Possibility of Agusta Westland AW159 or Sikorsky S-70C by 2015?

[bd_4_ever]

Excuse me if posted earlier. But the news seems interesting. However, sad as no armed copter is being spoke about yet.

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The Bangladesh Navy is procuring two Z-9C is the naval helicopter developed by the Harbin Aircraft Manufacture Co. (HAMC) for shipborne anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and search and rescue (SAR) missions. It is based upon the Z-9B air frame, which is a copy of the Eurocopter AS365N Dauphin II. The Bangladesh Army already operates two Eurocopter AS365N3+ utility helicopters.

The Z-9C is equipped with KLC-1 X-band surface search radar, which has a maximum detection range of 92 km against small targets and 118 km against medium sized surface vessels such as corvettes or frigates.

ASW gear aboard the Z-9C are a Type 605 (Chinese copy of AN/AQS-13) dipping sonar, 12 passive sonobuoys, four active sonobuoys, a temperature buoy and a maritime environment buoy. The radio receiver on the helicopter is capable of receiving sonobuoy signals at 10 km range when flying at 120 km/h.

For undertaking search and rescue missions the Z-9C helicopter is fitted with a 250 kg capacity hoist winch and a scoop fitted externally above the starboard side cabin door, one FLIR unit and a search light. The Z-9C can be armed with ET52 anti-submarine torpedoes, which are already in service with the Bangladesh Navy warships. The ET52 has a maximum range of 9.5 km using active/passive acoustic homing.

It is still unclear if the Bangladesh Navy will exercise the option to carry two Hongdu TL-10 lightweight anti-ship missiles under the two external pylons though the missiles have a maximum range of 15 km using active-radar homing. The warhead is 30kg and flying speed is Mach 0.85.
The Z-9C is powered by two 550kW (739hp) Wozhou-8A (WZ-8A) turboshafts (Turbomeca Arriel-IC1 copy), which are produced by SAEC. The fuel capacity is 1,140 litre, with option for a 400 litre ferry tank.

The Bangladesh Navy is also looking at procuring Agusta Westland AW159 or Sikorsky S-70C Wildcat ASW helicopters by 2015. It is expanding its naval aviation capabilities as per Vision 2030 armed forces modernisation plan. The plan includes purchase of submarines, frigates, corvettes, patrol ships, minesweepers, auxiliary ships, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft. The upgrade of existing naval platforms with sea skimming anti-ship missiles, surface-to-air missiles and torpedoes are also part of the plan.

Bangladesh Navy set to buy Z-9C ASW helicopters - Military Forces of Asia

 

[bd_4_ever]

AW-159

Sikorsky S-70C. Not sure which version Navy is going after..this is from the Taiwan Air Force.

 

[british_bengali]

That Website also has news about an additional contract with Indonesia about 17 other Helis for the SAR.

The Z-9C is likely to arrive with our Type 056 corvettes but the Agusta or Sikorsky could be bought for the BNS somudro Joy or one of the Castle class.

However,does anyone know if a small helicopter carrier is likely to procured,Not not but for these additional Helicopters??

 

[bd_4_ever]

That Website also has news about an additional contract with Indonesia about 17 other Helis for the SAR.

The Z-9C is likely to arrive with our Type 056 corvettes but the Agusta or Sikorsky could be bought for the BNS somudro Joy or one of the Castle class.

However,does anyone know if a small helicopter carrier is likely to procured,Not not but for these additional Helicopters??

Guess that would be a distant possibility. A helo-carrier does not probably suit our doctrine (Hell, we dont even have one!). On the other hand, it would make more sense if we had a credible number of attack helos in our inventory.


Cheers!!!

 

[british_bengali]

Me and @BDforever recently talked about the attack Helos,There were rumours about 6 MI-35s from China along with three MI-171s,however that didn't happen. But it looks like Attack Helos are also unlikely to arrive before 2021.

 

[BDforever]

Me and @BDforever recently talked about the attack Helos,There were rumours about 6 MI-35s from China along with three MI-171s,however that didn't happen. But it looks like Attack Helos are also unlikely to arrive before 2021.

Mi171 and Mi35 helis are from Russia not china. Anyway we are not going for Mi35. As attack helo we use 9 Mi171 heli (3 more on order). For navy 3-5 Z-9c heli and 8 S-70 (turkish naval version) are more likely to be come within 2017.

 

[Ideas_R_Bulletproof]

Somudro Joy is probably going to get a sister ship (another WHEC) in 2014, according to the Naval Chief. Thats requirement for 2 helos within 2014. Castle-class won't have helo, as they don't have hanger. Type 056 corvettes won't arrive before 2015.
A helicopter carrier by 2020 is not impossible, considering Myanmar's submarine ambitions. A civilian ship converted to carry 4-8 helos of ASW, SAR, AEW, transport roles would be a very efficient way to patrol the whole of the Bay against submarine threats.

