Air Force’s Huey Replacement Program Proposal Pushed Back

[rangerrebew]

Air Force’s Huey Replacement Program Proposal Pushed Back
TOPICS:Air ForcehelicoptersUH-1N Huey
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UH-1N Huey. Air Force photoUH-1N Huey. Air Force photo

Posted By: Oriana Pawlyk February 16, 2017

The Air Force will release a second request for proposal draft for the UH-1N Huey helicopter replacement program after feedback from possible bidders said that they couldn’t meet the original threshold requirements, an Air Force official told Military.com.

This does “not lower the threshold,” the official said Thursday, because the service “is holding firm and being very transparent of what the baseline is. We’re just giving [defense industry companies] the opportunity to meet it.”

The original RFP draft was issued in December; the second is anticipated by April, according to a release from the service.

https://www.dodbuzz.com/2017/02/16/air-forces-huey-replacement-program-pushed-back/

[Doug Loss]

I thought the UH-60 Blackhawk replaced the Huey years ago.  What's this all about?

[EC]

I thought the UH-60 Blackhawk replaced the Huey years ago.  What's this all about?

It was supposed to, but the military had a hell of a lot of Hueys to replace and couldn't afford to do them all at the time. And, since there were all these perfectly good choppers just sitting there, with an extensive support base already trained, Hueys kept on being used for all sorts of odd uses.

[Doug Loss]

It was supposed to, but the military had a hell of a lot of Hueys to replace and couldn't afford to do them all at the time. And, since there were all these perfectly good choppers just sitting there, with an extensive support base already trained, Hueys kept on being used for all sorts of odd uses.

So why isn't the answer to the UH-1N replacement problem "buy more Blackhawks?"  It seems to me that an RFP for an entirely new platform makes little sense, financially, logistically, or logically.

[EC]

So why isn't the answer to the UH-1N replacement problem "buy more Blackhawks?"  It seems to me that an RFP for an entirely new platform makes little sense, financially, logistically, or logically.

I'm educated guessing here - so don't quote me. 

The odd jobs the Huey wound up doing (examples rapid close terrain surveying and drone herding) are jobs the Blackhawk isn't really suited for. Blackhawks are a lot bigger, heavier and (most importantly) thirstier than the Hueys, and the extra capacity would simply be wasted. The relative lack of agility of the Blackhawk would also impact some uses the Huey gets put to.
It's the aerial equivalent of the artillery dilemma (or the seemingly perpetual fight over the Warthog). Sure, you can do almost everything with a tank, but sometimes you really need a motorbike.

[Doug Loss]

I'm educated guessing here - so don't quote me. 

The odd jobs the Huey wound up doing (examples rapid close terrain surveying and drone herding) are jobs the Blackhawk isn't really suited for. Blackhawks are a lot bigger, heavier and (most importantly) thirstier than the Hueys, and the extra capacity would simply be wasted. The relative lack of agility of the Blackhawk would also impact some uses the Huey gets put to.
It's the aerial equivalent of the artillery dilemma (or the seemingly perpetual fight over the Warthog). Sure, you can do almost everything with a tank, but sometimes you really need a motorbike.

So is there any modern airframe in production that would come close to the need?  From AgustaWestland if not from Bell or Hughes. 

[EC]

The Westland Lynx has the speed, agility and survivability to match (or exceed) the UH-1 in the uses the Huey currently has. It's rated troop capacity (and hence internal cargo capacity) is half though, and buying British isn't really something the US government does unless they have to. The Wildcat is even tougher, but trades even more cargo capacity for onboard fuel capacity.

The Bell 525 is a civvie airframe which I've seen successfully co-opted for much of the same work the UH-1 does now (flown them a few times too - reluctantly, way too stable for my liking) - but survivability depends on how hard you believe in the crucifix hanging from the stick.

There's really not that many current airframes in that particular slot - the UH-1 was so successful it pretty much drove the competition out. Kamov has one, the Ka-60, but buying Russian is right out, for obvious reasons!