Source: Airbus Source: Airbus Close

In 2015, GFS became the launch customer of the H175 in public services version with an order for seven helicopters. The four remaining helicopters will be delivered before the end of the year.

"The Government Flying Service has been very involved in the development of this new H175 version and it is a great honor to be here today to receive the first three aircraft", said Michael Chan, Controller Head of GFS. "Thanks to the H175’s speed, advanced technology and versatility we will not only be able to strengthen our response capability but also be able to intervene in the most complex situations and in a large variety of scenarios."

GFS’s new H175 will progressively replace their current fleet of AS332 L2 and H155, which currently provide 24-hour emergency support services from their base at Chek Lap Kok Airport.

The public service version of the H175 benefits from more than twenty cabin configurations which can be easily re-configured based on mission requirements. The great versatility of the aircraft is backed by approximately seventy different types of optional equipment which include an electro-optical system for observation and tracking and a digital map display, both of being managed by an operator’s console installed in the cabin. Mission equipment also includes a dual hoist, a search light, an infrared camera, as well as a radioactivity detector, which is a GFS-specific equipment.

Source: Bell Helicopter Textron Source: Bell Helicopter Textron Close

"Bell is at the forefront of on-demand mobility - ushering a new era of flight where the benefits of aviation are accessible to more people in more places," said Scott Drennan, Bell's director of Innovation, while speaking at the Transportation Conference. "This announcement is another proof point of our commitment to providing transportation of people and logistics in new, innovative and more efficient ways; our work with Safran is a historical milestone for future transport solutions."

For several years, Safran innovation teams have been actively exploring the potential of hybrid solutions for future propulsion systems. Bell and Safran's shared vision for electric and hybrid electric aircraft is to strive for the successful deployment of Bell Air Taxis and new on demand mobility systems in the future.

"Thanks to the long and sustained technology-development strategy conducted within Safran, we can now offer Bell our hybrid electric power solutions for their next generation products that result in improved performance giving more value to our customers," said Stéphane Cueille, Safran senior executive vice president, R&T and Innovation.

In this collaboration, Bell will lead the design, development and production of VTOL systems, and Safran will bring its technical expertise to bear in the development of a disruptive propulsion system.

Buk-M1 SAM system tops the shopping list Source: Rosoboronexport Buk-M1 SAM system tops the shopping list Source: Rosoboronexport Close

Speaking at a bilateral Kyrgyz-Russian commission, the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Kyrgyz military, Colonel Nurlan Chomoev, stated that Bishkek and Moscow are in negotiations for new supplies of Russian weapons and military hardware. He highlighted Kyrgyzstan's requirement for more combat helicopters and air-defense systems, saying specifically that Kyrgyzstan wants two Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile systems.

Colonel Chomoev did not specify what type of helicopters the country was looking for, but noted that Kyrgyzstan's mountainous territory makes helicopters an important investment for the military, in order to enable access to remote areas. Kyrgyzstan likely is interested in Mi-17 transport helicopters and, like its neighbors, may also be interested in the Mi-35M, an attack helicopter.

Russia has worked to assist Kyrgyzstan in building up military capabilities. Colonel Chomoev stated that, from 2014 to 2018, Russia provided over $125 million in military assistance to the Central Asian country, much of which came in the form of hardware like armored vehicles, missile systems, and aircraft. In August of last year, Kyrgyzstan's Air Force took delivery of a pair of An-26s from Russia.

The Russian military operates an airbase in Kyrgyzstan and the two countries are currently said to be negotiating over an additional base, which if agreed upon could be located in southern Kyrgyzstan.

NOTICE TO USERS

Warranty: Forecast International makes no guarantees as to the veracity or accuracy of the information provided. It warrants only that the information, which has been obtained from multiple sources, has been researched and screened to the best of the ability of our staff within the limited time constraints. Forecast International encourages all clients to use multiple sources of information and to conduct their own research on source data prior to making important decisions. All URLs listed were active as of the time the information was recorded. Some hyperlinks may have become inactive since the time of publication.

Technical Support: Phone (203)426-0800 e-mail support@forecast1.com

Subscription Information: Phone (203)426-0800 or (800)451-4975; FAX (203)426-0223 (USA) or e-mail sales@forecast1.com

Aerospace/Defense News Highlights is published by Forecast International, 22 Commerce Road, Newtown CT 06470 USA. Articles that list Forecast International as the source are Copyrighted © 2018. Reproduction in any form, or transmission by electronic or other means, is prohibited without prior approval from the publisher.

Forecast International invites all interested companies to submit their announcements and press releases for review and inclusion in our Intelligence Letters.

Contact: Ray Peterson, Director of Research
E-Mail: Ray.Peterson@forecast1.com
Phone: 800-451-4975
FAX: 203-270-8919