There used to be other tandem-rotor helicopters. The Bristol Belvedere, used by the RAF in the 1960s, the Yak-24, built in fairly small numbers in the USSR, various Piasecki models, & most of all the Vertol (later Boeing Vertol) 107, used by the US armed forces as the H-46 (e.g. USMC CH-46 Sea Knight), in several other countries (e.g. Canada & Sweden) in relatively small numbers, & licence-built in Japan as the KV-107.
Military Aviation News and Discussion
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Redlands18
Well-Known Member
And like the Herc you wouldn’t bet against it being still in service on 21 Sept 2061 to celebrate its 100th Birthday.To the first part yes common on any import buy. Heck even domestic buy. 2024 is a fast acquisition.
wouldn’t say zero. Although more mature Chinook has a lot of potential.
As is Chinook generally is the fast Chopper in the world. Updated with more powerful engines it could be faster, has the best hot and High performance of any type, it’s tandem configuration gives it advantages not found in other choppers. It’s a design that I am amazed isn’t more common for heavy lift class. Many a year ago it looked like Boeing and
This Is Our First Look At A CH-47 Chinook With Super Powerful T408 Engines
The new engines are larger and are encased in square nacelles. The extra power could allow the Chinook to better compete with Sikorsky's CH-53K.www.thedrive.com
AirbusEurocopter were willing to partner for a Super Chinook to meet just this requirement. That was 2008-2010.
View attachment 47520
Nothing came of it but it shows some of the potential For the design.
Boeing and Eurocopter To Build a Bigger Chinook? | AIN
Boeing and Eurocopter have agreed to cooperate on a future transport helicopter (FTH) and at the ILA Berlin Air Show both companies displayed a tandem-rotowww.ainonline.com
Current work has dropped some weight well increasing lift. Concepts have been floated increasing speed more or better lift.
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
Interesting article on how psychology led to a solution on fixing a B-17 dumb design problem which in turn led ultimately led to our friendly user interfaces starting with the Mac.
www.wired.com
How the Dumb Design of a WWII Plane Led to the Macintosh
At first, pilots took the blame for crashes. The true cause, however, lay with the design. That lesson led us into our user-friendly age—but there's peril to come.
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
This link describes the transportation of a P-8 simulator to the UK by an An-124 as the C-17 was not big enough. I wonder if this the case with the C-5M as well?
Accueil - Defense aerospace
Find all the news concerning defense and aerospace.
www.defense-aerospace.com
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
A short article describing some of the design efforts for hypersonic engines which will likely feature combined turbine and scram-jet technology. Military jet engine technology is one area the West maintains significant advantages. Hopefully these developments are guarded more securely than other valuable technologies that found their way to China.
www.thedrive.com
Air Force's Mayhem Project Tied To Hypersonic Engines For Planes Such As The SR-72
The service wants these hypersonic demonstrators to have advanced air-breathing jet engines at their core.
www.thedrive.com
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #366
Hmmm, the USAF is undertaking a re-engining project for the B-52. I wonder ....A short article describing some of the design efforts for hypersonic engines which will likely feature combined turbine and scram-jet technology. Military jet engine technology is one area the West maintains significant advantages. Hopefully these developments are guarded more securely than other valuable technologies that found their way to China.
Air Force's Mayhem Project Tied To Hypersonic Engines For Planes Such As The SR-72
The service wants these hypersonic demonstrators to have advanced air-breathing jet engines at their core.
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
Maybe all those pictures of the B-21 are fake and in reality the Raider is a hypersonic beast utilizing these combined technology engines.
Bah! Humbug! You wait until the freighter conversions of retired A380s go into service!
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
Some preliminary design renderings of Tempest from wind tunnel testing are shown in this article. I guess this will pressure the FCAS team to show something soon.
www.flightglobal.com
Tempest windtunnel testing shows design detail
BAE Systems has revealed images of the UK's Tempest future combat aircraft undergoing windtunnel testing at its Warton site in Lancashire earlier this year.
www.flightglobal.com
Ananda
The Bunker Group
Umkhonto sale to Egypt falls through as Denel rating downgraded
South African media has reported that the sale of Umkhonto surface-to-air missiles by Denel Dynamics has fallen through after the company failed to raise the required...
www.janes.com
Bad news seems continue following Denel effort into export market. Is a shame since Denel actually has lot of potential and technical capabilities. I do hope Denel will come out as another Embrear, as Integrated Aerospace/Defense company that come out from developing Nation.
