MINDEF to acquire six new Sikorsky S-70B
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REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE NAVY ACQUIRES SIX NEW NAVAL HELICOPTERS
MINDEF has signed a contract with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation of the United States to acquire six new Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopters which will operate off the Republic of Singapore NavyÂ’s (RSN) new frigates.
The acquisition of naval helicopters, equipped with advanced anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare sensors and weapons, is a significant milestone in the RSNÂ’s force development. The naval helicopters are projected for delivery to the RSN between 2008 and 2010. This acquisition will enhance the RSNÂ’s capability to undertake a wide spectrum of missions and carry out its mission of defending Singapore and its vital sea lines of communications more effectively.
http://www.mindef.gov.sg/display.asp?number=2339
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No spares?javascript:emoticon('
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anybod knows how many crews are needed to man 1 such helo?
so there will be 1 or 2 pilot who will be post to the frigate... the rest of the crew i think will be from rsn...
that time i heard the rsn are opening up vacancies for helo pilots... not v sure, this holds any ground... -
Singapore like to buy small nos. to operational test -test / play-play to confirm the items meets our needs / requiremnts before deciding to getting the required nos.Originally posted by rascallyun:No spares?javascript:emoticon('')
Question
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damn . . . no nh90????
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Wow, that means almost all the countries in this region using it liao, if singas using it means it's an endorsment for sikorsky liao. Mebbe can share share so getting parts easier also. But I think is because the americans are using it on their ships so they can share their codes with us.
The S-70B Seahawk naval helicopter is manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Connecticut. The helicopter is a development of the UH60A Black Hawk US Army Helicopter.
The Seahawk entered service in the US Navy in 1982. 230 Seahawk helicopters are in service with the USN, carrying the designations SH-60B, SH-60R, SH-60F and HH-60H, on US Navy Oliver Hardy Perry class frigates, Arleigh Burke and Spruance class destroyers and Ticonderoga class guided missile cruisers. The SH-60B is used as a platform for the Light Airborne Multi-Purpose Subsystem (LAMPS) Mark III mission system for anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASUW). The Seahawk can travel up to 100 nautical miles from the host ship and remain on station for several hours. The helicopter carries out all weather surveillance, search and rescue, missile targeting, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare and strike-warfare.
The S-70B family also includes the US Coast Guard HH-60J Jayhawk. Export versions of the Seahawk are operational with the navies of Australia (16), Greece (ten), Japan (70), Spain (12), Taiwan (20), Thailand (six) and Turkey (20). The Spanish Navy has received six new SH-60B equipped with LAMPS Mk III and six helicopters already in service have been upgraded to LAMPS Mk III standard. The helicopters are deployed on Santa Maria and Alvaro de Bazan (F100) frigates.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is building under licence a new variant, the SH-60K, for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force. The JMSDF has ordered an initial seven for delivery from 2005. The SH-60K will have a more powerful engine and upgraded avionics compared to the SH-60J in service with the JMSDF and also licence-built by Mitsubishi.
The Seahawk is flown by a crew of four: the pilot, co-pilot and the sensor and weapons systems operators. The cockpit and cabin are fitted with air conditioning, heating and ventilation.
NAVIGATION SUITE
The Seahawk's navigation suite includes the AN/APS-124 search radar supplied by Raytheon (formerly Texas Instruments), AN/ARN-118(V) Tacan supplied by Rockwell Collins, AN/APN-127 Doppler radar from Teledyne Ryan, AN/ARA-50 UHF direction finding system from Rockwell Collins and the AN/APR-194 (V) radar altimeter from Honeywell.
ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE
The helicopter is equipped with a Sikorsky sonobuoy launcher on the port side of the cabin, an ARR-84 receiver, an UYS-1 acoustic processing unit and an ARN-146 on top position indicator which indicates the position over a submerged submarine. The towed magnetic anomaly detector is the AN/ASQ-81 (V)2 supplied by Raytheon.
The helicopter carries two Mark 46 torpedoes or Mark 50 ALT Advanced Lightweight Torpedoes from Honeywell.
