Helicopters

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 13, 2009 -- The Boeing [NYSE: BA] A160T Hummingbird unmanned helicopter successfully completed 20 test flights from Aug. 31 to Oct. 8 with the Foliage Penetration Reconnaissance, Surveillance, Tracking and Engagement Radar (FORESTER). The tests, conducted at Fort Stewart, Ga., validated the radar-carrying A160T's flight characteristics with more than 50 hours of flying time.

FORESTER is being developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the U.S. Army to provide enhanced coverage of moving vehicles and dismounted troops under foliage, filling the current surveillance gap. The Fort Stewart tests were conducted under a contract with DARPA.    » read more »

October 9, 2009 -- Washington, DC - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today released the following statement in response to comments made by the Pentagon about the VH-71 presidential helicopter program. Hinchey, who is a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, helped secure $485.2 million for the continued development of Increment 1 of the VH-71 presidential helicopter program.

He will be serving on the House-Senate conference committee that's expected to meet next week to determine funding for the helicopter.

"The Pentagon is once again misleading the public about its proposed presidential helicopter plan. It is offering incomplete information and citing figures that are directly contradicted by its own internal documents.    » read more »

Hinchey: Internal Pentagon Documents Show Plans for Replacement Presidential Helicopter Project Would Yield Nearly Identical Aircraft as Cancelled VH-71 at Triple the Cost

October 7, 2009 -- Washington, DC - A new internal Defense Department document recently acquired by the office of Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) shows that plans for a replacement presidential helicopter program that the Pentagon is seeking would yield aircraft that have nearly identical capabilities as the recently cancelled VH-71 presidential helicopter replacement program, but cost three times as much and take 12 years longer to deliver.    » read more »

May 15, 2009 -- Washington, DC. – Following months of consultations involving Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, Idaho Army National Guard personnel, and Congressional and Guard representatives from other states, the U.S. Army has agreed on an upgrade of the Apache helicopter fleet stationed at Boise’s Gowen Field.

The decision means Idaho will receive new AH-64D Apache Longbows, the Army’s top attack helicopter and a major improvement in equipment and training for the 1-183rd Aviation Battalion of Army Guardsmen and other employees stationed and training at Gowen Field.    » read more »

RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, Pa., April 13, 2009 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that a fourth U.S. Army unit has fielded the CH-47F Chinook helicopter. Company B, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, is based at Fort Bragg, N.C.

"Fielding the new CH-47F Chinook continues the proud heritage of the unit's aviation history," said Capt. John Gunter, Commander, B Company, 3rd GSAB, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade. "The capability of this aircraft will maximize our performance in missions around the world, today and well into the future."    » read more »

March 25, 2009 -- WASHINGTON —Sikorsky Aircraft Company, a division of United Technologies Corporation, has agreed to pay the United States $2,941,000 to resolve fraud allegations in connection with its contract for the manufacture of Black Hawk helicopters for the Army, the Justice Department announced today.    » read more »

June 09, 2008 -- FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff in honor of two Fort Campbell soldiers who died June 5 supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

According to the Department of Defense, Chief Warrant Officer James Carter, 42, of Alabama, and Pfc. Andre D. McNair, Jr., 20, of Fort Pierce, Fla. died at Kandahar Army Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when the Kiowa helicopter they were in went down during a test flight. They were assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Flags will remain at half-staff until sunset on the day of the funerals, for which arrangements are pending.    » read more »

June 06, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died June 5 at Kandahar Army Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when the Kiowa helicopter they were in went down during a test flight.

They were assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

Killed were:

Chief Warrant Officer James Carter, 42, of Alabama.

Pfc. Andre D. McNair, Jr., 20, of Fort Pierce, Florida.

The incident is under investigation.    » read more »

April 16, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today expressed her condolences to the family and friends of victims of Tuesday’s helicopter crash, which claimed four lives, including three state employees. One person survived the crash. The helicopter was transporting Department of Administration employees to a radio tower east of Glennallen when the crash occurred.

“I know all Alaskans join me and Todd in extending our deepest sympathies to all who are touched by this tragedy,” Governor Palin said. “We will keep them in our thoughts and prayers during this painful time.”

Source: Alaska Governor

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, is being awarded a $10,399,123,179 modification to convert a previously awarded advance acquisition contract (N00019-07-C-0001) to a fixed-price-incentive-fee multiyear contract for the manufacture and delivery of 141 MV-22 (Marine variant) and 26 CV-22 (Air Force variant) tiltrotor aircraft, including associated rate tooling in support of production rates.    » read more »

3/17/2008 --- USS NIMITZ, At Sea (NNS) -- The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG) conducted an Expeditionary Strike Force (ESF) exercise with the Essex Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) March 14-16.

The ESF training brought together the two strike groups to test their ability to plan and conduct multitask operations across a broad spectrum of naval disciplines.

Sailors from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11 repel from HH-60H Seahawk    » read more »

March 05, 2008 -- The Department of Defense announced today the death of an airman who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Christopher S. Frost, 24, of Waukesha, Wisconsin, died March 3 near Bayji, Iraq in a crash of an Iraqi Army Mi-17 helicopter.

He was assigned to the 377th Air Base Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

The circumstances surrounding the crash are under investigation.

Source: DoD

20 November 2007 -- A U.S. military helicopter has crashed southeast of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing two coalition soldiers and injuring 12 others.

The U.S. military says initial reports indicate Tuesday's crash near the town of Salman Pak was not the result of hostile fire. It did not specify the nationality of the casualties or the type of helicopter. The crash is the first by a U.S. helicopter in Iraq since August.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2007 – Five U.S. servicemembers died today after a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in northern Italy.

Eleven U.S. servicemembers were aboard the helicopter, which was attached to 1st Battalion, 214th Aviation Regiment, according to a news release from the Heidelberg, Germany, headquarters of U.S. Army, Europe. The battalion is based in Mannheim, Germany.

The USAREUR release did not provide information on the service affiliation of those aboard the helicopter, the condition of the survivors or the nature of the ill-fated mission.    » read more »

08 November 2007 -- A U.S. army helicopter has crashed in northern Italy, killing four people on board and injuring seven others. The causes of the crash are still unclear.

The crash occurred in a rural area outside the northern Italian city of Treviso, along the bank of the Piave river. The helicopter had taken off from the U.S. airbase in Aviano on a training mission with 11 American military on board.

Senior Airman Justin Weaver, a spokesman at the U.S. Air Force base in Aviano, provided the initial report of what occurred.    » read more »