Army Commences Kiowa Replacement Evaluation

Instead, what the Australian Army seems to be contemplating is a helicopter able to operate over wide areas of the north of the country. The need for a larger operating radius, in excess of 150km, with the ability to maintain station for long enough to carry out its scouting mission, will demand an aircraft considerably larger than the Kiowa, if only to carry the additional fuel required. In the event of an incursion, these aircraft would scout out to locate and identify the various enemy lodgements, to allow the planning of the ADF response. This could well be an attack by troops deployed to the area in the new Blackhawks, with fire support being provided by armed Blackhawks or attack aircraft.

This project is one of the first where Defence appears to be giving industry the opportunity to offer its own suggestions in an environment of candid and open discussion as the requirement is developed. The specific requirement is at this stage fairly broad, but it is understood that Army hopes to issue a Request for Proposals within twelve months, subject to Defence approval, to allow companies to offer formal advice during the development of the requirement. The Kiowa force is presently planned for retirement around 1995, although there would seem to be some potential for their continued use as trainers once withdrawn from operational use.

Of additional long-term importance is the relationship of the fixed wing element of Army Aviation to its rotary-wing cousins. The Pilatus Porter is also due to phase down by 1995 as it will be difficult after that date to maintain the aircraft effectively without upgrading the Pratt & Whitney PT6 engine to -27 standards. Additionally, the Pilatus and Nomad perform basically the same role and nowadays the Nomad is looked upon in Army circles with considerable pride. Nomad, or more appropriately the Mission Master, is performing well after its protracted settling-in period and with more than 20 N22 airframes in storage at Oatlands it is barely a secret that many of these aircraft will ultimately wear Army green.

Therefore many Army aviators see the Kiowa definitely departing the primary recce role by 1995 along with the Porter, the Nomad remaining in service with possibly additional numbers coming on line and a new highly capable recce/combat scout helicopter to replace the Kiowas. Army would also of course like the Black Hawks and Iroquois in this wish list, but that’s another story!

To replace the Kiowas the Army is broadly looking at reequipping it’s two recce 12 unit squadrons with aircraft sporting day/night observation systems, laser designator and possibly full FUR. There would additionally be a need to re-equip the Oakey-based squadron with a simplified light utility helos possibly of the same type plus several more for training and attrition purposes. Like everything though, the Kiowa replacement project will have to fight for limited funds and with the cost of Black Hawk and the depreciated value of the beleaguered Australian dollar, then it will be a long road ahead for some of the more expensive options presently on offer. Essentially the Kiowa replacement might well finish up fighting for funds in direct competition against the second company lift group of Sikorsky Black Hawks as suggested by Dibb. If the RAAF continue to own these aircraft then the battle lines are clear cut, though if Army is successful in gaining these assets then the fight amongst their own kind will be worth watching.

The most likely aircraft on offer are the Agusta A129 utility version of the Mangusta. Aerospatiale’s Panther, Westland’s Lynx 3, Bell’s Kiowa AHIP upgrade plus a UH-1H upgrade in conjunction with HdH and finally military versions of the Sikorsky S76 and MBB/Kawasaki BK 117.

Agusta A129

This is the utility version of the well-engineered A129 Mangusta (Mongoose) dedicated anti-armour and recce helicopter. The Italian Army is in the process of attaining IOC (initial operational capability) with the A129 and plan to acquire 66 with a further 30 on option. Additionally, the type has attracted considerable interest in Europe following the ongoing problems with the Franco/German PAH anti-armour helo. Agusta has also joined forces with its NATO partners in developing a vastly upgraded Apache-style attack helo designated Tonal (named after an Aztec god).

The utility version of the A129 can accommodate up to 12 NATO troops (ADF troops carry more equipment and thus require additional space than their lightly kitted European counterparts) and would seem to more than meet the ADF requirement in performance terms. The aircraft can be outfitted with a wide variety of weapons including Stinger and Sidewinder AAMs. Utilising the drive train and systems of the in-production Mangusta, the utility version would offer similar capability to an upgraded Iroquois only at vastly lower operating costs. The aircraft presently exists only in mock-up form though Agusta have built the aircraft to an Italian (and NATO) requirement and hope to have it in full production within three years.

This protracted timing schedule can only be an asset for Agusta in the long term and might offer the Australian industry the opportunity to jointly develop and build the type for regional operators.

Agusta also have on offer the smaller A109K military variant though we believe from Army sources that this might be a little too small to accommodate the tactical mission profile that the Kiowa replacement is slated to perform.

