LONDON – Airbus Helicopters has announced the first members of H175M Task Force. The UK-based industry team created to offer, supply and support the British-produced H175M helicopter for the UK’s New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement.
On the opening day of the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, Gloucestershire, leading aerospace companies Babcock International, Martin-Baker, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) and Spirit AeroSystems stepped forward as Strategic Partners in the new teaming.
The addition of Babcock, Martin-Baker and Spirit AeroSystems will increase the sovereign UK elements of the Airbus proposition sourced from across the country.
These agreements, signed with some of the most respected aerospace companies in the UK and internationally are a clear sign of the robustness and enduring value to the nation of our proposal. If selected the H175M Task Force will create hundreds of new jobs and sustain thousands more throughout the UK rotary supply chain in the years ahead. The H175M has the potential to reinvigorate the UK’s helicopter industry by addressing an export market estimated at nearly 500 aircraft worldwide
said Lenny Brown, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK.
Defence and helicopter specialist Babcock will fulfill the critical role of support partner for the H175M in UK service at military operating locations.
Martin Baker, at Denham, Middlesex, with more than 70 years of aerospace experience, will provide specialist troop seating and cabin integration services.
In Belfast, Northern Ireland and Prestwick, Scotland Spirit AeroSystems, already an Airbus partner on the CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft, will undertake extensive detailed design and manufacturing activities on the H175M.
In addition, Pratt & Whitney Canada, is formally partnering in the team for which it supplies and supports the PT6C-67E turboshaft engines from its market leading family of powerplants.
Further partners and suppliers from across the UK will be announced as the bid progresses based on the H175M helicopter to be produced at Broughton, North Wales.
Babcock are extremely pleased to be part of the H175M Task Force competing to deliver the New Medium Helicopter requirement for the UK Ministry of Defence. Collaborating with Airbus as part of this strategic task force enables us to partner with industry specialists and leverage our expertise in aerospace engineering and in-service support, delivering resilient operational capability for the UK MoD. As a people-focused organization, we look forward to investing in the future of UK Defence and to provide sustainable, long-term employment opportunities that will benefit local communities and the wider economy
said Phil Craig, Manager Director of Babcock Aviation UK.
About H175M
The H175M is the newest member of Airbus Helicopters’ military rotorcraft family, offering a highly capable replacement for fleets in the medium-weight and super-medium-weight categories.
With 12 cubic metres of space, the H175M’s cabin is the largest for a helicopter of its size and is perfectly adapted to carrying troops. The interior has been ergonomically designed to seat up to 16, with back-to-back foldable seats and large doors facilitating quicker and easier entry and exit.
It also features an internal cargo space of 2.3 cubic meters, easily accessible from the cabin, allowing soldiers to have vital access to additional equipment without leaving the helicopter.
Benefitting from the civil H175 version’s utilisation for search and rescue, law enforcement and public service, the H175M integrates proven equipment for fast roping and external sling loads.
The H175M also can be equipped with an electronic warfare system, electro-optical system and machine guns that are fired either from the forward windows or lateral doors.
The H175 civil version has logged more than 16,000 flight hours with the Hong Kong Government Flying Service. Performing thousands of life-saving missions and patrolling off-shore regions.
This experience confirms the H175M’s capabilities in search and rescue as well as maritime security, benefitting from the helicopter’s radius-of-action of nearly 300 nautical miles and an endurance close to six hours. Additionally, it can be fitted with a hoist and 12.7mm machine gun through lateral doors.
Helionix system
Airbus’ Helionix is the only avionics system developed by a helicopter manufacturer, and provides industry-leading situational awareness for the most effective and safe piloting during such challenging mission profiles as nap-of-the-Earth flying and in combat operations.
Additionally, it ensures extensive cockpit commonality for pilots who already have trained and flown Helionix-equipped helicopters, reducing training requirements and providing cost efficiencies.
The latest evolution of Helionix’ 4-axis autopilot allows the H175M to be controlled and recovered safely in the most extreme environments, including brown-out and white-out.
