US Army

Rappel du premier message :

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« J'aime les USA, et je combats pour elle», c'est ainsi que Lamia Lahlou commente son adhésion à l'armée américaine, et sa participation à la guerre contre l'iraq- depuis déjà 8 mois-. Née au Maroc en 1986, Lamia Lahlou rejoint l'armée américaine 3 ans après les attentats du 11 septembre 2001.

Tempérée par sa propre volonté, «la marocaine», ne mâche pas ses mots pour affirmer que ce pas emboité s'inscrit dans le cadre d'un «vrai Jihad». Rapporte une idéo diffusée largement sur Internet (Voir ci-aprés).

Choquée par la mort de sa meilleure amie, Lamia croit dur comme fer que l'adhésion à l'armée américaine est le seul et unique moyen susceptible de calmer le feu de sa vengeance.

A noter que les USA continuent à «renforcer » son armée via le recrutement des marocains, à l'heure où ALQIADIA ciblent d'autres recrues du Maroc vers la Hollande et la Belgique, tout en passant par la Syrie, l'Espagne et l'Iraq.

source: emarrakech.info

Rafi

UH-60 à Paris

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Watervliet Arsenal delivers M20A1 Breech Block kits to US Army
22 March 2013
The US Army has taken delivery of an initial batch of 19 redesigned M20A1 Breech Block kits from Watervliet Arsenal, as part of the M119A2 105mm towed howitzer upgrade programme.

More than 650 upgrade kits were ordered by the army under a $22.6m contract in an effort to improve crew safety and reduce logistical footprint in 2011.

Watervliet Arsenal programme manager George Roach said the kits were scheduled to be used by the artillerymen based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, US.

"Although the order was received in 2011, it took a significant amount of lead time to purchase raw material, design fixtures and gauges, and for the customer to conduct testing prior to going into full production," Roach added.
Manufactured in collaboration with the army's Benet Laboratories, the new kits are designed to rectify a safety related flaw in the M119A2's M20A1 cannon assembly, which requires artillerymen to verify and measure the firing pin protrusion prior to each live-firing manoeuvre.

In addition to addressing firing pin protrusion issues, the upgraded breech block kits enhance soldier safety during misfire as the recock mechanism function has been removed from behind the weapon and incorporated into the breech ring side.

The kit improvements also lowers logistical footprint and maintenance time by reducing the number of breech block assembly parts by approximately 30%.

Initially brough into service in December 1989, the M119A1/A2 is a lightweight towed howitzer designed to provide direct and indirect fire support to the forces deployed in combined arms operations.

The remaining deliveries under the contract are scheduled to take place through to August 2015


http://www.army-technology.com/news/newswatervliet-arsenal-delivers-m20a1-breech-block-kits-us-army

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The amphibious transport dock ship Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Arlington (LPD 24) is positioned at its berth at its new homeport of Naval Station Norfolk, March 22. Arlington was named for Arlington County, Va., and honors first responders and the 184 victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon.

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US Army manufacturing new advanced multi-purpose tank round
25 March 2013
The US Army is producing a new 120mm advanced multi-purpose (AMP) tank round to help replace its ageing weapons on the vehicles.

Having successfully demonstrated Technology Readiness Level 6 during a science and technology programme at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey in 2006, the round is now ready to enter into the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase.

Fort Benning Armor School Maneuver Center of Excellence 47th chief of armour and commandant colonel Paul Laughlin said the new round was much-needed.

"The AMP round is a game-changer that greatly increases our effectiveness," Laughlin said.

Combining six different capabilities into a single round, the new weapon is scheduled to replace M830 high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), M830A1 multi-purpose anti-tank (MPAT), M1028 canister and M908 obstacle reduction round.

The AMP round will also enable artillerymen to defeat enemies on the ground, primarily enemy anti-tank guided missile (ATMG) from a safer distance, and breeching walls in support of dismounted infantry missions.

Picatinny Arsenal large calibre munitions product manager lieutenant colonel Brian Gruchaz said the AMP round uses ammunition data link and a multi-mode, programmable fuse to achieve multiple effects that are achievable through selection, loading and firing of one of four different rounds.

"Together with the two additional capabilities provided by the AMP round, a single AMP round can now achieve desired effects against ATGM teams, reinforced walls, bunkers, light armour, dismounts and obstacles," Gruchaz said.