Aerospatiale Panther

The Panther is the latest variant in a long range of Dauphin helicopters. Essentially the concept was initiated to compete against the philosophy of the American LHX programme as Panther rightly includes the majority of technologies that LHX demands. The French in this case are hoping to sell the Panther not only to the French Army but also for export for precisely the type of requirement that has now come to the fore via the Australian Army. Like its competitors, Panther can carry a wide array of weaponry in addition to the required number of troops. It is still early days with this programme and no doubt the test vehicles will remain as technology development aircraft for a period indicating that this aircraft could also be built locally by Australian industry if it were to be chosen.

Bell 406 Combat Scout

This is perhaps the least expensive of the various proposals. Essentially Bell, via their Australian agents BH Pacific, have offered an upgrade of the existing Kiowas utilising the basics of the proven US Army AHIP programme. Not included in the offer is the expensive mast-mounted ball target designator and the advanced CRT cockpit displays though the improved and vastly more powerful C34 Allison engine, modem avionics and up-rated transmission coupled with the new four-blade rotor system would all transform the present OH-58 into a real performer. The drawback is that the AHIP Kiowa would be relatively light on endurance and incapable of taking troops or in-cabin stores. Externally the type can mount, like its competitors, a wide array of lightstores including Stinger MMs, TOW anti-armour missiles and podded 7. 62mm and 12. 6mm guns. In a treasury environment of stringent funding, the Kiowa upgrade could be the sleeper in the pack.

Also of interest from Bell, via BH and Hawker de Havilland is an upgrade of the present UH-1H Iroquois fleet. This was fully detailed on page 38 of our September 1985 edition and essentially involves an upgrade of the existing Avco Lycoming turboshaft from -700 to -703 specs increasing power output from 1400shp to 1800shp, adding a new composite two-blade rotor, some new avionics and a stronger tail boom and rotor from the AH-1S Cobra. Total cost of this update is said to be in the region of one million dollars per unit with virtually all the work being performed locally. However, the upgraded Iroquois might not meet all mission requirements though it is already in the support loop and requires no new investment in training and logistics support. Like the Kiowa AHIP, a real sleeper that could win the day.

Sikorsky H-76 Eagle

The Sikorsky H-76 Eagle is a military derivative of the standard S-76B. It incorporates armoured crew seats, vastly improved performance by way of more powerful PT6 twin pack turboshafts, external armament, additional fuel capacity and a suite of night vision and optical tracking devices to customer option. Its cabin is also ideally sized for the type of mission envisaged by the Army and, if chosen, the type would fit in well with the already underway S-70 series offset programme. The H-76 however is not in series production and there is not a lot of firm data available on this aircraft so perhaps Sikorsky are awaiting the outcome of the helicopter ownership battle before moving too close to the men in khaki.

Mbb Kawasaki BK 117 A-3

This helicopter has just been taken under the marketing wing of Pacific Aviation in association with MBB of West Germany and Kawasaki of Japan. The basic BK 117 is new to Australia though earlier this year one of type was demonstrated locally in a very low key fashion with the aim of being Selected by the NSW Pohce Air Wing as their ultimate Jetranger replacement. The sales mission obviously was successful and a Police air wing 117 is due to enter service early in 1987. . like its compatriots, the 117 is able to carry not only a wide variety of external stores but can also move a number of troops as required. The type has not been selected by an overseas operator to date, though active marketing continues in the NATO and Japanese environment for a launch order, The MBB Bo105 military variant is widely used by the West German Army and much of the technology employed upon these multi-role variants would aiso carry over to its bigger brother.

Westland Lynx-3

Westland have bounced back into contention this past year now that their numerous problems are apparently behind them. The company is largely restructured, revitalised and heading towards greater things with its 7. 4% ownership by giant Sikorsky and rapidly emerging joint EH-101 programme with Agusta. The success of its advanced BERP high-energy rotors and the recent capture of the world helicopter speed record have all buoyed Westland of late. The Lynx-3 is also well thought of in Canberra and it must certainly be a pleasant change for Westland. Marketing executives to arrive in town knowing that they are not at the bottom of the list. The Lynx-3 is a vastly upgraded version of the successful Lynx 2 and combines a significant increase. in mission endurance, survivability, agility (already a Lynx hallmark) and weapon fit in line with recent advances in this field. Overall a very attractive aircraft that together With Agusta would have to be the presently most favoured long-term option failing Treasury opting for in-house upgrades of existing assets.

This list of course will no doubt grow once a proper AFT is issued and the various lobby groups begin to hold court. Irrespective of who succeeds in gaining control of the Black Hawk assets, the days of Army Aviation always playing second fiddle to the AMF in rotary wing aviation are long gone as the Army begins to fight for a greater share of its air assets.