ATAK team outlines progress of Turkey's T129 project

[jawadqamar]

ATAK team outlines progress of Turkey's T129 project


By Luca Peruzzi

Programme officials from the ATAK development team have provided further details of Turkey's T129 attack helicopter programme, as its first prototype has completed its debut flight.

Conducted at AgustaWestland's Vergiate facility in Italy on 28 September, the milestone event involved aircraft P1, the first of five prototypes to be produced under the Turkish Aerospace Industries-led programme. Powered by LHTEC T800A-4 engines, the aircraft is one of three T129s to be built in a basic configuration, with the others to enter final assembly at Vergiate in March and July 2010, respectively.

Kits for the programme's two so-called Turkey Unique Configuration prototypes will be delivered to TAI in April and August 2010. These production-standard airframes will undergo assembly, integration, test and trials in Turkey.

Critical design reviews for both aircraft versions will be concluded in the second quarter of next year, and all five prototypes should fly by mid-2011. "The joint programme is on time, cost and scheduled programme achievements," says AgustaWestland chief executive Giuseppe Orsi.

Turkey has ordered 50 production T129s and has options on another 41. The aircraft will be equipped with Turkish-made systems including electronics, forward-looking infrared sensor, cockpit avionics and mission computer from Aselsan, and weapon systems from Roketsan.

TAI general director Muharrem Dortkasli says the first T129 ATAK will be handed over to the Turkish armed forces in the third quarter of 2013. Turkey will be responsible for international marketing and sales of the design, and industry sources say several countries are already evaluating the product, including Jordan and Pakistan.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

T-129 is a perfect combat chopper for PA.

 

[jawadqamar]

T-129 is a perfect combat chopper for PA.

ABSOULTALY TRUE

 

[hj786]

T-129 is a perfect combat chopper for PA.

No it isn't, its too expensive to be bought in large numbers. It is just as expensive as any of the Western attack choppers. I wouldn't complain if it is chosen, but WZ-10 (with Western avionics and weaponry if necessary) is the ideal choice if you look at cost effectiveness.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

No it isn't, its too expensive to be bought in large numbers. It is just as expensive as any of the Western attack choppers. I wouldn't complain if it is chosen, but WZ-10 (with Western avionics and weaponry if necessary) is the ideal choice if you look at cost effectiveness.

To begin with, WZ-10 is not even offered for export and even if china do agree to export it to PA in near future (which i dough) i again dough that west will upgrade every other chinese systems for pakistan. Btw you have to show me a source where it does say that WZ-10 is offered to PA or PA has shown some interests in this chopper.
T-129 for its bucks is a very advance chopper with latest western systems.

 

[abbasniazi]

I think the only advantage that this helo ma have for being considered by PA is to strike an irrevokable contract with turkey to buy state of the art product without having any fear of sanctions.

it looks like a mix of tiger, apache and cobra...

 

[Myth_buster_1]

I think the only advantage that this helo ma have for being considered by PA is to strike an irrevokable contract with turkey to buy state of the art product without having any fear of sanctions..

Thats only the tip of the ice burg... their are many many more advantages.

 

[shchinese]

looks cool.

 

[jawadqamar]

Cobra’s will be a short term solution to bridge the gap until some like Tiger/T-129/WZ-10 etc can be purchased.

T-129 have advantage of being based on already operation attack helicopter on the other hand WZ-10 is china’s first effort and integration will consume additional time effort and resources with risk of delays that we can not afford but then we don’t have any information about the development stage and its capabilities

 

[ejaz007]

There is already a thread related to T129:

http://www.defence.pk/forums/land-forces/35334-tai-t-129-makes-its-first-flight.html

Perhaps this should be merged with the other thread. In this way it would be easy to go through all the information related to T129 instead of browsing through different threads.

 

[Nutuk]

The T-129 is expensive for Turkey, nearly $60mln per chopper but that is because of the costs of production facilities, development and certifications which are calculated in the price.

Export choppers will become significantly cheaper, slightly above half of that price.

On performance, will it be better than AH-64 longbow? Propably not, but it will have comparable performance, with also high tech additions like MMW radar, HMDS, moving map, encrypted communications, a Turkish developed missile pack (UMTAS-CIRIT combination), the latest helicopter selfdefence suit etc.

Above all it won't have any restrictions like the US made Apache which is severely restricting third countries on her usefulness, mission planning, choice of weaponry, radar settings etc.

Whichever atack helicopter Pakistan will chose, be it a Turkish, Chinese or US chopper, make sure to have no any restrictions and full access to its source codes as this is a vital requirement to operate your weaponry independently.

 

[emotionless_teenage]

i suggest for newer generation of cobra(AH-1W/Z)

pakistan already have experience operating cobra thus become a cost-effective solution for pakistan

 

[Nutuk]

i suggest for newer generation of cobra(AH-1W/Z)

pakistan already have experience operating cobra thus become a cost-effective solution for pakistan

AH-1Z king cobra is certainly a good chopper, no doubt. The only problem though is that the US did not even give Turkey the right to install her own mission computer and source codes (that's why our ATAK-1 tender flopped and had to be cancelled). If Pakistan doesn't mind restrictions on her weaponry than AH-1Z is certainly a good choice.

 

[emotionless_teenage]

AH-1W/Z,at its default configuration are capable of carrying hellfire missile,which is the most potent anti tank weapon around

unless pakistan want to integrate it with chinese system/armament i don't think they will have problem with it

 

[Nutuk]

Hellfire is certainly not bad, but quite expensive.

One should not only look at the acquisition costs of a fighter plane or helicopter, but also at the operating costs over the next 30 years. Big purchases like fighters and attack helicopters are strategic purchases that form the backbone of an army. Every 10 years the helicopter needs an upgrade to be on par with the technological developments. Without ownership of source codes you cannot even change a missile or integrate another subsystem.

Anyhow I am not a salesman nor intent to promote any chopper, hopefully Pakistan will find the perfect helicopter for her needs.