South Africa should let some major players to take over Denel, in the hope to keep it competitive in the future. I read 'rumours' in Indonesian media and local forums that Indonesian MinDef actually also doing assessment on Umkhonto in comparison with MBDA VL MICA. However seems the similar situation like in Egypt create problem for Denel.
Denel perhaps better to work by selling design and Tech Transfer to other developing Nation that want to build their own Industry. As doing alone as producers being hampered by their Financial problems.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #371
It seems that a certain pilot may need some extra training.
defence-blog.com
Ukrainian Air Force exercise almost ends in disaster
On 27 August, Ukrainian Air Force fighter jets have practiced for rough landings on improvised runways, as a part of trials to use roads for emergency landings and to demonstrate the capability to swiftly assemble air power to counter any threat. Two Sukhoi Su-27 heavy fighter jets of the...
defence-blog.com
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
I always thought Boeing’s Pelican concept was one of their better efforts. This link discusses the merits of ground effect aircraft and there is a lot to like, especially compared to some future stealth design strategic lifter which would be much more expensive and would lack the lift capacity.
www.usni.org
Modern Sea Monsters
Wing-in-ground-effect aircraft are ideal for the Navy and Marine Corps’ vision of how they would fight a Pacific war.
Terran
Well-Known Member
I don’t think anyone ever seriously thought about a stealth strategic lifter. Unless you count Marvel comics S.H.E.I.L.D.
Stealth technology is about signature reduction not invisibility. The larger the aircraft the larger the signature and a strategic lifter like an aircraft carrier is a monster.
it’s like trying to hid an elephant.
The USAF as we know though did do studies into a VLO transport yet those were in the tactical class lifter. Fitting around the size of C130 as the original problem was drafted out of the failure of Eagle one. A vehicle to infiltrate hostile territory land on an extremely short strip. deploy special operations forces. Standby and recover with freed hostages then exfiltrate. This first resulted in the decidedly anything but Stealth YMC130 Credible Sport.
An aww inspiring prototype that then turned Aww to AWW!!
After the JETO system fired in the wrong sequence.
Then the Much smaller less explosive, not stealthy, still somewhat troublesome early on V22 Osprey. Which though now one of the most successful US aviation programs in recent years is definitely not going to achieve that Credible Sport Mission as in the intervening years Air denial technology move to a far larger threat. And the cargo capacity is exceptionally limited. Internally V22 can only hold about 22 men or a very small open cockpit UTV vehicle like Polaris MRZR or some sort of modified Kei car like a open top Suzuki Jimny.
This limits the mobility of a SOF team and payload. They can’t insert with even a vehicle like a Toyota Hilux let alone an MRAP or 6x6/8x8 that might be able to pull the team out of a hot zone.
Larger Tiltrotor based designs were studied by the US Army, USAF and Boeing and Karem aircraft.
Karem Optimum speed tiltrotor Source: https://www.karemaircraft.com/
Boeing Bell Big quad tiltrotor delivering LAVIII based vehicles
2005 concept Quad TiltRotor (QTR) aircraft development contract awarded
Obviously these lack any Stealth characteristics and emphasis was on Short field. The US army continues to this day to press the USAF for an extreme short field tactical transport able to haul equal to a Stryker. The JMR program draft called for an Heavy and Ultra class Transports the Heavy to replace CH47 Ultra for C130J. Though these concepts match the requirements for the original Credible Sport circa 1980, by 1981 you have the added emphasis of Low observable. This creates parallel concepts The above for the “Big Army” Non stealthy lifters yet along side these were the Stealth projects LOAVES, Senior Citizen, SOFA and SOFTA. Stealthy vtol c130 sized Platforms that remain black and only leak out from time to time by declassified progress.
I could keep going, doing so would be basically just rewriting the eloquent 2 parter article by Joseph Thevithick and Tylor Rogoway of the Drive. So here is the links.
www.thedrive.com
www.thedrive.com
Basically they were looking for a stealthy C130 sized platform at max maybe A400M sized. Some concepts look right out UFO Lore Being that size class with Vtol capacity... basically a subsonic Halo Pelican with stealth.
“This is Sierra one one Seven, At LZ where’s my evac?”
“Pelican on station, Look up Master Chief.”
Image source: Secretprojects.Co.UK
or at least a Quinjet.
