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Aviation History
1990
1990 - 0921.PDF
Left: theNH90pre- feasibility study identified the concept of a shipborne helicopter reactive in anti-submarine warfare over a 93km (50nm) radius with simultaneous anti- surface warfare capability Agusta has at present a 35% share in the Frll.2 billion ($1.94 billion) NH 90 pro gramme and would take a 38% stake in Tonal if it goes ahead. BRITISH RESERVE Although Tonal would be essentially a development of the existing A. 129 Mangusta, the UK House of Commons Defence Committee says that the prospects of the programme "... being com pleted without fur ther difficulties and delay do not look good". The committee says further: "If there should be doubts that the A. 129 will cost-effectively meet the Army's requirements and if differences be tween partner na tions over how to pursue the pro gramme re-appear, we would expect the UK seriously to reconsider its continuing participation in the programme". The committee is also questioning whether a requirement for a light-attack helicopter should be met by a new programme. Indeed officials now refer to the "Attack Helicopter" requirement, indicating a preference for a heavier machine such as the McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache. In its recent report on the subject, the committee states that, until the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) comes to a " . . . firm conclusion as to the size and capability of the helicopter that it requires ... it is likely to find that no specification, not even its own, is ultimately satisfactory". Westland is keeping its options open for work on -an attack helicopter for the British Army: -At last year's Paris Air Show the company signed a memorandum of under standing (MoU) with McDonnell Douglas securing manufacturing participation should The TTH can carry a light tactical transport vehicle Apache be chosen by the UK Ministry of Defence. In February this year Westland also signed an MoU with Aerospatiale and MBB giving the company a major share of the Eurocopter Tiger if selected for the British Army. Aerospatiale is offering three. Tiger variations with degrees of customisation to suit UK needs. Another option for the UK would be the LH light-attack/reconnaissance helicopter being developed for the US Army. TONAL FIGHTS FOR LIFE Tonal seems to be ending up as a compro mise. The Italians want the helicopter to be as similar to Agusta's A. 129 as possible, for standardisation, while the other partners want a larger and more sophisticated ma chine. Until June the four partners will study the latest cost-definition and technical report. They have the option of taking a further six months to evaluate the latest proposals and, given current Dutch reticence, a decision to enter a pre-development phase is unlikely before the end of 1990. If the project receives the go-ahead, a year's pre- development would focus on cost reductions and technical studies. The Tonal project is jeopardised by the existence of several viable alternatives which could easily be adapted to meet the likely requirements of the Tonal partner nations. As the UK's Defence Committee points out, the McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache "... looks to be the logical alternative to the A. 129 LAH". Another partner country, the Netherlands, is also being wooed by Apache salesmen in a bid to retain combat helicopters as a Dutch defence requirement. The Dutch Ministry of Defence has decided to postpone any combat helicopter procurement deci sions until the CFE reduction talks have been concluded successfully. In tandem with this the Dutch want to cut Gil billion ($2 billion) from their defence budget over the next four years. The Dutch are also hopeful that CFE ceilings on the number of combat helicopters in Europe might yet obviate the need to purchase such machines. The NH 90 programme involves the design of two versions, the NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH90) and the Tactical Transport Helicop ter (TTH90). The latter would be an 8.5t twin-turbine machine able to carry a 2t payload or 20 troops. The tactical version of FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 28 March-3 April 1990 29
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