Bell Completes Bahrain AH-1Z Program

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Bell Completes Bahrain AH-1Z Program: 

Bell completed the 12th and final AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter for Bahrain. Six are already in country

 

Bell, February 20, 2023 - Fort Worth – Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, has completed the AH-1Z program of record (POR) for the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Bell delivered the final production aircraft to Naval Air Systems Command in December of 2022.

The first Bahrain AH-1Zs made their in-country debut during the Bahrain Air Show and six have been delivered in country. The final six helicopters will be prepared for shipment to Bahrain with the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) before being transported to Bahrain in 2023.

“Congratulations to the Kingdom of Bahrain on obtaining the latest generation of the AH-1Zs,” said Mike Deslatte, Bell vice president and H-1 program director. “As a leader in the region, Bahrain’s defensive capabilities will be further bolstered by the advanced technologies of the Viper.”

The completion of the Bahrain AH-1Z program of record comes on the heels of Bell completing the U.S. Marine Corps program of record, signifying two major H-1 production milestones in one year. The AH-1Z Viper is Bell’s newest generation of dedicated attack helicopters manufactured by Bell. The U.S. Marine Corps currently operates the AH-1Z around the world, taking advantage of the minimal logistics requirements for shipboard and expeditionary operations.

“Capabilities are only part of the equation when it comes to modernizing an aircraft fleet,” Deslatte added. “By ensuring the aircraft can operate with minimal logistics support, the Viper enables leaders to react with greater speed and agility to rapidly evolving operations.”

Bell continues to work with Kingdom of Bahrain on post-shipping inspections and re-assembly to guarantee configuration as defined in the FMS case. In addition to manufacturing and delivering the new Vipers, Bell will support the lifecycle of the aircraft to ensure reliability, survivability and lethality on the modern battlefield.

About Bell : Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 85 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We are pioneers. We were the first to break the sound barrier and to certify a commercial helicopter. We were a part of NASA’s first lunar mission and brought advanced tiltrotor systems to market. Today, we’re defining the future of advanced air mobility.

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.

About Textron : Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training.

Source helis.com

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AH-1Z Viper: Details

Lockheed’s F-35 Has Fewer Unfixed Defects as Key Test Approaches

U.S. Marine Corps photo / Sgt. Samuel Ruiz

Lockheed’s F-35 Has Fewer Unfixed Defects as Key Test Approaches - BNN Bloomberg

Tony Capaccio, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin Corp. have reduced the laundry list of deficiencies on the contractor’s F-35 with the fighter jet, the world’s costliest weapons program, due for a key combat simulation by mid-year.

The number of “open deficiency reports” now stands at 831, the Defense Department’s F-35 program office said, down from 845 in September 2021. Earlier last year the total stood at 864, including eight “Category 1” defects deemed the most serious to pilot safety, flight operations or both.

Five “Category 1” defects remain, but none of them are in group described as potentially jeopardizing “safety, security or another critical requirement,” according to Russell Goemaere, a spokesman for the F-35 office.

Lockheed spokesperson Laura Siebert said in a statement that “we continue to work” with the Pentagon “to address open items, with approximately 80% categorized as low priority” or “in resolution.”

In August, the F-35 program will attempt to complete a simulation of combat against the most advanced threats posed by Chinese and Russian aircraft and air defenses. The simulation has been delayed by years.

©2023 Bloomberg L.P.

Northrop Grumman Developing the Next Generation Radar for the F-35 Lightning II

F-35 Lightning II: Details

Air Guard Updates 148th Fighter Wing F-16s with Radar Pods

Air Guard Updates 148th Fighter Wing F-16s with Radar Pods > Air National Guard > Article Display

Published Feb. 2, 2023

By Audra Flanagan,

148th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

DULUTH, Minn. – Subject matter experts from Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command, the Air National Guard, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Reserve Test Center and the 148th Fighter Wing exercised end-to-end employment of the recently fielded AN/ASQ-236 radar pod and planned how the Air National Guard will operationalize the pods for all ANG F-16 fighter aircraft.

The exercise Jan. 24-26 followed months of modifications to the aircraft, software and support equipment. The 148th Fighter Wing was the first to accomplish all of the requirements for the F16 operational fleet.

The AN/ASQ-236 pod is an externally mounted Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) pod that provides detailed maps for surveillance, coordinate generation and bomb impact assessment. The pod enables combat air forces to geo-locate points of interest day or night in adverse weather. It complements the recent fielding of the APG-83 AESA Fire Control Radar by the 148th Maintenance Group.

After Operation Desert Storm, the U.S. Air Force recognized the need for an all-weather precision geo-location and reconnaissance system with the reliability inherent in AESA radars. The Air Force and Northrop Grumman designed, fabricated and tested the system now known as the AN/ASQ-236. The pod is already operational on the F-15E Strike Eagle.

The 148th Fighter Wing, which flies the Block 50 F-16CM, has been designated as the Air National Guard’s center for excellence for the AN/ASQ-236.

“As the center of excellence, the 148th will retain expertise in the loading, distribution, training and employment of the AN/ASQ-236 and the capabilities it brings to the warfighter,” said Col. Nathan Aysta, 148th Fighter Wing commander.

The team of experts from operations and maintenance had clear objectives for the week-long visit, including installing the ASQ-236 and validating flight operations on Post-Block F-16s using unique software programs.

“Pilots were trained by AATC subject matter experts on the pod’s software and aircraft systems integration, including troubleshooting and emergency procedures management,” said Maj. Michael Kuzmuk, chief of wing weapons for the 148th Fighter Wing. “Additionally, we trained to and refined best practices for mission planning and post-flight analysis, which included post-mission intelligence distribution.”

Aircraft armament systems specialists, alongside AN/ASQ-236 program managers, installed the pylons for the pod, while fighter aircraft integrated avionics specialists installed the AN/ASQ-236.

Kuzmuk flew the first Post-Block F-16 with the AN/ASQ-236 Jan. 26.

“This effort has been ongoing for many years,” said Annette Becker, F-16 program manager assigned to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. “The continued partnerships, successful execution and effective cross-talk have established courses of action for the Air National Guard to operationalize the AN/ASQ-236.”

AN/ASQ-236 pod

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F-16C/D: Detail