French Navy presents upgraded Panther Mk 2 France’s new tool for anti-piracy missions
04:41 GMT, May 25, 2009 For the fist time, the French Navy has publicly displayed the new Mk 2 version of its highly successful Panther helicopter during a DGA-organised pre-Paris Air Show press tour at Hyeres Naval Air Station in South East France. In 2003, French Eurocopter was contracted for a mid-life upgrade of the Navy’s fleet of 16 Panthers, worth some €80 million. The first such Mk 2 prototype, aircraft #505 (see photo), first flew in November 2008 is now passing several flight tests with Navy and industry personnel.
AS565 Panthers have recently achieved additional successes as shipboard helicopters during anti-narco-trafficking missions in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, as well as in an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden where the helicopters have been deployed since mid-2008. Since then, Panthers have been airborne for several escort and maritime patrol and surface search missions. As participants in the European naval force, “Atalantaâ€, Panthers have also been involved in several interventions and prevented ships from being hijacked, as well as assisted in seizing suspected pirates.
Deployed with the French naval squadron Flottille 36F since 1992, which is the main operator of this helicopter type, Panthers are mainly tasked for ASW missions from onboard the Cassard, La Fayette, Floreal and Forbin class frigates. Beyond that, the helicopters can also be configured to perform ASuW, support and MEDEVAC roles.
However, the increased spectrum of missions and roles being entrusted upon the Panthers during the past few years made an upgrade urgently necessary in order to keep pace with new operational requirements. For instance, in its standard French Navy configuration the Panther is not fitted with a cockpit compatible with the use of night-vision goggles, which makes operations at night or under reduced visibility impossible.
Therefore the Navy, along with the French procurement agency DGA, decided in 2003 to begin the Panther Mk 2 upgrade programme mainly to increase day and night efficiency while improving situational awareness and self-protection.
As one of the major improvements, the Mk 2 receives the new airborne electro-optical system, EuroFLIR 410 EO-IR, built by Sagem Défense Sécurité (Groupe SAFRAN) which is mounted on the left side of the helicopter (see illustration). The turret, which is a derivate of the NH90/ NFH system, will provide new gyro-stabilized day/night sensors to the helicopter delivering Infrared and TV images. The FLIR system will be operated by either the pilot or the tactical operator and gives target positioning, target designation, auto-tracking and fire-and-forget capabilities to the aircraft. These images are available for the pilot through a newly developed, fully NVG-compatible glass cockpit. Designed to reduce the workload of the pilot, the new cockpit has been fitted with several new multi-functional displays, also allowing information-sharing between the pilot and the tactical operator.
Through a new tactical situation station – developed by the governmental industry entity called Service industriel de l’aéronautique (SIAé) – and placed in the back of the helicopter, all sensor information will be collected and provided in real-time to the helicopter crew and to the frigate through NATO Link 11. “This tactical station is right now completing development and will be ready to start flight testing later this yearâ€, Arnaud Demichelis, Navy Helicopters Program Manager , told defpro.com.
The first step in this upgrade will also consist of an improvement of the identification and the entire communication system, providing a wide spectrum of frequencies, tactical anti-jamming radio as well as integration of GPS.
In a second step in the upgrade, the Mk 2 will receive a Flight Management System (FMS) and a wide-ranging radar, missile and laser warning self-protection system (SPS) with a flare dispenser, jointly built by Eurocopter, Thales, EADS and MBDA. Flight test for the SPS, which is derived from the NH90’s system, are scheduled for late 2010.
According to DGA officials, the first Mk2 prototype is expected to be handed over to the agency for flight-testing by the end of 2009. After successful tests and qualifications, the first Mk 2 aircraft is planned to enter service in mid-2010, while the Mk2s equipped with SPS are likely to enter service between 2012 and 2014. Retrofit time for the first aircraft will take some 11 months while DGA expects later aircraft to be retrofitted within six months.
As a particularity of this programme, the first two or three upgrades will be effected by Eurocopter, while the others will be under the responsibility of the Service industriel de l’aéronautique (SIAé), which will also take care of maintenance and possible future retrofits.
“The upgrade is aimed to provide increased Operational Capability in line with the new missions assigned to this medium class helicopter,†Commander Guillaume Guitard of the French Navy told defpro.com. “The new aircraft will be revolutionary for the French Navy both in the way the crew is going to work together through these nice new features, but also by the way threats will be reduced.â€
Navy officials see a possible future third step in the Panther upgrade in the improvement of its armaments by integrating new lightweight torpedoes and anti-ship missiles.
The Bulgarian Navy ordered six AS565MB Panthers in January 2005, which are to be delivered in 2010/2011. The Bulgarian MB versions will be slightly more advanced when compared to the French model, since they will be additionally fitted with a digital auto-flight controlled system, known from the EC 725, as well as improved avionics and a full capability of using lightweight torpedoes.
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High-res. photo gallery:
http://www.defpro.com/index/profile/eurocopter/downloads/----
More information on EuroFLIR:
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/1595/ Source
http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/316/
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