Bell-firm-rotor
The B-22 is the first production aircraft with a rotating propulsion system with rotors attached to engines and power transmission systems in engine nacelles at the wingtips. Photo US Marine Corps
The American company Bell Helicopters is a pioneer in the construction of aircraft with rotating rotors - rotors. Despite initial problems, the US was the first to field the V-22 Osprey, which was used by the Marine Corps (USMC) and the Air Force (USAF), and will soon enter service on Marine aircraft carriers. (USN). The rotorcraft proved to be an extremely successful concept - they provide all the operational capabilities of helicopters, but significantly exceed them in terms of performance. For this reason, Bell continues to develop them, developing the V-280 Valor rotorcraft for the US Army FVL program and the V-247 Vigilant unmanned turntable for the Marine Corps MUX program.
For several years now, the countries of Central and Eastern Europe have become one of the most important markets for Airbus Helicopters (AH). Last year was extremely successful for the manufacturer, as long-term contracts were signed for the supply of a significant number of helicopters for new customers from our region.
Lithuanian Dauphins and Bulgarian Cougars
Late last year, Airbus announced the extension of its HCare maintenance contract with Lithuania. The country's air force has been using three SA2016N365 + helicopters since January 3. Modern rotorcraft have replaced worn-out Mi-8s in search and rescue missions at the base in Siauliai, which is well known to our pilots. At least one helicopter must be available for emergency duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The contract with Airbus sets a minimum availability of helicopters for the task at 80%, but AH indicates that during the three years of the contract, the efficiency of the machines was maintained at 97%.
AS365 were not the first European helicopters in the power structures of Lithuania - earlier the border aviation of this country acquired two EC2002 in 120, and in subsequent years - two EC135 and one EC145. They are stationed at the main aviation base of the Lithuanian border guards at Polukne Airport, a few dozen kilometers south of Vilnius.
It is worth recalling that Bulgaria was one of the first countries of the former Eastern Bloc to purchase European rotorcraft. In 2006, the country's military aviation received the first of 12 ordered AS532AL Cougar transport helicopters. In addition to several active Mi-17s, they are used by one of the squadrons of the 24th Helicopter Aviation Base in Plovdiv. Four AS532s are dedicated to search and rescue missions. Three AS565 Panthers purchased with Cougars for Naval Aviation; initially there were to be six of them, but the financial problems of the Bulgarian army did not allow the order to be fully completed. There are currently two helicopters in service, one crashed in 2017.
Serbia: H145M for military and police.
In the middle of the second decade of the 8th century, the Serbian military aviation helicopter fleet consisted of Mi-17 and Mi-30 transport helicopters and lightly armed SOKO Gazelles. Currently, there are about ten vehicles manufactured by the Mila plant in service, the number of Gazelles is much larger - about 341 pieces. The SA42s used in Serbia are designated HN-45M Gama and HN-2M Gama 431 and are armed variants of the SA342H and SAXNUMXL versions.
Given the experience of operating light armed helicopters in the Balkans, one could expect interest in the HForce modular weapons system. And so it happened: at the Singapore Air Show in February 2018, Airbus announced that Serbian military aviation would become the first buyer of HForce.
Interestingly, the country used only some of the manufacturer's ready-made solutions, and adapted its types of weapons for use on helicopters. This is a seven-barreled 80-mm S-80 rocket launcher, designated L80-07, and a 12,7 mm caliber suspension cartridge.
H145 helicopters for Serbian aviation ordered at the end of 2016. Of the nine helicopters of this type ordered, three are for the Ministry of the Interior and will be used in blue and silver as police and rescue vehicles. At the beginning of 2019, the first two received civil registrations Yu-MED and Yu-SAR. The remaining six will receive tri-color camouflage and go to military aviation, four of them will be adapted to the HForce weapon system. In addition to helicopters and weapons, the contract also includes the establishment of a maintenance and repair center for new helicopters at the Moma Stanojlovic plant in Batajnice, as well as Airbus support for the maintenance of Gazelle helicopters operated in Serbia. The first H145 in the colors of the Serbian military aviation was officially handed over during a ceremony in Donauwörth on November 22, 2018. The Serbian military should also be interested in larger vehicles, there is talk of a need for several medium H215s.