I know we are not supposed to draw in sci-fi but the requirements lend themselves to comparison to sci-fi as the Drop ship from Aliens the Pelican from Halo and the Quinjet from Marvel are basically drafted from the same concept just super charged into hypersonic super hero versions.
image source:AIAA Aerospace Research Central
Lockheed Martin Speed agile concept above Boeing below both study models for High speed potential C130 replacements with Short take off and landing capacity and clearly some degree of Radar cross section reduction In the design, note the angled tails buried engines blended wing body aspects.
The Pelican concept from Boeing would basically be a flying LST. An amphibious assault platform that could land on the beach open up and start rolling out ACVs and Marines to start the assault and secure the landing zone so more conventional Army could roll in by ship.
Stealth technology is about signature reduction not invisibility. The larger the aircraft the larger the signature and a strategic lifter like an aircraft carrier is a monster.
it’s like trying to hid an elephant.
The USAF as we know though did do studies into a VLO transport yet those were in the tactical class lifter. Fitting around the size of C130 as the original problem was drafted out of the failure of Eagle one. A vehicle to infiltrate hostile territory land on an extremely short strip. deploy special operations forces. Standby and recover with freed hostages then exfiltrate. This first resulted in the decidedly anything but Stealth YMC130 Credible Sport.
After the JETO system fired in the wrong sequence.
Then the Much smaller less explosive, not stealthy, still somewhat troublesome early on V22 Osprey. Which though now one of the most successful US aviation programs in recent years is definitely not going to achieve that Credible Sport Mission as in the intervening years Air denial technology move to a far larger threat. And the cargo capacity is exceptionally limited. Internally V22 can only hold about 22 men or a very small open cockpit UTV vehicle like Polaris MRZR or some sort of modified Kei car like a open top Suzuki Jimny.
This limits the mobility of a SOF team and payload. They can’t insert with even a vehicle like a Toyota Hilux let alone an MRAP or 6x6/8x8 that might be able to pull the team out of a hot zone.
Larger Tiltrotor based designs were studied by the US Army, USAF and Boeing and Karem aircraft.
Karem Optimum speed tiltrotor Source: https://www.karemaircraft.com/
Boeing Bell Big quad tiltrotor delivering LAVIII based vehicles
2005 concept Quad TiltRotor (QTR) aircraft development contract awarded
Obviously these lack any Stealth characteristics and emphasis was on Short field. The US army continues to this day to press the USAF for an extreme short field tactical transport able to haul equal to a Stryker. The JMR program draft called for an Heavy and Ultra class Transports the Heavy to replace CH47 Ultra for C130J. Though these concepts match the requirements for the original Credible Sport circa 1980, by 1981 you have the added emphasis of Low observable. This creates parallel concepts The above for the “Big Army” Non stealthy lifters yet along side these were the Stealth projects LOAVES, Senior Citizen, SOFA and SOFTA. Stealthy vtol c130 sized Platforms that remain black and only leak out from time to time by declassified progress.
I could keep going, doing so would be basically just rewriting the eloquent 2 parter article by Joseph Thevithick and Tylor Rogoway of the Drive. So here is the links.
The Mysterious Saga Of America’s Hunt For A Stealth Special Operations Transport, Part 1
A labyrinth of programs and initiatives spanning nearly four decades was born out of a disastrous attempt to rescue U.S. hostages in Tehran.
www.thedrive.com
The Mysterious Saga Of America’s Hunt For A Stealth Special Operations Transport, Part 2
The requirement for this type of aircraft has only become more pressing in the new Millennium, which begs the question, where are the planes?
www.thedrive.com
Basically they were looking for a stealthy C130 sized platform at max maybe A400M sized. Some concepts look right out UFO Lore Being that size class with Vtol capacity... basically a subsonic Halo Pelican with stealth.
“This is Sierra one one Seven, At LZ where’s my evac?”
“Pelican on station, Look up Master Chief.”
Image source: Secretprojects.Co.UK
or at least a Quinjet.
I know we are not supposed to draw in sci-fi but the requirements lend themselves to comparison to sci-fi as the Drop ship from Aliens the Pelican from Halo and the Quinjet from Marvel are basically drafted from the same concept just super charged into hypersonic super hero versions.
image source:AIAA Aerospace Research Central
Lockheed Martin Speed agile concept above Boeing below both study models for High speed potential C130 replacements with Short take off and landing capacity and clearly some degree of Radar cross section reduction In the design, note the angled tails buried engines blended wing body aspects.
