CH-148 Cyclone Progress

[SeaKingTacco]

He was in a class of his own, that for certain.

 

[Good2Golf]

He was in a class of his own, that for certain.

Cajones AND style!!! :nod:

 

[Cdn Blackshirt]

So is Sikorsky still in serial manufacturing right now?  I'm assuming we'll continue to receive "unaccepted" helicopters which will later need a standardized upgrade later after they've worked out the defects?

 

[NavyShooter]

I should post that photo on the ADR the next time I'm on a ship....

"Flying stations, weather decks abaft the hanger are out of bounds...OFF CAPS....ON FEDORAS."

 

[jmt18325]

There is a lot more to a helicopter than the airframe.

Engines. Gearboxes. Electrical systems. Avionics. Sensors. Safety systems.

All of that needs doing on our Sea Kings.

I get that - but if it's worth it for them to buy, it might have been worth it for us to fix them.  I'm not convinced that the CH-148 will ever be delivered at this point.

 

[Kirkhill]

To date, 11 Cyclones have been delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force, of which three are operated for testing and evaluation.

 

[SeaKingTacco]

I get that - but if it's worth it for them to buy, it might have been worth it for us to fix them.  I'm not convinced that the CH-148 will ever be delivered at this point.

For a lot of reasons, I believe that ship has firmly sailed...

 

[Spencer100]

Well here is Sea King checking out the beach in Guam.  The locals are not impressed.

http://www.kuam.com/story/35105079/royal-canadian-navy-chopper-flies-low-over-tumon-bay

 

[Rifleman62]

And no Sea King Bunkers for the locals.

 

[jmt18325]

To date, 11 Cyclones have been delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force, of which three are operated for testing and evaluation.

They have been delivered - sort of - but not really.

 

[suffolkowner]

There's 4 more in the pipe for delivery this year as well.

 

[jmt18325]

There's 4 more in the pipe for delivery this year as well.

None of them are in a configuration that we ordered and paid for.  Are they even usable to us in the capacity we bought them for?  I'm concerned that they won't do the job we need them to. 

 

[suffolkowner]

Well block two delivery is supposed to begin in 2018. Block 1.1 delivery will continue as will Sea King removal. If the bugs aren't worked out by 2018 we're going to have a problem

 

[jmt18325]

Well block two delivery is supposed to begin in 2018. Block 1.1 delivery will continue as will Sea King removal. If the bugs aren't worked out by 2018 we're going to have a problem

That's what I'm worried about.  We don't have a contingency at this point.  The Liberals should never have bought a paper helicopter.

 

[MarkOttawa]

Only eight years to go?  From Sept. 2016:

Cyclone helicopters to reach full operating capability in 2025: DND
Long, tortured story of getting replacement for Sea Kings a 'case study' in how not to do it
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cyclone-helicopter-operational-1.3746627

Mark
Ottawa

 

[Eye In The Sky]

And that is still a ridiculous (long) timeline.  The Cyclone project is a great study of how NOT to procure...well anything. 

If you want to read up some on a helicopter project that went well, read up on the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) project that produced not only MH, but Army TacHel airframes as well.

 

[suffolkowner]

And that is still a ridiculous (long) timeline.  The Cyclone project is a great study of how NOT to procure...well anything. 

If you want to read up some on a helicopter project that went well, read up on the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) project that produced not only MH, but Army TacHel airframes as well.

You would prefer the NH90 over the AW101 or Cyclone?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

It's flying and has been for some time, and with more than 1 country in the army and Navy/maritime world.  I believe the timeline from concept to the first MH version being delivered was somewhere around 6 years.  So those 4 countries will have common parts, familiarity with the platform (it is NATO, so that's a good thing) and other benefits.  Meanwhile...we are still flying Sea Kings.

I'm no expect but...it likely would have been cheaper and we would have modern MH in the air, now.  Actually, a few years ago.  We don't have a single ASW-capable Cyclone AFAIK.  I can only image the ass-pain the MH aircrew have and will continue to go thru. 

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

You would prefer the NH90 over the AW101 or Cyclone?

I thought the Cyclone was a myth ...

:Tin-Foil-Hat:

 

[Good2Golf]

And that is still a ridiculous (long) timeline.  The Cyclone project is a great study of how NOT to procure...well anything. 

If you want to read up some on a helicopter project that went well, read up on the NH90 NFH (NATO Frigate Helicopter) project that produced not only MH, but Army TacHel airframes as well.

Really? ???    The fact that "brochure" is actually in the filename should make one pause and contemplate...

Lessons Learned #1 in aircraft manufacture: Don't put a planned in-service year anywhere in the aircraft's name, i.e. NH90 > NH90+17 = NH2007

The Long, Sad Tale of Germany's Botched Helicopter Buy

...The initial prototype took off on its debut flight in 1990 and, in 2007, the first examples were ready for combat....

:2c:

G2G