ANTI-SHIP WARFARE
The Seahawk's anti-ship missile is the AGM-119B Penguin from Kongsberg of Norway. The helicopter also carries the Hellfire air-to-surface missile to engage fast attack craft and small, armed ships. Target acquisition is carried out using the AAS-44 thermal imaging unit with a laser designator.
COUNTERMEASURES
The helicopter carries the ALQ-142 electronic support measures system. US Navy Seahawks have also been fitted with AN/ALQ-144 infrared jammers from BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems (formerly Sanders), AN/ALE-47 chaff and flare dispensers from Lockheed Martin, AN/AAR-47 missile warners from ATK and the AN/AAS-38 forward looking infrared from Lockheed Martin.
ENGINES
The Seahawk is equipped with two General Electric T700-GE-401C turboshaft engines developing 3,400 shaft horsepower. The helicopter's internal fuel tanks hold 2,250 litres but an in-flight refuelling system can be use in hover mode.
A Recovery Assist, Secure and Traversing system reels in the helicopter and guides it to the deck. A Fairey Hydraulics Decklock landing system with an extending two-stage actuator has been used to land and secure the Seahawk to the deck in high sea states without the assistance of the deck crew.
CARGO CAPACITY
The Seahawk is able to carry over 1,800kg of cargo internally. The external cargo hook, rated to carry loads up to 2,725kg, is not installed on all variants of Seahawk.
SH-60F CV HELO VARIANT
The SH-60F CV Helo variant of the Seahawk is equipped to carry out the anti-submarine warfare role in the noisy inner zone of a carrier battle group. It is equipped with the AQS-13F active dipping sonar system supplied by L-3 Communications - Ocean Systems, an ASN-150 cockpit management and tactical data processing system. The SH-60F CV Helo does not carry the radar, electronic support measures, magnetic anomaly detectors or air-to-surface missiles which are necessary for open-water operations away from the carrier group. It carries three Mark 50 torpedoes.
HH-60 VARIANT
The US Navy's aircraft carrier based strike rescue and special warfare helicopter is the HH-60H. It is not equipped for anti-surface ship or anti-submarine warfare. The HH-60H Seahawk can carry four crew plus 8 troops. It is equipped with the ASN-150 cockpit management system and the ALQ-144 infrared jammer. The weapons systems include GCAL-50 machine guns and Stinger, Maverick and Hellfire missiles. The cockpit is night vision goggle compatible.
The HH-60H has the capability to recover four crew of a downed aircraft at ranges up to 465km.The aircraft can also fly 370km and drop eight US Navy SEALS from an altitude of 915m. -
Wonder if the lectronics suite wll be similar to the US LAMPS Mk III? Or are they going their own way?
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Is it more of the Sea Hawk version? Seems like to me as it is of 70s series
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my sentiments exactly....Originally posted by CenturionMBT:damn . . . no nh90????
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this evaluation's been going on for quite a while already... saw a USN Seahawk doing circuits over Bishan two years ago. great that they've finally made the decision.
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The helicopter we bought has been undergoing evaluation for the past couple of years. This all played out largely in the background with the NGF programme in the forefront.
The versions previously considered also included Eurocopter AS532SC Cougar Mk 2+ and NFH 90, in addition to the Seahawk. According to some reports, further procurement is being considered of the same selected type, to replace the approximately 20 AS 322M Super Pumas capable of being operated from RSN amphibious landing ships.
The version of the Sikorsky S-70B we're receving is based on the version previously offered to Greece. A model was displayed at Asian Aerospace 2000, but as mentioned the fighter jets stole the show.
According to news at that time:
The Singapore Seahawk would be "based on the SH-60 (alias S-70B) version supplied to Greece, the prospective variant most noticeably has a nose-mounted, forward-looking infrared turret and an external pylon system which allows it to carry a Penguin anti-ship missile and four Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, in addition to the usual Mk 40 torpedo and towed MAD "bird" stowed on the starboard side. For good measure-and SAR-there's a winch above the cabin door."
Not sure whether the above is entirely accurate since Sikorsky (unlike Boeing) doesn't release contract information factoids on its website and some modifications may have already been made to the initially offered variant. -
Doesn't make sense. The SAF should get the 532 model Cougar which is similar to our Super Puma. From what I know, the SAF also looking for a future replacement for our Super Puma. Maybe the S70 could be the likely copter? If compare the Super Puma to the S70, which one is better?
