LET THE SHOW BEGIN
Boeing braces for Dubai Airshow with a brilliant line-up of defence and commercial hardware
Is it a plane? Is it a chopper? Is it a bomber? It’s a tilt-rotor. More significantly, it is a game changer in the theatre of war and humanitarian missions which Boeing hopes the UAE and Qatar would sign up for as one of its first international customers.
The V-22 Osprey is a multi-role combat and transport aircraft that not only its makers but also US service commanders say has revolutionised defence aviation. The V-22 will be one of the star attractions in a broad line-up of defence and commercial products and services that the US plane maker will showcase at the Dubai Airshow starting on November 17.
Apart from the V-22, Boeing’s defence offerings on display at the airshow will include a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, an AH-6i reconnaissance and attack helicopter, an F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet multi-role fighter aircraft and a CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter.
Boeing platforms in service with the UAE Armed Forces that will be on display will include an AH-64D Apache helicopter and the UAE Air Force’s C-17 Globemaster III airlifter.
An F-15E Strike Eagle flight simulator at the Boeing booth will demonstrate the aircraft’s unparalleled range, speed and persistence, while a 787 flight simulator will offer visitors a first-hand experience of the Dreamliner’s unparalleled capabilities, Boeing said on Thursday.
On the commercial side, Boeing’s regional customers will have two aircraft on static display. Qatar Airways will showcase its most fuel-efficient 787 Dreamliner, while flydubai will exhibit its 737-800 with Boeing Sky Interior and business class configuration. Boeing has also scheduled a series of product briefings, including the yet-to-be unveiled 777X.
“The Middle East region continues to be one of Boeing’s key global markets for both the commercial aviation and defence sectors,” said Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East.
“We have a long history in the region, and we continue to strengthen our relationships with our partners and customers to further develop the regional aerospace industry,” he said in a statement.
VERTICAL LIFTS
The V-22 is a product of the Joint-service Vertical takeoff/landing Experimental (JVX) aircraft programme launched in 1981 by the US Department of Defence (DoD). It took almost 26 years for the DoD and the BellBoeing team to field the aircraft as the development had been dogged by accidents, high costs and design complexities.
With more than 200 Ospreys currently in operation with the US military, V-22 production programme manager at Boeing, Michael Rolecki, said recently he expects the first international customer to sign up by next year.
“Japan, Qatar, the UAE, the United Kingdom and Israel are some of the nations who have shown genuine interest in the game changer,” he told Khaleej Times during a tour of the V-22 and Apache plants at Ridley Park in the blue-collar city of Philadelphia.
Out of these, the UK would come last as a potential customer as the economic climate in the European country is not right enough for such a high-value defence contracts, he said, adding that India has also shown “mild interest” in the aircraft. The V-22 Osprey is said to cost about $70 million apiece. Asked specifically if the UAE could be a possible customer for the V 22, Rolecki said the Emirates is a potential cus- tomer. “Qatar is also in the forefront. With discussions progressing with a number of potential customers, we expect a deal by mid-2014,” he added.
Khaleej Times has had an up-close view of the V-22 and Chinook production lines in Philadephia and was able to photograph a CH47 aircraft ready for delivery to the US Air force.
Utilising the tilt-rotor technology to combine the vertical lift capability of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing turboprop aircraft, the allweather V-22 can take off, hover and land like a chopper anywhere, any time.
Rolecki said the long-range Osprey provides multimission capabilities like amphibious assault, combat support, long-range special infiltration and exfiltration operations, troop transport and search and rescue. Plans are also afoot to develop the V-22 as a tanker.
The Osprey has proven its value to fighters on battlefields and workers on rescue and relief missions with its decisive role in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2009, Operation Eduring Freedom in Afghanistan and the Haiti humanitarian relief after the 2010 earthquake.
Its unprecedented agility and operational reach, with a wide radius of around 1,000 nautical miles from the base station, would certainly make it a sought-after hardware after its international debut.
According to product documents, the V-22 can carry 24 combat troops, or up to 9,070kg of internal cargo or 6,800kg of external load. For ease of transport and ship compatibility, the rotors fold and the wing rotates to minimise the space needed for storage.
