Success on all fronts for Sikorsky

Sikorsky Innovations for DARPA X-Plane Phase 1

Sikorsky Innovations, the technology development organisation of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, has been contracted for Phase 1 of the Vertical Take-Off and Landing Experimental Aircraft ( VTOL X-Plane) programme by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The proposed effort is valued at $15 million to develop preliminary design for the VTOL X-Plane, a high-speed vertical takeoff-and-landing aircraft with the hover capability of a helicopter.

Sikorsky Innovations is teamed with Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works for the VTOL X- Plane development of its Unmanned Rotor Blown Wing concept. The Rotor Blown Wing represents a unique integration of fixed wing aerodynamics and advanced rotor control to provide a low complexity configuration capable of meeting the challenging DARPA programme goals.

S-70i Black Hawk helicopters for Royal Brunei Air Force

Two Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk helicopters were inducted into the Royal Brunei Air Force following an unveiling attended by His Majesty the Sultan at the Brunei International Defence Exhibition (Bridex) in December 2013. Two more S- 70i helicopters are currently undergoing the process of acceptance with the Royal Brunei Air Force.

Equipped with a suite of advanced avionics and sensors, these multirole helicopters can perform a variety of missions over land and water, including search and rescue, humanitarian relief, anti- piracy, troop transport and medical evacuation. The Brunei Ministry of Defence ordered 12 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters in December 2011, all of which are set to be delivered by the end of 2014. The contract includes ground support equipment, spares and technical training.

MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ for Royal Australian Navy

Australian Defence Minister David Johnston hailed the delivery of the first two of 24 US-built MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ maritime combat helicopters to be acquired by the Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Air Arm as an “outstanding success.”

Produced jointly in the United States by Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin, and in operation with the United States Navy (USN) since 2005, the Romeo is an evolution of older Seahawk variants which it is replacing, building on the known and proven Seahawk platform but incorporating state-of-the-art sensors in an open architecture, integrated mission system.

AIR 9000 Phase 8, the project designation for the acquisition of new multi- role helicopters, was approved in June 2011 with a budget of $3.2 billion. The delivery of these first two aircraft was achieved on budget and six months ahead of schedule. The aircraft will be equipped with a sophisticated combat system designed to employ the Hellfire air-to-surface missile and Mark 54 anti-submarine torpedo.

continues to grow

Canadian firm CHC Helicopter has signed a multi- year contract to purchase nine Sikorsky S-92 helicopters, with options to acquire up to 15 more for use in transporting offshore oil workers and for possible search and rescue operations. CHC’s aircraft fleet currently includes 110 helicopters made by Sikorsky including 38 S-92 and 67 S-76 aircraft. Deliveries of the first five new S-92 helicopters are scheduled for 2015 and the remaining four in 2016. Once CHC exercises the options, those aircraft would be delivered between 2015 and 2018.