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IMO the Seahawk is better. besides, we benefit from commonality too as US has a large stockpile of Seahawk spare parts here for their naval detachments.
my question: will our Seahawks have dipping sonar? the US SH-60R and the Greek Seahawks on which ours are based have it. -
I don't think BlackHawk will be used to replace SuperPuma, they are the same generation, so the advantage is not big enough to justify.
But for navy, it is different coz we have no history of using naval helicopter (Edurance LST don't count as the role is not really naval combat).
And NH90 being brand new would be very expensive.
But if it's to replace SuperPuma would have to be a helicopter that is significatly more advanced. NH90 would be good for that role.
Furthermore, Super Puma as naval helicopter is not common in the world. For example, UK even though uses Superpuma for Army Aviation, still use Sea King for naval operation (they are slowly changing to EH-101 of course).
And France herself, don't use SuperPuma for naval operation. Changing slowly to NH90 but before NH90, it is like this....... For Cassard destroyer, Panther AS-565. Georges Leygues, Lynx. La Fayette AS 565 Panther.
In other words, using Super Puma as a naval helicopter is un-verified (I don't know the word for it), so the systems developed for it will not be very good. -
So anyone thinks the S70 will replace our ageing UH1 or Super Puma? From wat I know, SUper Puma can carry more troops than S70. Something like 24 troops vs 14 troops.
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Does that mean Singapore is going to try for the Penguin ASM again. For newbies, we were rebuffed once when we tried getting it for the F-16.
To date IIRC we don't have any attach aircraft armed with anti-ship missiles.
The Fokker MPA armed with Harpoon don't count. As that will be the first aircraft any one will shoot down.
I wonder are we going to get the anti ASW suite, as the Americans are very touchy about submarine warfare. -
Whether S70 will replace UH1H will depend how sucessful the S70 will be in SG service.Originally posted by Manager433:So anyone thinks the S70 will replace our ageing UH1 or Super Puma? From wat I know, SUper Puma can carry more troops than S70. Something like 24 troops vs 14 troops.
Like I say earlier, Singapore like to buy small nos. to operational test -test / play-play before deciding to getting the required nos.
Initial replacment will be for our UH1H Huey - they "officially" come into service in 1977 – making the Huey the oldest helicopters in RSAF - 30 years old.
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BTW for S70 replacing S. Puma , IMHO unlike as both the helicopters are in different class.Originally posted by sg1960:Whether S70 will replace UH1H will depend how sucessful the S70 will be in SG service.
Like I say earlier, Singapore like to buy small nos. to operational test -test / play-play before deciding to getting the required nos.
Initial replacment will be for our UH1H Huey - they "officially" come into service in 1977 – making the Huey the oldest helicopters in RSAF - 30 years old.
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True.The SP is closer to the Mh/CH-53 Super Stallions in trooplift class.
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they're attached to the frigates so the question is.....
will the seahawk be under the RSAF or the RSN? -
Like the fokkers, these assets will be legally owned by the navy but flown by flyboys (or girls) from the air forceOriginally posted by sidestep1984:they're attached to the frigates so the question is.....
will the seahawk be under the RSAF or the RSN? -
Well... They wanted ASW...Originally posted by Manager433:Doesn't make sense. The SAF should get the 532 model Cougar which is similar to our Super Puma. From what I know, the SAF also looking for a future replacement for our Super Puma. Maybe the S70 could be the likely copter? If compare the Super Puma to the S70, which one is better? -
New Update:
MINDEF has signed a contract with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation of the United States to acquire six new Sikorsky S-70B naval helicopters which will operate off the Republic of Singapore NavyÂ’s (RSN) new frigates.
The acquisition of naval helicopters, equipped with advanced anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare sensors and weapons, is a significant milestone in the RSNÂ’s force development. The naval helicopters are projected for delivery to the RSN between 2008 and 2010. This acquisition will enhance the RSNÂ’s capability to undertake a wide spectrum of missions and carry out its mission of defending Singapore and its vital sea lines of communications more effectively. -
COugar is the naval version of Super Puma.Originally posted by sbst275:Well... They wanted ASW...