H-1 Upgrades

Abstract

The mission of the AH-1W attack helicopter is to provide rotary wing close air support, anti-armor, armed escort, armed/visual reconnaissance, survivability enhancements, and fire support coordination capabilities under day/night and adverse weather conditions. The mission of the UH-1N utility helicopter is to provide command and control and combat assault support under day/night and adverse weather conditions and special operations support; supporting arms coordination and aeromedical evacuation. Major modifications for both aircraft include 37 AH-1Ws converted to AH-1Zs, build 152 new AH-1Zs, remanufacture ten (10) H-1N helicopters and build 150 new UH-1Y models. AH-1Z and UH-1Y models include a 4-bladed, composite rotor system with semi-automatic bladefold, performance-matched transmissions, T700 Engine Digital Electronic Control Units, 4-bladed tail rotors and drive systems, more effective stabilizers, upgraded landing gear, tail pylon structural modifications, and common, fully integrated cockpits and avionics systems. These upgrades will add 10,000 flight hours to AH-1Z/UH-1Y airframes. The fully integrated cockpits reduce operator workload and improve situational awareness, thus increasing safety and reducing the rate of aircraft attrition. They will provide considerable growth potential for future weapon systems and avionics, which will significantly increase mission effectiveness and survivability. The cockpits will also include integration of onboard mission planning, communications, digital fire control, self-navigation, night navigation/targeting, air-to-ground missile and air-launched intercept missile weapon systems management in nearly identical crew stations, which significantly reduces training requirements. These upgrades maximize commonality between the two aircraft and provide needed improvements in crew and passenger survivability, payload, power available, endurance, range, airspeed, maneuverability and supportability. Follow-on improvements to sensors and weapons integration, avionics, and air vehicle components will address deficiencies, systems safety, obsolescence, reliability, supportability and cost growth issues. Improvements will include all associated System Configuration Set updates as well as integration and testing related to the aircraft platforms.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2014
• Source ID: 0604245N_5_1319_PB_2014
• Change Summary Explanation: Technical: Cuff and Yoke (Step 3 Phase), redesign of the key life-limited components in the main rotor head system for life cycle cost savings, was curtailed when the return on investment data was evaluated with in-service data collected since EMD phase. The in-service cuff is the main life-limited component of the rotor system and has shown markedly better fatigue-life performance under demanding operating environmental conditions in theater than was predicted by the original conservative EMD modeling estimates and fatigue tests. Consequently, the in-service cuff life-limit was largely extended after review of fleet data and test data analyses. With the new cuff fatigue life-limit, the re-estimated total cost of redesign, manufacture, procurement, and supportability of the new improved system was projected to be only marginally better than the in-service design, especially if the in-service yoke capabilities are similar to the cuff. Therefore, the final activities associated with the redesign effort have been focused on additional fatigue and strength characterization of the in-service yoke component. Mission computer hardware redesign investigation was initiated to assess the feasibility of addressing obsolescence, reliability, supportability and cost growth issues and was completed in FY 2012. The evaluation established that a Technical Refresh Mission Computer (TRMC) is needed to mitigate deficiencies, microelectronic parts obsolescence, information assurance/program security mandates and shortfalls, reduce Operation & Support costs beyond the Fiscal Year Defense Plan, and also be available for production incorporation in Lot 11 via System Configuration Set (SCS) 8.0. Consequently, TRMC redesign was commenced and a Preliminary Design Review was completed in 2Q12. Schedule: Software Development Schedule: Completion date for System Configuration Set (SCS) 6.0 was extended from 4Q12 to 2Q13 because of limited test aircraft availability. Rerouting of aircraft parts was required to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and standup of squadrons with H-1 Upgrades aircraft that were deployed OCONUS in Marine Expeditionary Units. Consequently, some functionality being developed in SCS 6.0 that required extensive flight testing, like Ground Proximity Warning System, will be moved to development and completion in SCS 7.0. Changes to SCS 8.0 PDR and Critical Design Review from 4Q13 and 2Q14 to 2Q12 & 4Q13 to reflect actual completion and current plan. Cuff and Yoke Schedule: Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, and Developmental Test are no longer required. See Technical Change Summary Explanation above. Follow-on efforts not included in the baseline Engineering Manufacturing Development H-1 Upgrades ACAT 1C program have been moved from FY 2014 through the FYDP into Project Unit 3359, H-1 Improvements.
• Service Agency Name: Navy

Entities

Organizations

• United States Navy

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Cyber
• Materials and Manufacturing Processes
• Sensors
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Launched
• Aircrafts
• Airframes
• Computers
• Contracts
• Control Systems
• Cost Analysis
• Engineering
• Flight Testing
• Helicopters
• Life Cycle Costs
• Navigation
• Software Development
• Structural Components
• Systems Management
• Test And Evaluation
• Weapon Systems

Readers

• Aerospace Engineering

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics
• Microelectronics - Microelectromechanical Systems