The weapon is also designed to provide soldiers with an improved battle carry capability against a broad spectrum of enemy targets in the battlefield.

http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsus-army-manufacturing-new-advanced-multi-purpose-tank-round

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US Army restructures AMPV programme
By Daniel Wasserbly
3/25/2013
The US Army is moving forward with a restructured Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) programme that will downselect to one contractor sooner, according to a new draft request for proposals (RfP).

AMPV platforms are to be non-developmental vehicles that could replace the army's fleet of tracked M113-series armoured personnel carriers (APC) - first developed in the 1950s - within its armoured brigade combat teams.

Under its revised plan, the service expects to hold an industry day in April before the scheduled release of a final RfP in June.

The army intends to conduct a full competition and then select one vendor for an Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase. In an earlier draft RfP, released in November 2012, the government said it expected to award "up to two contracts for EMD".

Instead, a 'cost-plus-incentive fee' contract for EMD, with three years of fixed-price incentive-fee low-rate initial production (LRIP) options, is to be awarded to one contractor, according to the new RfP released on 21 March.

The document said the EMD phase would run from Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14) through FY17, and around USD388 million in research and development funding is expected to be available for this.


http://www.janes.com/products/janes/defence-security-report.aspx?ID=1065977475&channel=defence

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Army tests new parachutes with latest body armor

By Army News Service on Tuesday, March 26th, 2013




The Army is one step closer to marrying body armor and parachutes thanks to recent test jumps with a select few paratroopers here.

In February, the Bragg-based Airborne and Special Operations Test Directorate trained two-dozen scout paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division’s 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, how to properly wear the new T-11 parachute and the third generation Improved Outer Tactical Vest, or IOTV, and then led the paratroopers on two test jumps.

The daylight parachute jumps were conducted from twin-engine aircraft with the paratroopers carrying an equipment load approximating what they might carry into combat, said the Test Directorate’s test officer, Leon Price.

For a final test, paratroopers simulated an unintentional water landing by jumping into a pool while wearing body armor and parachute harness, said Price.

“The resulting test report will travel up through the Army Test and Evaluation Command, Program and project manager, and eventually to the Advanced Airborne School, where they may adjust the [Airborne Standing Operating Procedures],” he said.

As the senior officer among the test paratroopers, Capt. James Langdeaux was initially weary that the IOTV would not flex enough on landing to avoid injuries, but none of his paratroopers were injured in either jump, he said.

As the “safety” aboard the aircraft, jumpmaster-qualified Langdeaux didn’t actually jump himself during the testing.

“There was some discomfort with the overall weight, but everyone had a safe landing,” he said.

Staff Sgt. Charles Jinks, a squad leader and jumpmaster who has spent seven years in Bragg’s airborne community, said that he found paratrooper involvement in the test and evaluation reassuring.

“It was reassuring to see our observations recorded and passed along to be used,” said the Battle Creek, Mich., native.



Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/army-tests-new-parachutes-with-latest-body-armor-47266/#ixzz2OjvjKFfn

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Fidelity to supply add-on armour kits to US Army
28 March 2013
Fidelity Technologies has been awarded a contract for delivery of its B-Kit, add-on armour (AoA) systems for the US Army's line of heavy tactical vehicles (FHTVs).

Awarded by the army's Tank and Automotive Command (TACOM), the $200m contract covers production and delivery of unspecified B-kits by the company's military and aerospace (M&A) manufacturing division.

The kits are scheduled to be installed onboard the army's Oshkosh Defense-built heavy expanded mobility tactical truck A4 (HEMTT A4), palletised load system A1 (PLS A1), HEMTT A4 TAM, as well as the M915A5 military line-haul tractor truck fleet.

Fidelity president David Gulati said the contract provided the company with an opportunity to further demonstrate its core competencies in response to varying customer requirements.

"By providing competitive pricing, rigorous quality controls and lean manufacturing processes, Fidelity is constantly expanding its product offerings and solutions that directly address the needs of the warfighter," Gulati said.

Consisting of both transparent and opaque armour, the B-kit is designed safeguard the tactical wheeled vehicles (TWVs) operators fighting global terrorism.
Readily stored, applied or removed by troops according to mission requirements in the battlefield, the kits enhance troop protection from multiple threats, including improvised explosive devices (IED), mines, and small-arms fire, depending on their intensity during convoy and patrolling operations.

