Written by / Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
MLF 2009 Volume: 3 Issue: 9 (October)
PZL Mielec, a Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. company in Poland, has begun final assembly of the first S-70i Black Hawk helicopter. The production marks the beginning of a new helicopter in the Sikorsky product line, an international variant of the Black Hawk helicopter. Sikorsky Aircraft is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
Final assembly officially began August 17. The first S-70i helicopter is expected to be completed in 2010.
“The startup of the production line in Poland is a defining moment for the S-70i helicopter program,” said Bob Kokorda, Sikorsky vice president for corporate strategy and synergy.
To increase its presence in the international marketplace, Sikorsky has designated PZL Mielec as a final assembly center for the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter. Production of highly advanced and combat-proven Black Hawk helicopters and cabins in PZL Mielec is expected to provide opportunities to numerous privately and publicly held Polish aviation entities. Currently PZL Mielec already cooperates with 23 suppliers and subcontractors in Poland; that figure is expected to increase to about 100 in the foreseeable future, as the work progresses.
The S-70i Black Hawk helicopter will be produced through a cost-effective global supply chain and is planned to be delivered directly from Poland to international customers. A key competitive feature of the Polish-made S-70i Black Hawk helicopter is that it will provide multi-mission, 10-ton utility lift capability at a price comparable to helicopters in the 6- to 8-ton class.
A400M Progress
The first A400M (MSN1) left the final assembly line September 2, to be moved to the next ground test station, which now is outdoors. This follows satisfactory completion of all indoor ground testing on station 35. Those included verification and checks of all the systems and of the modifications and improvements that were embodied into MSN1 over the past months to make it a more mature aircraft at first flight. Trials to be performed on the first outdoor station (station 30) include fuel tests, pressurization tests, as well as navigation and communication checks, and will last approximately two weeks. Subsequently, the aircraft will receive its engines and the auxiliary power unit. All four engines have already been assembled and are fitted with their propellers, awaiting installation of the final FADEC engine software. They are to be mounted onto the aircraft in CW 38. Pending installation of the engines, the aircraft is fitted with dummy engines to simulate the weight in the wings and to allow for proper fuel calibration tests (on station 30). First flight of the A400M is to take place around the turn of the year.
Haul Tractors Block Upgrade
A400M Progress The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command awarded a contract to Daimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) to produce 1,780 units of the M915A5 6x4 military line haul tractors.
This version represents a block upgrade, from the previous M915A3 model, in response to the Army’s request for improvements based upon lessons learned on the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan. The major change in the block upgraded model is the inclusion of armor protection, using an A-kit and B-kit design approach, in accordance with the Army’s long-term armoring strategy.
DTNA partnered with BAE Systems’ security and survivability business to develop and integrate an armor package design into the M915A5 line haul tractor. BAE Systems, a subcontractor to DTNA, will provide DTNA with an A-kit for each M915A5 produced on the military production line in Portland. BAE will also produce B-kits for trucks as determined by and requested from the U.S. Army to meet combat requirements. In addition to enhanced armor, the M915A5s feature a larger cab to store combat gear, personal weapons and ammunition. The larger cab, combined with an upgraded electrical system, also provides the space and power for the robust C4I packages now utilized on line haul trucks in combat.
Powering the M915A5 is DTNA’s Detroit Diesel Series 60(r) engine, rated at 500 HP and delivering 1650 LB-FT of torque. According to Rick Engel, director for government vehicle sales, “These new vehicles will protect soldiers’ lives while also providing them the additional power and safety enhancements, including advanced collision warning and roll stability control systems, to perform their sustainment missions under the most severe conditions.”
Long Cases
To meet the demand for long, deep and versatile shipping cases, Pelican Products Inc. has introduced the 1740 and 1770 long cases. For easy one-person transport, the 1740 comes standard with several mobile-friendly features including two rugged double-wide handles for easy steering and team lifting. Wide-track, polyurethane wheels (for stable mobility) with ball bearings and nylon hubs ensure extended towing durability. Designed to either be moved manually or stacked on pallets, the 1740 features four extra-deep base-to-lid locking cleats that ensure maximum stacking stability.
Built for longer equipment and weapons such as .50-caliber guns and survey drill kits, the 1770 long case is Pelican’s longest case to date with a length of 54.58 inches. It features the same transit-friendly attributes as the 1740.
With more than 6,600 (1740) and 7,300 (1770) cubic inches of usable storage space and an infinite number of internal storage possibilities, both cases feature an open cell core, polymer wall construction engineered to protect sensitive equipment from some of the harshest conditions on Earth.
Additional standard features include a lid equipped with a polymer o-ring for a dust- and water-tight seal and six dual action latches that have been tested to withstand nearly 400 pounds of pulling force (but open with a light pull).
Because of their large internal volumes, both cases feature dual integrated automatic pressure equalization valves that keep moisture out and prevent vacuum lock so they’re easy to open at any altitude.
USNS Wally Schirra Update
General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, has delivered USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE 8) to the U.S. Navy. The ship is named in honor of the fifth American launched into space, Navy Captain Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr.
Construction of the USNS Wally Schirra began in October 2007. The 689-foot-long ship will serve under the Navy’s Military Sealift Command and will soon begin delivering as much as 10,000 tons of dry cargo and petroleum products at one time to U.S. and allied ships at sea.
“As demonstrated on the very successful sea trials four weeks ago, the Wally Schirra is superb in fit and finish, and ready for immediate service,” said Frederick J. Harris, president of General Dynamics NASSCO. “The Schirra and the other T-AKEs fulfill a vital naval logistics role. NASSCO will continue to support that critical Navy mission through the timely delivery of these high-quality, versatile ships in the future.”
Including the Wally Schirra, NASSCO has delivered eight T-AKEs, which are also known as Lewis and Clark-class ships. NASSCO has construction contracts for four additional ships and long-lead material contracts for two more ships for a total class of 14 T-AKE vessels.
In addition to T-AKE construction, the San Diego shipyard is also building three commercial product carriers for American Petroleum Tankers, a shipbuilding joint venture led by the Blackstone Financial Group. ♦