New Medium Helicopter | |
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General information | |
Project for | Procurement of a fleet of medium-lift helicopters |
Issued by | UK Ministry of Defence |
Service |
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Proposals |
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Requirement | 44 Medium Lift Helicopters final assembly line training & support |
History | |
Initiated | 2021 |
Expected | 2025 |
The New Medium Helicopter (NMH) is a British military programme to procure a new medium-lift support helicopter to replace several existing helicopters operated by the Royal Air Force and British Army. It is expected the new aircraft will enter service during the late-2020s. After early work on specifications and a down select of contenders, bidding was opened in 2024. The requirement is for a production line and 44 medium helicopters planned to accomplish five specific roles. The helicopter is expected to replace Puma, Huey, and Dauphin helicopters in British service.
A main goal is to bolster medium lift capacity, currently supported dwindling numbers of Puma medium helicopters. They entered service in 1968 with 48 being bought, and 24 were upgraded to HC2 standard in the 2010s, and are planned to be service into the late 2020s while the NMH programme is underway. Part way through a transparency notice was issued, that the remaining Huey's are being replaced by Airbus H145 for the time being. In early 2024, there were signs the order could be as little as 30 aircraft, but the MoD did not comment.
In the 1967 there was an Anglo-French coöperation on helicopters which resulted in a fleet of 48 Westland Puma, which were Sud Aviation/Aerospatiale SA330;the first was delivered in 1968 and British production was active by 1970. The Westland Puma HC.1 fleet replaced Westland Whirlwind HC.Mk 10 and served with distinction in Rhodesia, Northern Ireland, Belize, the 1st Gulf War, including Operation Granby, Balkans, and humanitarian relief operations globally. However, in the 21st century its performance was found lacking in "Hot and High" conditions as encountered on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. In the 2010s 24 were upgraded with more powerful engines, and entered service as the Puma HC.2 starting in 2013. [1] The Puma HC.2 fleet is planned to be supported until at least 2028.[2]
On 22 March 2021, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) published Defence in a Competitive Age, in which it indicated that it would invest in a new medium-lift helicopter during the mid-2020s.[3] The Defence and Security Industrial Strategy, published at the same time, outlined that to maintain cost-effective access to upgrades and support for the helicopter fleet, the MOD's intention was to consolidate existing fleets through their replacement by a new aircraft acquired through the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme.[4] The aircraft to be replaced are the Royal Air Force's twenty-three Westland Puma HC2 and three Bell 412 Griffin; and the British Army's three Bell 212 and six Airbus AS365 Dauphin.[5][6] In 2022, the MOD said up to 44 aircraft would be purchased.[7]
Despite the MOD at the time having yet to release a formal requirement, Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo and Sikorsky (part of Lockheed Martin) all displayed their proposals to meet the NMH requirement at the DSEI 2021 defence exhibition in September 2021.[5]
In October 2021, the MOD indicated that no final decision had been taken on the method of procurement, but that the expectation was that it will be subject to a competition.[8] A prior information notice was published by the MOD on 11 November 2021, which outlined the scope of the project and the intention to carry out early engagement with potential suppliers. The MOD indicated that it anticipated 36 to 44 new helicopters would be procured, as well as two cockpit flight simulators and one cabin simulator.[9] At this stage the estimated cost of the contract was £1 billion and it was anticipated to run from October 2023 until October 2028.[10]
The MOD published a contract notice on 18 May 2022, officially commencing the competition and confirming the intention to acquire up to 44 aircraft. The contact would also include air and ground crew training as well as in-service technical support and maintenance. The contract would now be worth between £900 million and £1.2 billion. Although no contract start date was indicated, it is specified as running for seven years from the date of award. Invitations to tender were expected to be issued by the MOD by 30 September 2022.[11]
In July 2023, the defence media reported that the number of aircraft to be acquired had been reduced to a maximum of 35.[12] However, the MOD denied it had reduced the quantity under consideration, stating "There has been no change to the advertised requirement in the New Medium Helicopter contract notice that was published in May 2022." That tender document called for the acquisition of up to 44 New Medium Helicopters with a total budget of up to £1.2 billion ($1.5 billion). The MOD added that "the second half of the competition will be launched later [in 2023]."[13] In February 2024, defence industry sources again indicated that the expected order size would be reduced, potentially to 25-35 aircraft, with the MOD declining to comment on the exact figure.[14]
