Photo By Sofia Bledsoe | Maj. Gen. Kevin Mangum, Army Aviation Branch chief and commander of the U.S. Army...... read more read more
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Redstone Arsenal, Ala. – Army officials commemorated the first flight of the OH-58F Kiowa Warrior helicopter during a ceremony April 30.
The OH-58F KW program, also known as the Cockpit and Sensor Upgrade Program (CASUP), is the first designation change since 1990 and updates 1980’s equipment with the most current technology available.The CASUP is a platform capable of meeting the Army’s armed scout requirement through fiscal year 2025.
“The OH-58 Kiowa Warrior is a phenomenal aircraft and continues to prove itself as an indispensable armed scout asset for our ground commanders,” said Maj. Gen. William “Tim” Crosby, Program Executive Officer for Army Aviation. “I’m extremely proud of the Army aviation enterprise team who has worked very hard to give our Soldiers the current capabilities they need to win in the battlefield.”
The OH-58D KW was developed and fielded in the late 1980’s, and flown over 820,000 combat hours. In May 2009, the Army authorized the Armed Scout Helicopter Project Office to begin examining methods to upgrade the aging OH-58D KW.
The Army assumed the role of system integrator for the KW upgrade effort, a first in Army aviation. Traditionally, a manufacturer would assume the development, integration, and production role.
This approach to development, integration, and production keeps the government and contracted engineer developers working directly with military and government program management, allowing significant cost savings for the American taxpayers. By the Army taking on the role as system integrator, the Army saves more than $37 million during the research, development, and test and evaluation phase, and more than $551 million during the procurement/production phase.
The government will also own many of the data rights necessary to foster full and open competition for production.
Col. Robert Grigsby, Armed Scout Helicopter Project Manager explained other benefits to expanding the Army’s role, “With the Army as integrator, we can maximize capability while minimizing taxpayer impact. Controlling the design allows us to rapidly field mature technologies to support the Soldiers who depend on the Kiowa Warrior.
The F-model Kiowa Warrior capitalizes on non-developmental items and systems fielded on other aviation platforms to rapidly install, modify, or provide the following: advanced nose mounted sensor, improved cockpit control hardware and software for enhanced situational awareness, three full color multi-function displays, a dual-redundant digital engine controller for enhanced engine safety, digital inter-cockpit communications, digital HELLFIRE future upgrades, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) upgrades, and a redesigned aircraft wiring harness.
CASUP Product Manager Lt. Col. Mathew Hannah described the CASUP progress. “In early 2012, this aircraft was merely 500+ PowerPoint charts in engineering briefs. Watching the design evolve through the production build-up and to first flight has been incredible.”
The OH-58F also weighs significantly less than the OH-58D that will allow commanders more flexibility in adding capabilities in other areas such as fire power, endurance, and load.
“We have also worked closely with Bell Helicopter, the OH-58D KW Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), to design and develop the structural modifications on the aircraft. The result of these combined efforts with our OEM and our defense industry partners, we have realized an approximate 160 pound weight reduction to the basic aircraft weight,” added Hannah.
“Ultimately, KW pilots and crew members will be able to perform their mission more effectively, more efficiently and more safely,” said Col. John Lynch, Training and Doctrine Capability Manager for the Reconnaissance Attack fleet. “The improvements in sensor performance provide the ability to detect, mark and engage targets from greater standoff ranges, protecting the crew and aircraft while performing the mission of supporting ground troops.”
The OH-58 KW has flown continuously for 25 years and may be required to fly for another 20 years. In all theaters of operation, the OH-58D KW performs the armed reconnaissance mission to collect critical information for ground troops, serving as the eyes and ears of the ground commanders. The OH-58D KW has routinely flown over 100 hours a month and has the highest operational tempo supporting Overseas Contingency Operations in Army aviation.
| Date Taken: | 04.30.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 05.17.2013 14:47 |
| Story ID: | 107145 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 992 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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