the mainland at Montijo near the capital, Lisbon, as well as at Porto Santo, 45km north-east of Madeira, and in the Azores.

However, the availability of these aircraft has been a sore subject for FAP commanders. While this has improved with extra support from AgustaWestland's newly-established Portuguese subsidiary and a full in service support (FISS) contract, availability levels are understood to remain below what has been expected.

One pilot told Rotorhub.com: 'This is a new aircraft – we were told when they were purchased they would need four times less maintenance than the Puma, but sometimes they need four times more.'

At the beginning of the week of Helitech, six out of the 12 aircraft were available for flying.

The issues have forced the retention of some of the FAP's SAR Pumas, which marked 40 years of service last October – although it has been suggested these may finally exit service with 752 Squadron by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, both AgustaWestland and Eurocopter are waiting on a Portuguese government decision to replace the increasingly elderly Alouette III helicopters, in service with the FAP for basic training, liaison and other duties, but it could be a waiting game given the reported state of the country's economy and finances.

AgustaWestland believes its AW109 LUH offers the best solution, especially as Portugal has also ordered the NH90. Several other nations, such as New Zealand and Sweden, have ordered the two types together with the LUH configuration of modern avionics and wheeled landing gear proving to be a good training machine for the NH90.

Eurocopter feels its EC635, the military variant of the EC135, could also be the aircraft for the role.

The Portuguese Army had actually ordered nine of the latter for the fire support and medevac role, but cancelled them in 2002 and the aircraft were later delivered to Jordan.

Currently the army does not have any aircraft but has 10 NH90 TTHs on order. The fuselage of the first Portuguese aircraft was unveiled in Italy by AgustaWestland in September with the first aircraft due to arrive in 2012.

As it currently stands, the Portuguese Army has only a handful of pilots trained by the FAP and faces a huge challenge not only in preparing crews in a short space of time, but preparing them to fly an extremely advanced fly-by-wire machine without a modern type with which to train them.

If moving from the Alouette to the Merlin is 'having to learn to fly all over again' then a similar experience is likely with the NH90 as well.

By Tony Osborne, Cascais

[buglerbilly]

Lockheed Martin Receives Order from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for Additional P-3 Orion MLU Kits

(Source: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company; issued December 20, 2010)

MARIETTA, Ga. --- Lockheed Martin recently received an order for two additional P-3 Orion Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) kits from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The order brings the total number of CBP P-3s on contract to receive the MLU to 11 with an option for five additional kits in 2011.

"This award reinforces CBP's support of our proven, cost-effective solution for providing the P-3 fleet with 20-plus years of added operational capability," said Ray Burick, Lockheed Martin P-3 Programs and Greenville Operations vice president. "CBP has been a forward thinking partner in our MLU program, and we look forward to strengthening this relationship."

CBP will receive up to 16 upgraded P-3s for deliveries planned through 2015. It received the first fully upgraded P-3 Orion in July 2010.

The new order brings the total program to 56 kits, including orders from CBP, the U.S. Navy and international customers.

Lockheed Martin's P-3 MLU program provides a technically proven, low-risk, cost-effective solution for replacing the aircraft's outer wings, center wing lower surface and horizontal stabilizer with new production components.

The MLU replaces all fatigue-life-limiting structure with enhanced-design components and incorporates a new metal alloy that is five times more corrosion resistant, greatly reducing the cost of ownership for P-3 operators. The MLU solution removes current aircraft flight restrictions and extends the structural service life of the P-3 up to 15,000 hours, adding about 20 years of operational use.

P-3 Orion is the standard for maritime patrol and reconnaissance and is used for homeland security, hurricane reconnaissance, anti-piracy operations, humanitarian relief, search and rescue, intelligence gathering, antisubmarine warfare and, recently, to assist in air traffic control and data gathering over the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 133,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2009 sales from continuing operations were $44.0 billion.

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[buglerbilly]

US Coast Guard overhauls Dolphin fleet

April 22, 2011



The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is giving its HH/MH-65 fleet a new avionics upgrade, which will pave the way for the aircraft to receive a fully integrated digital cockpit in the future.

The USCG's Aviation Logistics Centre at Elizabeth City, North Carolina, is carrying out the upgrades, turning the HH/MH-65C into an MH-65D during planned depot maintenance, which takes place on each aircraft every four years. The update focuses on adding new digital computer displays, embedded GPS and inertial navigation systems, and other digital avionics components.

Cmdr Michael Campbell, project manager for the H-65 conversion and sustainment project, said the new systems were primarily installed within the avionics compartment in the rear of the aircraft.

‘Their inputs are fed into the existing legacy flight deck displays in the cockpit, so from the operator's perspective the upgrade is not a significant change,' Campbell said.

'However, the digital architecture, or digital framework, provides a building block for the next upgrade, which will re-designate the aircraft to the MH-65E.