The army's FHTV-fleet is managed by the Product Manager Heavy Tactical Vehicles (PdM HTV)/Project Manager Transportation System's group under the leadership of Program Executive Office Combat Support and Combat Services Support (PEO CS and CSS) in Warren, Michigan, US.

Full-scale production under the contract is expected to start during the third quarter of 2013, while deliveries are scheduled to continue over the next five years.
http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsfidelity-supply-add-on-armor-kits-us-army

quelques armes nucléaires ...

B-83


B-41


mark-36


Mark-8


Mark-6


Mark-5


Mark-4


Mark-1

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Raytheon's Patriot missiles receive US Army service life extension

Recertification provides customers cost-effective path to upgrades

TEWKSBURY, Mass., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) Patriot missiles, critical components of the Patriot Air and Missile Defense System, have received U.S. Army approval for a second recertification, extending the operational life of the worldwide inventory of Patriot missiles from 30 to 45 years. This extension allows customers to recertify and/or upgrade their inventory of Raytheon's Patriot missiles at a fraction of the cost of replacing them with alternative interceptors.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130401/NE85193 )

"This is a testament to Patriot's capabilities and combat performance that continue to exceed all expectations, now and over its successful operational life," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon's Integrated Defense Systems business. "This significant life extension decision by the Army comes on the heels of a recent $46.7 million U.S. Army contract awarded to Raytheon to recertify and upgrade Patriot missiles to the latest GEM-T configuration as part of the continuous Patriot modernization effort."

The underlying technology and operational capability of the missiles have been continually enhanced to counter high-speed tactical ballistic missiles and air breathing threats. Over the last 20 years, Raytheon's Patriot missiles have undergone more than 500 successful test firings. Raytheon's support structure includes a global base of more than 300 suppliers committed to mission performance and readiness of the Patriot missiles.

http://raytheon.mediaroom.com

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US Army solicits nano-UAV concepts

The US Army is soliciting technology concepts for a "cargo pocket" unmanned air vehicle (UAV), capable of providing "around the corner" tactical intelligence.

The solicitation requires only that concepts fit within certain size, weight and power requirements, and be capable of station-keeping - hovering - indoors and outside.

The US Army currently has no such technology deployed among field troops. British soldiers have recently sent to Afghanistan the Prox Dynamics Black Hornet, pocket-sized rotary-wing UAV, which they have operated with rave reviews.

Similar concepts from US companies have included everything from a miniature quad-rotor to a live beetle controlled via electric brain stimulation.

The Army did not immediately respond to questions.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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US Army approves second recertification for Patriot missiles
4 April 2013
The US Army has granted approval for a second recertification of the Raytheon-built Patriot air and missile defence system, which extends the operational life of the global Patriot inventory from 30 to 45 years.

Involving recertification for the missile's critical components, the extension enables customers to recertify and upgrade their respective Patriot missile inventories at a fraction of the cost of replacement with alternative interceptors.

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems business integrated air and missile defence vice president Sanjay Kapoor said the recertification represented a testament to the system's capabilities and combat performance.

"This significant life extension decision by the army comes on the heels of a recent $46.7m US Army contract awarded to Raytheon to recertify and upgrade Patriot missiles to the latest GEM-T configuration as part of the continuous Patriot modernisation effort," Kapoor added.

In addition to undergoing more than 500 successful test firings, Patriot missiles' underlying technology and operational capabilities have been continually improved in the past 20 years to help counter high-speed tactical ballistic missiles and air breathing threats.

The company currently operates a global base of more than 300 suppliers who are committed to mission performance and readiness of the Patriot missiles.

The MIM-104 Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defence system designed to provide protection against advanced threats including aircraft, tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the battlefield.

Primarily operated by US forces during the most recent Iraq conflict, the Patriot is also in service with Egypt, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and Taiwan.

Raytheon IDS is the prime contractor for Patriot air and missile defence systems and is also the system integrator for Patriot advanced capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles.


http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsus-army-approves-second-recertification-for-patriot-missiles

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US Army's last tanks depart from Germany


STUTTGART, Germany — The U.S. Army’s 69-year history of basing main battle tanks on German soil quietly ended last month when 22 Abrams tanks, a main feature of armored combat units throughout the Cold War, embarked for the U.S.