The Pelican concept from Boeing would basically be a flying LST. An amphibious assault platform that could land on the beach open up and start rolling out ACVs and Marines to start the assault and secure the landing zone so more conventional Army could roll in by ship.
Ananda
The Bunker Group
Greece selects French-made Rafale as future fighter aircraft for Hellenic Air Force
Greek Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced that Greece will acquire 18 French-made Dassault Aviation Rafale fighter aircraft.
www.airrecognition.com
Greece choose Rafale, however it's not clear if this also means they will be choose over F-35. Still this is good news for Dasault, as it will be Rafale first export to Greece.
Seems Marcon diplomatic siding with Greece over Turkey Aegean Oil and Gas Resources play a part on that.
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
This article suggests the KC-46 RVS 2.0 won’t go on production aircraft until 2024. Does anyone know if the MRTT can refuel stealth fighters without damaging the stealth coatings on F-22 and F-35 jets? If so, the KC-46 is looking even more like the worst choice ever. I guess the key specs were size, jet in production, and made by a US owned company. Stuff like a working refuelling system and strict QA procedures didn’t seem to make it on to the spec list.
www.airforcemag.com
AMC to Evaluate ‘Interim’ KC-46 Fix While Pressing for Permanent New Remote Vision System | Air & Space Forces Magazine
The Air Force in the coming weeks will evaluate an interim fix to the KC-46’s troubled remote vision system to see if there would be any value gained.
www.airforcemag.com
Terran
Well-Known Member
MRTT is not without its own issues, last year there were reports on problems refueling F15s, In 2011 and 2012 the booms of two birds literally fell off. However in the case of the USAF I think that we can’t use the stock A330MRTT and KC767 as a proper comparison as the USAF requirements resulted in redesign creating KC45 and KC46 as basically new aircraft.
Additionally there is no reason to believe that had KC45 gone into production it to wouldn’t have been troubled. The A330MRTTs are built converted in Europe. KC45 would have had to have been done in the US to the requirements of the USAF. Those initial requirements resulted in one of the first major issues of the design.
Additionally there is no reason to believe that had KC45 gone into production it to wouldn’t have been troubled. The A330MRTTs are built converted in Europe. KC45 would have had to have been done in the US to the requirements of the USAF. Those initial requirements resulted in one of the first major issues of the design.
John Fedup
The Bunker Group
It is 2020 so my question is are allied forces that have F-35s and depend on MRTTs confident they can do the job? Clearly the KC-46, at the moment, can’t. Then there are the QA problems which are a separate issue. Lastly, the “Pacific pivot“, IMO, made the MRTT a better choice for this reason due to capacity and range.
A330 MRTT is in service with seven countries, & entering service with the European multi-national tanker fleet. It's been in service since 2011. There have been two boom failures, in 2011 & 2012, both in aircraft undergoing pre-delivery testing by Airbus crews, in at least one case while operating outside normal flight parameters. Five customers have placed orders since those incidents. There haven't been any in operational service.
It looks as if customers are confident their tankers work.
It looks as if customers are confident their tankers work.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #379
The RAAF are using the KC-30 MRTT for A2A refuelling of their F-35A aircraft, so if there's any problems with it they will know of any. Who was reporting F-15 refuelling problems with the A330-MRTT? Sources please.
The RAAF KC-30 has operated in the Middle East in recent years in support of Coalition Forces fighting against Daesh (ISIS ISIL) and they turned out to be the preferred refuelling platform by receiving aircraft. The US most likely made a mistake with the pork barrel politicking that went on over the KC-45 / KC-46 acquisition fiasco. If they had of stayed with the KC-45, they would have had it well and truly FOC and in sqn and wing service by now. However Boeing spat the dummy used its pet Congress critters and made promises it couldn't keep. The USAF is still waiting for a KC platform that still doesn't work and is still being promised by Boeing that it will work. Seems to me that the US taxpayer has been really shafted.
Terran
Well-Known Member
Source.
Has Airbus fixed midair refueling problems with the F-15 jet?
Airbus has developed changes to the software that controls the A330 tanker boom specifically for midair refueling of the Boeing F-15 Eagle.
www.defensenews.com
Summery: Airbus had to rewrite the Boom control software because it had issues with the asymmetrical receptival on F15.or perhaps better phrasing is F15 had issues with the A330MRTT. The Issue was noted well refueling F15SG models of Singapore. The fighter had a tendency to yaw left when boomed. The fighter also was flying into the boom on disconnecting. Australia noted similar issues in 2015.