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CSAR-X competition was cancelled...
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... 01-376639/
Northrop Grumman, AgustaWestland make new US bids with AW101
Washington DC 13 hours ago
Northrop Grumman has teamed with AgustaWestland to offer the Italian company's AW101 for two US military contests.
The long-awaited contests,
one for the US Navy to replace the VIP fleet that ferries the US president,
and another to replace US Air Force combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopters,
both require highly survivable aircraft.
AgustaWestland had previously partnered with Lockheed Martin to produce a similar presidential helicopter called the VH-71,
but the VXX programme was cancelled due to high acquisition costs and budget overruns.
The presidential transportation role is currently filled by Sikorsky VH-3s, based on the long-retired SH-3.
The USAF's CSAR contest will replace the Sikorsky HH-60s that currently fill the role but are reaching the end of their service lives.
Variants of the UH-60 are ubiquitous throughout the US military, and an updated version has been offered as a competitor.
A previous competition named CSAR-X was cancelled in 2010.
http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/rotor ... programme/
Northrop Grumman to offer AW101 for US programmes
18 September 2012 - 21:33
Northrop Grumman plans to offer the AgustaWestland AW101 for two key US helicopter programmes,
under a teaming agreement announced at the Air Force Association's Air & Space conference.
The two companies will offer a US-built AW101 for both the US Air Force’s Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)
and the US Navy’s programme to develop a new ‘Marine One’ Presidential Helicopter.
Speaking to Shephard at the conference, AgustaWestland chief executive officer Bruno Spagnolini said that the same essential platform would be developed for both programmes and would feature an increase of US content.
Under the teaming agreement, Northrop Grumman will act as prime contractor and will be in charge of systems integration, including the development of the defensive aids suite.
The aircraft will also feature the GE CT7-8E engine and Rockwell Collins cockpit display system.
Spagnolini said the aircraft’s volume, cabin space and one engine inoperative (OEI) performance exceeded the key performance parameters as currently understood by industry of the CRH project to replace the 112 existing HH-60G fleet.
‘It exceeds the current requirements – we are offering something that goes beyond what was outlined in the draft RfP [request for proposals] so there is growth potential there.
If the RfP comes out and it says they are looking for an H-60, then that is not a competition.’
AgustaWestland used the AFA conference to display a representative cabin, configured to meet the original CSAR-X requirement.
As well as a significantly larger internal volume than the current HH-60 Pave Hawk, the cabin featured space for six litters and can be reconfigured mid-flight if needed.
The draft RfP for CRH was issued in March and there is some expectation that a final RfP will be released before the end of the year –
although the shadow of sequestration continues to hang over any new-start programme.
AgustaWestland had teamed with Lockheed Martin for the CSAR-X programme
but the latter in 2010 announced it was teaming with Sikorsky
to offer the UH-60M for the requirement.