The departure of the last M-1 Abrams tanks coincides with the inactivation of two of the Army’s Germany-based heavy brigades. Last year, the 170th Infantry out of Baumholder disbanded. And the 172nd Separate Infantry Brigade at Grafenwöhr is in the process of doing the same.

On March 18, the remaining tanks were loaded up at the 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s railhead in Kaiserslautern where they then made the journey to the shipping port in Bremerhaven, Germany. There they boarded a ship bound for South Carolina.

The tanks belonged to the 172nd along with a mix that were leftover from other units, according to the 21st TSC.

“It is an honor to be one of the soldiers escorting the last battle tanks out of Germany,” said Sgt. Jeremy Jordan of the 529th Military Police Company, in an Army story about the journey. “As these tanks sail back to the U.S., we are closing a chapter in history.”

From World War II on through the Cold War, tanker units were a heavy presence in Germany. At its peak, Germany was home to 20 NATO armored divisions, or about 6,000 tanks, according to the 21st TSC.

“There is no [U.S.] tank on German soil. It’s a historic moment,” said Lt. Col. Wayne Marotto, 21st TSC spokesman.

http://www.stripes.com

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US to deploy spy plane in Japan

The US military is set to deploy an unmanned spy plane in Japan to boost surveillance capabilities as North Korea apparently readied for missile launches, a newspaper report said on Saturday

The Global Hawk will be stationed at the US airbase in Misawa, northern Japan, in the first ever deployment of the aircraft in the country, the Sankei Shimbun reported, quoting government sources.

The US military informed Japan last month about plans to deploy the plane between June and September but may bring the date forward, it said, following reports about North Korea's preparations for missile launches.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency, citing a top South Korean government official, said North Korea had loaded two mid-range Musudan missiles on mobile launchers and hidden them in underground facilities near its east coast.

The Musudan have never been tested but are believed to have a range of around 3,000 kilometres (1,860 miles), which could theoretically be pushed to 4,000 if they were to be given a light payload.

That would cover any target in South Korea and Japan, and possibly even reach US military bases located on the Pacific island of Guam.

Tensions have soared on the Korean peninsula since December, when the North test-launched a long-range rocket. In February, it conducted its third nuclear test and drew fresh UN sanctions.

http://www.bangkokpost.com

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US Army selects Lockheed for JLCCTC system development
8 April 2013

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract for production and delivery of a simulation-based command and battle staff training system to enhance decision making capabilities of the US Army personnel in the battlefield.

Valued at $146m over five years, the indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract covers development of the Joint Land Component Constructive Training Capability (JLCCTC) system, which will prepare the army, joint and coalition leaders to make informed decisions in theatre.

Incorporating seven existing command and battle staff training tools into a single system, the JLCCTC system replicates enemy and friendly forces to help commanders and staff personnel to effectively direct high pressure military operations worldwide.

Lockheed Martin mission systems and training division training solutions vice-president Jim Weitzel said integration of the seven training components generates maintenance cost savings and also facilitates rapid and easy creation of training scenarios.

"JLCCTC will be built with a modelling and simulation-based architecture to present data-driven scenarios for relevant, adaptable training," Weitzel said

Comprising two separate federations, including multi-resolution federation (MRF) and entity resolution federation (ERF), the system contributes to joint training functional concept and the army training mission area through provision of required levels of modelling and simulation resolution and fidelity.

The system is also capable of supporting the army's strategy for an integrated training environment that integrates live, virtual and computer-generated training elements used for simulation/stimulation of collective digital Mission Command training from brigade to theatre level.

Lockheed has already manufactured the Warfighter's Simulation (WARSIM) component of the JLCCTC, which has successfully supported 14 training exercises and trained over 22,000 commanders, their respective staffs and units throughout 2012.

The delivery schedule has not been disclosed by the company.

http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsus-army-selects-lockheed-for-jlcctc-system-development

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US Army develops virtual windows for Bradley vehicles
9 April 2013

Scientists from the US Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TRADOC) have developed a new virtual window to help enhance visual situational awareness of the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) crew in the battlefield.