'The Echo upgrade will completely modernise the cockpit by integrating the Common Avionics Architecture System, which is similar to the system installed in the coast guard's MH-60T aircraft.'

The 'Delta' upgrade is the third in a series of six upgrades that will re-capitalise the H-65 helicopters first introduced to the coast guard in the mid-1980s. These helicopters operate from USCG air stations ashore and from flight deck-equipped coast guard cutters to fulfil search and rescue, law enforcement and homeland security missions.

The USCG says the 'Echo' upgrade will be a much bigger upgrade, as it will replace the automatic flight control system as well as the entire avionics system.

The upgrades are tentatively scheduled to begin sometime in fiscal year 2014.

The first MH-65Ds went into service at Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Atlantic City in January and that station has since taken delivery of its seventh and eighth examples in April.

The USCG's Aviation Training Centre at Mobile will be the next base to take delivery of a Delta aircraft, while Air Station Kodiak in Alaska will receive four MH-65Ds this year to replace its HH-65Cs.

Around 22 helicopters a year are being converted into D models.

Tony Osborne, North Carolina

[buglerbilly]

12th HC-144A Ocean Sentry delivered to US Coast Guard

August 05, 2011



Airbus Military with prime contractor EADS North America have delivered to the US Coast Guard its 12th HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft, four months ahead of the contract delivery date.

The aircraft arrived Aug. 3 at Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center Elizabeth City, N.C., and will next pass to the Coast Guard's Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Ala., to begin operational patrols. The aircraft is expected to transfer to Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, Mass., when that facility transitions to the HC-144A from the aging HU-25 "Guardian."

The HC-144A is based on the highly successful Airbus Military CN235 tactical airlifter, more than 250 of which are operated by 26 countries. The Ocean Sentry plays a crucial role in Coast Guard aviation missions that include maritime patrol, intelligence/surveillance/reconnaissance, cargo and personnel transport, and disaster relief.

The latest Ocean Sentry delivery is the first under a $117 million contract that calls for the 13th and 14th aircraft to deliver in 2012, with options for up to six additional aircraft. The Coast Guard has said it expects to exercise the contract option for what will be its 15th HC-144A no later than September of this year. Coast Guard plans call for acquiring a total of 36 HC-144As.

The turboprop HC-144A can remain airborne for more than nine hours, compared to just four hours for the legacy HU-25 jet that it is replacing. This high endurance allows aircrews to stay on station longer during search and rescue, patrol or persistent surveillance operations.

Airbus Military and EADS North America deliver the HC-144A equipped with a search radar, electro-optical and infrared cameras, an Automatic Identification System for data collection from vessels at sea, and a communications suite.
The Ocean Sentry's rear cargo ramp enables easy loading/unloading of the Coast Guard's palletized mission system. During airlift, cargo, and MEDEVAC missions, the mission system is removed, freeing up the aircraft's large cabin for additional transport capacity. The rear ramp also can be opened in flight to deploy search-and-rescue equipment.

The HC-144A achieved initial operational capability in 2008, and has since distinguished itself with exceptional performance in a variety of high-profile missions, including the Coast Guard's responses to the Haiti earthquake and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.



Source: Aibus Military

[buglerbilly]

Ocean Sentrys stand guard, but more needed

By: Stephen Trimble Washington DC

43 minutes ago

Source:

Replacing 20 old airframes currently in service with 36 new aircraft for maritime patrol always seemed like a stretch for the US Coast Guard.

It is not that the original plan to replace the Dassault HU-25 Falcon fleet was gold-plated - if anything, purchasing 36 EADS North America HC-144A Ocean Sentry aircraft likely underestimated the coast guard's requirements. But this is an era where few military aircraft fleets achieve the standard of a one-for-one replacement, and hybrid law enforcement/search-and-rescue civilian agencies have never enjoyed equivalent priority in the annual funding debates.

Inevitably, acquisition funding for the coast guard's maritime patrol aircraft programme began steadily declining - despite the fact that the requirement to buy 36 never changed, and the small number acquired so far have proven effective. Thirty-six HC-144s are still listed in the coast guard's $24.2 billion modernisation masterplan, which also covers the renewal of the agency's patrol ships and other aircraft, including helicopters, and plans to acquire two unmanned aircraft systems.


© Airbus Military
Thirty-six HC-144s are listed in the Coast Guard's $24.2 billion modernisation masterplan - but will they all arrive?

But the funding to complete the acquisition of all 36 HC-144s on schedule by 2014 has previously been trimmed to 20 aircraft.

The revised plan would have at least *provided a one-for-one replacement with the retiring HU-25s, but it appears the agency's funding profile is unlikely to support even the lower amount.

The coast guard's leadership will now accept a minimum number of 17 new HC-144s to replace the 20 HU-25s by 2014, project manager Ron McIntire said in June.

