It's Time To Start Preparing For "Graduation"
The H-1 Upgrades program here achieved yet another major testing
milestone recently with the achievement of 2,500 mishap-free
flight-test hours for the upgraded UH-1Y and AH-1Z.
Coming as the program is rapidly bringing the system development
and demonstration phase to close and preparing for the "graduation
exercise" of operational evaluation this summer, the milestone
reflects the success of the program to date and what's in store for
the Fleet Marine Force.
"Proving their expanded capability to fight in extreme
conditions like snow, cold and hot weather, high altitude, dust and
desert, these aircraft are on track for a successful OpEval this
summer and beginning of full-rate production," said Maj. Dave
Thompson, the H-1 program's engineering and manufacturing
development IPT military lead and a UH-1N pilot.
"The capabilities demonstrated by the aircraft are really
exciting," he added. "Especially the UH-1Y -- what a huge
improvement over the UH-1N."
The program recently received positive feedback from an
operational assessment by Fleet pilots and crews. Operational
assessments provide more of a quick check during development. More
definitive findings will be a part of this summer's operational
evaluation.
Weapons testing in Arizona, meanwhile, included initial testing
of the AH-1Z's ability to perform its primary mission - close air
support. During the four-month weapons accuracy test, the aircraft
fired nearly 800 Mk-66 2.75" rockets at air speeds ranging from 60
to 200 knots, five AGM-114 "Hellfire" anti-armor missiles, three
AIM-9 "Sidewinder" air-to-air missiles and approximately 3,000
rounds of 20mm ammunition from its M-197 automatic gun.
The UH-1Y has successfully fired approximately 400 2.75-inch
rockets, 12,800 rounds of machine gun ammunition, 136 flares, 104
chaff canisters and 104 decoys on nearly 40 test flights.
"This milestone is a direct result of the diligence exercised by
the test team in its safe and deliberate execution of a solid test
plan," said Lt. Col. David Anderson, H-1 assistant program manager
for systems engineering. "Achieving 2,500 flight test hours in
approximately four years shows us the inherent robustness of the
platform and the program-wide professionalism behind the
success."
After remanufacture, the H-1 Upgrades aircraft will feature the
latest technology in rotor and drive train design, avionics,
sensors and weapons. They also share approximately 84 percent of
their parts, making them far more maintainable, supportable,
survivable and deployable than today's H-1 aircraft.
"The Fleet's going to love these aircraft," Anderson said.
By 2014, the Marine Corps will have procured 100 UH-1Y Hueys and
180 AH-1Z Super Cobras.