A commercial 46in LED display mounted onto the interior of the rear ramp, the Virtual Window 1 provides soldiers with a comprehensive view of surroundings before they proceed out of the vehicle.

Bradley IFV is generally surrounded by a protective armour unlike mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, which features several transparent armoured windows for crew to survey the surroundings.

Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center engineer Andrew Kerbrat said the window receives and displays imagery collected by the high-definition camera installed on the rear of a Bradley vehicle, enabling troops to view outside the vehicle even when the ramp is closed.

Virtual Window 1 sketches were created by design students and professors from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, with support from army warrant officers from the US Army Ordnance School, as part of an innovations solutions training event organised by the project team, which is also planning to host a second workshop for Virtual Window 2 in May.

Scheduled to be integrated into and tested on a Stryker vehicle, the Virtual Window 2 is likely to feature 360° visual situational awareness through electro-optical sensors, thermal viewer through a commander's Gimbal for medium range situational awareness (CITV-like) capability, and unmanned ground vehicle command and control capabilities.

Other possible enhancements include ability to feed video from a remote soldier camera back to an ICV followed by display on screen, remote mission planning from a tablet, in addition to Force XXI battle command brigade and below capability displays.

Manufacturing work was also supported by the Communications Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center's (CERDEC) night-vision and electronic sensors directorate


http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsus-army-develops-virtual-windows-bradley-vehicles

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.US. Army soldiers prepare for an exercise during their annual military drills with South Korea in Yeoncheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Tuesday, April 9, 2013. North Korea has unleashed a flurry of war threats and provocations over U.N. sanctions for its last nuclear test, and over the ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills, which the allies say are routine but Pyongyang says is a preparation for a northward invasion. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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US Army, Boeing conclude price negotiations for second CH-47 contract


The US Army and Boeing have agreed on a price for a second multi-year production deal for the CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift transport helicopter, with a contract expected to be awarded in May.
"The good news is I'm working with Boeing. We achieved our negotiating settlement in December," says Col Bob Marion, the army's project manager for cargo helicopters. The two sides came to an agreement that reduced the cost of the contract by $810 million, equivalent to savings of about 19.2%.
With an agreement reached, the army is currently processing the necessary documents, and once that is completed, there will be a contract award. "We're on schedule to award that contract next month," he says.

US Department of Defense

Marion says budgetary issues have been resolved and the figures in President Barack Obama's proposed budget for fiscal year 2014 match those expected for the programme. Exactly what would happen if sequestration cuts are imposed on top of that is not yet known, he says, but the programme hopes to keep production going smoothly by moving around foreign aircraft buys. The second multi-year contract consists of 155 aircraft, with options for 60 more. Of the 60 options, 16 are earmarked for foreign customers in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Aircraft built under the second multi-year buy are of a slightly different configuration compared with the helicopters currently being built at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, plant, says Lt Col Michael "Reese" Hauenstein, product manager for the CH-47F. Modifications introduced to the operational fleet will be cut into production under the new contract.
Aircraft from the second multi-year buy will start rolling off the production line in April 2015, Hauenstein says. But in the meantime, there is a bridge contract for 15 aircraft consisting mostly of foreign military sales purchases with the exception of one US Army aircraft.
The army and Boeing are also studying modernisations to the Chinook platform after the second multi-year buy which is currently being referred to as Block II. Among the modifications being considered are advanced rotor blades, says Lt Col Joseph Hoecherl, product manager for CH-47 modernisation. But the army would like to field that particular modification early in 2016 along with some other improvements. The fully modernised variant should enter service in the 2020s, he says.
The Chinook's electrical system is one area the army is looking at improving, based on modifications already added to Canadian CH-47F Chinooks that have recently entered flight tests. Those aircraft have a significantly boosted electrical capacity because they use three 60kV generators. The first of Canad's eventual 15 F-models will be delivered this summer, according to Boeing's Chinook business development manager, Mark Ballew.
The UK has also ordered 14 new Chinook aircraft with a different cockpit configuration developed via its Project Julius effort. The first of those aircraft will be delivered next year.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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BAE to support US Army's joint effects targeting system programme
18 April 2013

BAE Systems has received a contract to support the US Army's joint effects targeting system (JETS) programme, which aims to enhance detection and response capabilities in the battlefield.