Eleven of these 17 HC-144As have already been delivered, and another three are on order. But it is no longer clear if even the new "minimum" of 17 aircraft can be funded under the coast guard's acquisition plans. There are no funds in the fiscal 2012 budget for additional HC-144As, beyond the 14 already ordered.

Moreover, the pressure is only rising on the coast guard's acquisition accounts.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported earlier this year that the coast guard has overly optimistic spending forecasts. From 2013 to 2016, the agency plans to spend $1.9 billion annually on all acquisition programmes. That figure is $520 million higher than the average amount in the coast guard's acquisition budgets since 2007, the GAO added.

It is more likely in the current environment that the coast guard's acquisition accounts will hold stead - and perhaps even be reduced.

If the latter comes to pass, it is difficult to predict how the coast guard will be able to raise additional funds for more HC-144As - whether that means buying three more aircraft to reach the new minimum of 17, or six more aircraft to match the retiring HU-25s.

McIntire is not unaware of this predicament, and acknowledges the HC-144A is not on top of the priority list, even if more funding can somehow flow into the coast guard's spending accounts.

"The commandant's priority is the National Security Cutter," he says. "The second priority is the offshore cutter." More HC-144As fall somewhere further down the list.

The coast guard also lacks one of the convenient options available to government agencies in this situation.

When funding for a replacement disappears, the fall-back is often to extend the service life of the airframes not being replaced. The operator is left with older aircraft, but the size of the fleet is at least preserved.

The HU-25 maintenance contract expires in 2014, and the coast guard has already decided not to renew it, McIntire says.

The prospect of a fleet-size reduction below minimum requirements is not unfamiliar to the coast guard aviation branch - nor even to the maritime patrol fleet.

In the mid-1990s, the coast guard arbitrarily shrank the size of the HU-25 fleet by more than half, to 20 airframes, to address falling budgets.


© US Coast Guard
A focus on endurance led to the selection of Ocean Sentrys

The shortfall drove the requirement for a 36-aircraft replacement programme, when the coast guard launched the Deepwater acquisition programme in 2002.

The HU-25 replacement plan was selected to lead the field for the first new capability.

Replacing the jet-powered HU-25 fleet with turboprop-powered aircraft, such as the HC-144A, proved an inspired choice.

When the coast guard selected the HU-25 in the early 1980s, the agency had based its maritime patrol strategy on raw speed. Three decades later, the coast guard has shifted its focus away from speed and on to endurance.

As the number of airframes in the coast guard's aviation fleet dwindles, the long endurance of the HC-144A has become a critical asset. As a turboprop, the converted regional airliner has flown missions of up to 10h - a 150% improvement over the 4h limit of the HU-25.

That length of time allows the coast guard to maintain time-on-station rates with fewer HU-144As, as the jets are retired.

Each HU-25 is programmed to fly about 800h annually, but the HC-144A is tasked with 1,200h. "For every two HC-144s, I can take three Falcons out," says McIntire.

That is not to suggest that the coast guard can meet its maritime patrol requirements with fewer HC-144As than HU-25s.

According to the agency's analysis, the maritime patrol fleet already has a gap of tens of thousands of flight hours, compared to required levels. Replacing the HU-25 with the HC-144A on a one-to-one ratio increases available flight hours by 50%, but still only puts a dent in the overall shortfall. The only way to close that gap is to buy more aircraft.

Recent studies by the agency indicate that the shortfall is not even closed if all 36 HC-144As in the programme of record are eventually purchased. Seven years ago, the Rand think-tank published a report recommending that the coast guard should double the size of the aviation fleet to meet requirements.

Last year, the first phase of a fleet mix analysis suggested the agency should add between one and 29 more HC-144As to the 36 in the programme of record.

Such large budget increases are unlikely to be supported in the next few years, leaving McIntire's office with a shrinking fleet and few options.

Ideally, the coast guard would launch an upgrade that would remove two crew members aboard the HC-144A - those assigned to manage the palletised sensor and processing station - McIntire says.

The same job could be done on the ground by adding autonomous capabilities to the mission system, he adds.

That would free up more resources for other priorities, as well as take up to 181kg out of the airframe.

"Every time you take weight off it's a good thing," says McIntire, but he adds: "Under the budget constraints that we're in, there is not plan to do that for the foreseeable future."

Until then, the coast guard is likely to be stuck with the 14 aircraft currently on order.

From a contractual standpoint, Europe-headquartered EADS stands ready to convert as many as six options into orders - if the agency can find the funding.

"I don't think there's a real argument about how any aircraft they need," says Terry Cross, an EADS vice-president and retired vice commandant of the coast guard. "The only question is how many aircraft they can afford."