Bidding was opened for the programme as the Invitation to Negotiate phase was launched in February 2024. Three manufacturers, Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters and Lockheed Martin are expected to submit bids which will be reviewed during 2025 when a contract is also expected to be awarded.[15]
Separately from the NMH programme, the MOD published a transparency notice in November 2023 indicating its intention to acquire six Airbus H145M helicopters for use in Cyprus and Brunei, to replace the Puma HC2 currently in use.[16] The order was confirmed in April 2024.[17]
As of November 2022, there was four aircraft had been offered by their respective manufacturers to meet the anticipated requirement.[18][19] As of 2024, at the start of bidding it is thought there is three main NMH contenders: the H175M, AW149, and S-70/H-60.[20]
European multinational company Airbus Helicopters are offering a military version of the H175, which is designated as the H175M.[21] It is a twin-engine helicopter which according to Airbus has the largest cabin space and fuel capacity in its class.[22]
Airbus is partnering with Boeing Defence UK, Babcock, Martin-Baker and Spirit AeroSystems to form the H175m Task Force. Pratt & Whitney Canada would supply PT6C-67E turbo-shaft engines.[21][23]
The aircraft would be manufactured at Airbus's factory located at Hawarden Airport, Broughton, Wales.[23]
Italian based manufacturer Leonardo (with its Anglo-Italian AugustaWestland helicopter subsidiary) intends on offering the AW149. It is currently operated by the Royal Thai Army and Egyptian Navy. Leonardo has indicated that it would assemble the AW149 at a new assembly-line at its Yeovil facility in Somerset, England.[24] Leonardo's 31 March 2022 press release confirmed that Yeovil will act as a 'final assembly facility' due to Italy's investment in their main AW189/AW149 production line in Brindisi, Italy.[25] In July 2022 Poland ordered 32 AW149 helicopters with production at Leonardo's PZL Świdnik factory. The contract has a value of $1.85 billion (€1.76 billion).[26][27][28][29][30]
Sikorsky highlighted that the Black Hawk was designed as a military helicopter, rather than being a military version of a civilian airframe and that it was combat proven.[31] Entering service in 1979, the Black Hawk is operated by 29 countries, including by the US military which had over 2,000 examples across a range of variants.[32] Sikorsky selected StandardAero for final assembly in England of the helicopter's should it be the winner.[33]
Company | Model | Passengers | MTOW (kg) | Range (km) | Max speed (kn) | Cruise speed (kn) | First flight year | Flight hours | Length(m) | Width (m) | Height (m) | Production site | Min. op temp (°C) | Max op. temp (°C) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aérospatiale | Puma HC2[34] | 16 | 7,400 | 550 | 167 | 134 | 1965 | 30,000+[35] | 18.2 | 3.5 | 5.14 | Hayes, Middlesex[36] | -30 | +40 |
Airbus Helicopters | H175M[37] | 18 | 7,800 | 1,083 | 175+ | 160+ | 2009[38][39] | 145,000+[40] | 18.06[41] | 3.35[42] | 5.34 | Airbus Broughton | -40 | +50 |
Leonardo Helicopters | AW149[43] | 19 | 8,000 | 849 [44] | 170 | 155 | 2009[45][46] | unknown | 17.57 | 3.02[47] | 5.07 | Yeovil/Westland Airport | -40 | +55 |
Boeing Rotorcraft Systems | MH-139 Grey Wolf | 15 | 6,500 | 1,300 | 167 | 135 | 2001 | 2,000,000+[48] | 16.66 | 2.26 | 4.98 | PZL-Świdnik | -40 | +55 |
Sikorsky Aircraft | S-70M | 11 | 9,979 | 460 | 195 | 160 | 1974 | 14,000,000+ | 19.76 | 4.37 | 5.33 | StandardAero Gosport | -40 | +55 |
It was thought the American company Boeing might offer the MH-139 Grey Wolf (based on the Leonard AW-139) for the UK New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirements, which was the winner in 2018 of a US Air Force competition to replace the Vietnam-era Bell UH-1N helicopters. However, Boeing did not confirm this though it acknowledged it was the only helicopter in its portfolio that could meat the UK specs.[53][19][18] In 2023 Airbus welcomed Boeing to their H175M task force.[21] As of 2024 at start of bidding, it is reported that Boeing is partnering with Airbus on the H175M.[20]
The Ministry of Defence is looking to buy up to 44 New Medium Helicopters (NMH) to replace existing helicopters.
According to the notification, the requirement will cover between 36 and 44 aircraft, as well as two cockpit and one cabin simulator...
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The Royal Air Force (RAF) Puma helicopter fleet has achieved 30,000 flying hours since the Puma 2 helicopter came into service in 2015.
the SNIAS/Westland Puma HC.1 accounted for 40 aircraft XW198-237, all were built at Hayes with deliveries commencing with XW198 and 199 on 29/1/71.
Eurocopter expects a minimum of 800 orders over a 20-year period for the EC175. The helicopter completed its first flight on 4 December, meeting a target to fly by the end 2009 that was established at the outset of four-year-old programme.
EC175's first flight on December 4th, 2009
More than 145,000 flight hours have been logged by the H175 fleet in such operations as...
The AgustaWestland AW149 multirole military variant of the AW139 medium twin helicopter completed its first flight on November 13, a day after the AW159 Lynx Wildcat updated Lynx for the British military flew.
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the first prototype of the AW149 multi-role military medium twin helicopter successfully completed its maiden flight on November 13th at AgustaWestland's Vergiate plant.