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Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone

2018 MODERN AIRCRAFT

History of Cyclone Sikorsky CH-148

Following a review of Canadian military requirements beginning in the 1980s, the Conservatives chose the AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin medium utility helicopter to replace the long-barreled Sikorsky CH-124 Sea. The Sea King is a variant of the U.S. Navy's Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King, which has been in service since 1963, with approximately 41 of them procured for anti-submarine warfare and general supply missions. , the mounts are "aging", the technology and capabilities of modern types outstrip older rotor designs, and the arrival of the Italian-British Merlin will change all that, except for what happened in 1993 when the Liberal ruling party cancelled the procurement agreement for political reasons. This opened the door to a formal review of standing requirements and initially delayed the selection and purchase of new helicopter types.

It wasn't until November 2004 that the Canadian government cancelled a 28-person procurement contract with the American company Sikorsky for the supply of a helicopter named "CH-148 Cyclone". Production quality was recorded on November 15, 2008, while deliveries of the new varieties are expected in January 2009. However, due to development delays, the procurement completion date was pushed back to December 2013.

To date, only five "intermediate versions" of the planned 28 helicopters have been completed (2012) and have not been delivered to the Canadian government (both Air Force and Navy units want to use the product). The CH-124 Sea King will continue to serve in the Royal Canadian Navy for the foreseeable future.

The Canadian government has begun fining Sikorsky for the delay.

The CH-148 is based on the Sikorsky S-92 series airframe and is a modification of the Sikorsky S-70 series (the S-70 itself is the basis for the US Army UH-60 "Black Hawk"). Instead of the necessary large side doors for cabin passengers, helicopters in this series use four rectangular access doors (two front, two rear), a window-lined fuselage and a rear cargo ramp.

The engines are upgraded, and the airframe uses more corrosion-resistant materials for ground operations. The two pilots sit behind a short nose assembly and a light framed canopy, and usually get a good view of what's going on outside. The fuselage design is relatively simple, including a short cockpit, a large crew area, and a raised empennage bounded by a vertical fin and applicable horizontal plane. The twin-engine arrangement consists of two GE CT7-8A7 turboshaft engines in a side-by-side configuration, driving a four-bladed composite main rotor and a four-bladed tail rotor.

The main rotor is mounted on a short mast near the top of the fuselage, while the tail rotor faces the starboard side of the aircraft. Two large struts (each with a 15-person raft) are mounted on the sides of the fuselage, allowing for some limited "amphibious" capability, while the wheeled landing gear is retractable (two twin-tire main gear legs and a dual tire main gear) tired nasal bones). The overall structure is metal and composite, creating a relatively light airframe while maintaining the robust tolerances required for the character.

The CH-148 is used for anti-submarine missions (if equipped) and general transportation (up to 22 crew).

The CH-148 has an overall length of 56 feet, a height of 15.4 feet, and a rotor diameter of 58 feet. The system has an empty weight of 7,070 kg and can carry a full mission MTOW of 13,000 kg. Top speed is 190 mph and cruising speed is around 160 mph. The upper limit of operation is expected to be approximately 15,000 feet.

While the CH-148 will be flown by two pilots, standard operators will include a tactical coordinator and a sensor operatorup to six additional personnel in ASW mission roles.

For anti-submarine missions, the CH-148 will be equipped with launched sonar cloth, maritime phone APS-143B radar, FLIR (forward looking infrared) and HELRAS diving sonar. These systems are used to locate underwater vessels, and the CH-148 can relay data to or attack as needed.

The aircraft is properly "navy" for harsh surface operations, which is a significant difference compared to land operations. Primary armament consists of 2 Mk 46-class torpedoes mounted on collapsible BRU-14 series turrets.

Point defense can be provided by 1 or 2 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG) mounted on the gantry. Electronic defense is provided by the AN/ALQ-210 Radar Warning and Location System (RWAL) and the AN/ALQ-144Av5 Countermeasures Kit.

In addition to Sikorsky as the prime contractor, L-3 and General Dynamics Canada also participated in the CH-148 program. Germany is the only other party that has shown interest in the new CH-148, although Canada remains the only military customer of the type.

As of 2010, the CH-148 program cost Canadian taxpayers $6. $2 billion from the original $2. 2002 8 billion contract announcement.