[buglerbilly]

Sikorsky Completes Production of the S-92 Helicopter for Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue Operations

(Source: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation; issued December 21, 2011)



COATESVILLE, Pa. --- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., has completed production of an S-92 helicopter for operation by CHC Helicopter on behalf of the Irish Coast Guard.

Equipped for dedicated search and rescue (SAR) operations, the helicopter will provide coverage for deep Atlantic Ocean missions, service Ireland's offshore islands, and provide rescue cover from Cork to Galway on the country's west coast. Based at Shannon, the new aircraft will replace the current Coast Guard SAR helicopter, a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter, which has given 20 years of unbroken service.

Sikorsky and CHC formalized the purchase today in the presence of Chris Reynolds, Irish Coast Guard Director, during a hand-over ceremony at Sikorsky's S-92 commercial helicopter assembly facility in Coatesville, Pa.

Mr. Reynolds said that the delivery of the new helicopter to service some of the roughest and treacherous ocean waters in the world represents a stepped improvement in Ireland's ability to care for and service its seagoing, coastal and island communities.

"We selected CHC and the Sikorsky S-92 as our preferred combination after an intense tender and selection process, and I am very happy that the Coast Guard will operate what I consider to be the leading SAR helicopter in the world," added Mr. Reynolds.

As a dedicated search and rescue platform, the S-92 aircraft is equipped with advanced systems and hardware, including an automated flight control system that enables the pilot to fly pre-programmed search patterns and perform delicate hover maneuvers; a wireless intercom allowing a rescue swimmer to communicate with the crew; radio transceivers to communicate with ships, police and other emergency rescue services; a weather radar; a forward looking infrared sensor; and a digital video system to record rescues.

The aircraft also comes with a dual rescue hoist, single or dual 220-gallon internal auxiliary fuel tanks, three litters, and a Spectrolab rescue searchlight.

Specified by the Irish Coast Guard, the S-92 helicopter is the first to be purchased by CHC for SAR operations in Ireland. CHC will utilize four additional S-92 SAR aircraft which will become operational out of Sligo, Waterford and Dublin airports over time.

CHC currently provides 24/7 search and rescue helicopter service for the Irish Coast Guard using six S-61 SAR helicopters based at Dublin, Shannon, Waterford and Sligo.

CHC Regional Director Nick Mair said this was a very proud day for CHC in Ireland, adding that the dedicated team of professional men and women on the Irish Coast Guard helicopter service has worked hard to bring this key milestone in the delivery program to pass.

The aircraft accepted today is the 33rd S-92 helicopter CHC has purchased from Sikorsky Aircraft since 2004, and the fifth dedicated SAR aircraft. CHC also operates four S-92 SAR aircraft in Scotland under contract to Britain 's Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

"We are honored by the combined confidence the Irish Coast Guard and CHC have in the S-92 helicopter as the platform of choice to save lives," said Ed Beyer, Vice President for Sikorsky Global Helicopters. "We remain committed to building the world's most reliable and capable search and rescue helicopter."

Sikorsky has delivered 151 S-92 aircraft to operators worldwide since 2004. Of those aircraft, 25 are engaged in SAR operations. The 151-aircraft fleet has accumulated a total of 370,000 flight hours. Aircraft availability stands at 95 percent.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., USA, is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture, and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., USA, provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

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[buglerbilly]

Third CN-235 for Korean Coast Guard (KCG) Flies to Korea

(Source: Indonesian Aerospace (PTDI) dated Dec. 23, web-posted Jan. 18, 2012)

(Issued in Indonesian only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)


An Indonesian-built CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft, sporting a mix of Indonesian and South Korean Coast Guard markings, takes off on its delivery flight. (PTDI photo)

JAKARTA --- PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has delivered the third of four CN-235 patrol aircraft that had been ordered by the Korean Coast Guard (KCG) under a contract valued at approximately USD 94 million.

The first two aircraft were delivered in May 2011, while the fourth will be delivered during the first quarter of 2012. The KCG aircraft sale and purchase contract was signed in December 2008.

The CN-235 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) for the KCG is fitted with a search radar, FLIR, ESM, IFF interrogator, tactical navigation, tactical computer system, camera, bubble window. The aircraft is powered by two CT7-9C turboprop engines rated at 1,750 shaft horsepower (SHP) each.

Director of Aircraft Integration Budiman Saleh said that before the CN-235 aircraft flew to Korea it had undergone a series of appropriate testing procedures and acceptance tests.

The delivery of another aircraft to the Government of South Korea once again shows that the confidence of other nations in PTDI is still going strong. This confidence will be maintained continuously, to allow PTDI to obtain subsequent contracts not only from the South Korean government but also from customers (customers) who require an aircraft of the size of the CN-235.
Aircraft deliveries are also proving to the world that Indonesian workers are able to provide their contribution to the nation and to the state by using his work to meet the requirements of other nations throughout the world.

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