Valued at $15m, the contract includes initiation of a three-year engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase for the company's new Handheld Azimuth Measuring, Marking, Electro-optic imaging & Ranging (HAMMER) precision targeting system with the programme.

BAE Systems targeting programs director Dr Mark Hutchins said the lightweight precision targeting system enabled dismounted combat operators to locate and mark targets with the precision required for GPS-guided and laser-guided munitions in all weather and lighting conditions.

"We will continue to provide dismounted soldiers and operators with the most cost-effective, compact, and precise targeting equipment available," Hutchins said.Developed using the company's already deployed target reconnaissance infrared geolocating rangefinder (TRIGR) system, the HAMMER is a man-portable system designed to help troops locate, identify and designate targets, while also minimising collateral damage and friendly fire incidents.

Manufactured in collaboration with several industry partners, the system features a non-magnetic compass and a compact laser marker, which has jointly been developed with Elbit Systems of America, based on laser target designators already developed and fielded by the team with the US Marine Corps.

The HAMMER system is compact and cost-effective compared with other precision targeting systems that are currently present in the inventory of the US Department of Defense (DoD).

Once deployed as part of the JETS programme, the system is expected to help dismounted troops rapidly receive, transmit, and coordinate targeting data, and also distinguish friends from foes with immediate availability of satellite positioning and surveillance information.


http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsbae-to-support-us-armys-joint-effects-targeting-system-programme

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US military Humvees rolling down a deserted Boylston Street April 16, 2013, which is considered a crime scene after two explosions rocked the Boston Marathon on Monday. (John Mottern/***** Images


First responders and investigators are near the scene of two explosions at the end of the Boston Marathon finish line in Boston, Massachusetts April 15, 2013. (*******/Scott Eisen)

les militaires sans armes et la police lourdement armée a Boston


les militaires

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la police

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Block 2 CH-47F To Tackle Payload Shortfalls

April 22, 2013
Credit: U.S. ARMY
Graham Warwick

Gaining weight with age is a familiar curse, and after 50 years of service the Boeing CH-47 Chinook can no longer carry the loads it did when the heavy-lift helicopter was first introduced. With weight growth averaging 100 lb. a year, the U.S. Army wants to reset the clock to take the tandem-rotor Chinook well into its second half-century.

Boeing and the Army are working to define a “Block 2” upgrade that would be introduced after 2020, once all of the service's CH-47Ds have been replaced by new-build and remanufactured F models. “We are really after payload improvements,” says Col. Bob Marion, cargo helicopter program manager. The latest CH-47F has boosted international sales of the Chinook, and the Block 2 program could keep the line rolling into the next decade.

“The D to F upgrade introduces a machined airframe and digital cockpit [and flight controls], which are real game changers for the Chinook fleet,” he says. “The new frame improves sustainment and the cockpit enhances controllability and situational awareness. The next thing is payload improvement—we need to take weight out of the aircraft.”

Work to define Block 2 is getting underway as the Army prepares to award Boeing the second and final multiyear procurement contract for the CH-47F. Expected to be signed in May, the five-year contract for 155 helicopters, plus 60 options for export aircraft, will save $810 million, or 19.2%, over year-by-year contracting, says Marion.

Many of the modifications added post-production to Chinooks built under the first multiyear award will be incorporated on the assembly line under the new contract. Additionally, the second multiyear agreement will see the introduction of the first upgrades planned for Block 2, including an advanced rotor blade that will increase lifting capacity by almost 2,000 lb.

“Block 2 would follow Multiyear 2, and we are looking at what [non-recurring development] work we need to start executing now,” says Marion. “The key thing is the JLTV [Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, the planned replacement for the Humvee]. As it goes through development, we have to ensure that the CH-47 can carry a combat-equipped JLTV and crew.”

The Army's goal for Block 2 is to make sure the post-2020 Chinook can carry a 22,000-lb. payload 50 nm., with 4,000-ft./95F high/hot hover performance. “We are still working toward that, and in the future will look to increase that to 6,000-ft./95F,” he says. Today, the CH-47F can carry 16,000 lb. in 4,000-ft./95F conditions, “and we are adding 100 lb. a year [of airframe weight].”

http://www.aviationweek.com

l'accueil des nouveaux à l'US ARMY ...