 

[eastwatch]

Somudro Joy is probably going to get a sister ship (another WHEC) in 2014, according to the Naval Chief. Thats requirement for 2 helos within 2014. Castle-class won't have helo, as they don't have hanger. Type 056 corvettes won't arrive before 2015.
A helicopter carrier by 2020 is not impossible, considering Myanmar's submarine ambitions. A civilian ship converted to carry 4-8 helos of ASW, SAR, AEW, transport roles would be a very efficient way to patrol the whole of the Bay against submarine threats.

I think, only the conversion of a civilian ship to carry helis may not suffice. The ship must also be given teeth like big guns and missiles so that it can protect itself, even if two corvettes or LAPCs accompany it.

 

[BDforever]

Somudro Joy is probably going to get a sister ship (another WHEC) in 2014, according to the Naval Chief. Thats requirement for 2 helos within 2014. Castle-class won't have helo, as they don't have hanger. Type 056 corvettes won't arrive before 2015.
A helicopter carrier by 2020 is not impossible, considering Myanmar's submarine ambitions. A civilian ship converted to carry 4-8 helos of ASW, SAR, AEW, transport roles would be a very efficient way to patrol the whole of the Bay against submarine threats.

1. who said castle class can not have helo ? check their picture or read info, they have helipad.
2. next year 2 Typ056 corvette is coming.
3. Wait for South Korean unknown type of frigates (2 on order) first one will arrive in 2016.
4. At the end of this year, 3 frigates is going be commissioned, each of them can carry helicopter.

 

[bd_4_ever]

Somudro Joy is probably going to get a sister ship (another WHEC) in 2014, according to the Naval Chief. Thats requirement for 2 helos within 2014. Castle-class won't have helo, as they don't have hanger. Type 056 corvettes won't arrive before 2015.
A helicopter carrier by 2020 is not impossible, considering Myanmar's submarine ambitions. A civilian ship converted to carry 4-8 helos of ASW, SAR, AEW, transport roles would be a very efficient way to patrol the whole of the Bay against submarine threats.

I dont see why we need a helicopter-carrier. If Myanmar goes for subs, we have to primarily counter it with our age-old torpedo boats (no idea if they were modified). But, when the Z-9s arrive, we will have a good ASW capability..and they can be carried by other ships.

We want to beat subs? First lets get our own!


Cheers!!!

 

[Ideas_R_Bulletproof]

Okay, lets break this down a bit for your understanding. In anti-submarine warfare (ASW), detection is the key. Weapons always come later. I will talk about detection alone. If you can't detect a sub, you can't fire a weapon at it.

A passive sonar can detect a submarine 50-80km away depending on its technology and operator efficiency. A passive sonar works best when its a towed array, not hull-mounted. A hull-mounted sonar is hampered by the ship's own propulsion system. Active sonars are capable of detecting a sub around 8-10 miles away. But the task becomes more difficult when its in lottoral waters. Shallow ocean floor makes it more difficult for sonars to separate a sub from the ocean floor. A torpedo range is highly competitive with active sonars. So, when an active sonar picks up a sub, its most probably already under threat from the sub's torpedo. This is exactly how the Indian Navy lost an ASW frigate to a Pakistan Navy sub on 09 December 1971.

Aircrafts are an excellent way of avoiding risk to high-value ships. If aircrafts are equipped with very good surface search radars, it can pick snorkeling subs on the surface. Sonobuoys dropped from fixed wing ASW aircraft or helicopters have active/passive sonars in them, thus a great way to help find that needle-in-a-haystack thing called submarine. Good ASW fixed wing aircraft are also armed with MAD (Magnetic Anomaly Detector) that can pick the turbulence in earth's magnetic field when a metal submarine passes by. But its the shortest range thing. This first thing is always passive sonar because of its range; then its active sonar, then its MAD. Step by step. But without proper teamwork, a submarine can always slip away.

Now, as far as I know, none of the BD ships are equipped with passive towed-array sonars. Aircrafts are not equipped with sonobuoys. This puts the whole fleet in danger. An aircraft is the most efficient way of patrolling a vast ocean area, because its fast. A surface ship will take days and they are much more vulnerable to subs' torpedoes.

A helicopter carrier like the British RFA Argus may be the way to go. Such a ship will not require heavy armaments, as it should never go out alone. Its escorts are to provide it protection, while the 4-8 helos of the helicopter carrier will provide ASW, surface search, AEW to the whole group. RFA Argus had been used by the RN for a lot of roles. You can search Google. Although we may not need a ship as big as that. A much smaller ship can carry 4-8 helos.

 

[PlanetSoldier]

I think, only the conversion of a civilian ship to carry helis may not suffice. The ship must also be given teeth like big guns and missiles so that it can protect itself, even if two corvettes or LAPCs accompany it.

Converting a civilian ship to military one is baseless point. Some of our shipyards are now building 50000 ton ships, still they'll not be able to build a 500 ton patrol ship for navy.