The Osprey is designed to fly 3,380km with one inflight refuelling, thus providing the advantage of a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that can rapidly self-deploy to any location in the world.
The Osprey comes in two main variants. The MV22 is designed to meet the amphibious/vertical assault needs of the US Marine Corps, the strike rescue needs of the US Navy and long-range special operations forces. The CV-22 is designed to support missions of the US Special Operations Command.
OSPREY ORDERS
On June 13, 2013, Bell-Boeing was awarded a second V-22 contract valued at $6.5 billion to provide a total of 99 aircraft for the Marine Corps and Air Force Special Operations Command over five years. Together with the MH-60R Seahawk, the Osprey will eventually replace the US Marine Corp’s ageing CH-46/HH46 Sea Knight, according to Boeing.
Boeing’s defence line-up for the Dubai show also features other proven vertical lifts such as the AH-6i, the CH-47 Chinook and the AH-64 Apache.
The Chinook, arguably the world’s best heavy lift helicopter, has been in continuous production since 1962 with periodic technology upgrade to maintain relevance. Operated by 20 nations around the world, the Chinook’s missions include troop transport, special operations, combat operations, search and rescue, humanitarian relief, fire-fighting, medical evacuation and logistical resupply, Mark Ballew, director, business development, vertical lift, told visiting journalists in Philadelphia.
The aircraft’s tandem rotor provides 100 per cent lift power, increased stability in high winds, increased centre of gravity, ease of loading/unloading and high-altitude operations capability, he said.
With 831 aircraft in service and 293 on order, Boeing sees opportunities for more than 400 additional aircraft as the US Army plans to operate the Chinook until at least 2050.
The AH-64 Apache, the most advanced multi-role combat helicopter ever, is a low-risk, high-tech and quickest-to-the-field helicopter serving many defence forces around the world.
The Apache is such a huge success that Boeing delivered the 2000th of the hardware in March 2013 and envisions solid, long-term production through 2026.
THE LITTLE BIRD
The AH-6i Little Bird, modelled after combat-proven little birds, is a new entrant to the market place. With strong demand from multiple regions, the high-altitude, reconfigurable armed reconnaissance/light attack aircraft is said to have a market potential for around 700 aircraft.
According to Brad Rounding, manager, AH-6 business development, the aircraft, which shares the same workforce structure with Apache, features flexible mission configuration, state-of-the-art cockpit architecture, integrated and qualified sensors and weapons systems, the highest payload for any aircraft in its class, outstanding reliability and low maintenance costs.
Built by aerospace giants Boeing, General Electric Aviation, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, the F/A18E/F Super Hornet is the US Navy’s premier strike fighter, deployed in both air-dominance and precision-strike roles.
Operational in 10 US Navy Carrier Air Wings (25 squadrons) and the Royal Australian Air Force, the combat-proven Super Hornet delivers cutting-edge, next-generation multirole strike fighter capability, according to Boeing Defence, Space & Security.
Combining exceptional aerodynamic and systems performance and advanced sensors, the Super Hornet carries within its design every role a tactical aircraft can perform. The Super Hornet’s advanced sensor and information suite collects and fuses data from offboard sources and onboard sensors, enabling the Super Hornet to seamlessly detect and eliminate air, ground or sea-based threats, according to a product sheet.
With 11 weapons stations, the Super Hornet gives warfighters extraordinary payload flexibility by carrying over 400 configurations of air-to-air and air-toground ordnance. It also supports a full complement of smart weapons, including laser-guided bombs.
Two versions of the Super Hornet — the single-seat E model and the two-seat F model — are in production today. The Royal Australian Air Force operates 24 two-seat F model Super Hornets.
Also on display will be the P-8 Poseidon, a military derivative of Boeing’s next-generation 737-800. Considered the most advanced anti-submarine and antisurface warfare aircraft in the world, Boeing says it is a true multi-mission aircraft that provides long-range maritime reconnaissance capabilities.
Apart from the US Navy’s multi-billion contracts, the Indian government in January 2009 placed an order for eight P-8Is, a variant of the P-8A Poseidon, for its long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare mission.