DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: U.S. DoD Awarded Contract To Bell Helicopter Textron For 12 New U.S. Army OH-58D Helicopters
Source: K. V. Seth - DTN News & U.S. Department Of Defense No. 608-13 August 26, 2013
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - August 26, 2013: Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Hurst, Texas, was awarded a $61,056,000 firm-fixed-price, no option, non-multi-year contract modification (P00046) to contract (W58RGZ-11-C-0016) for procurement of 12 new metal scout (OH-58D) helicopter cabins, 12 supplemental parts kits and associated over and above effort demands.
Performance location will be 97 percent in Amarillo, Texas and 3 percent in Hurst, Texas, with funding from fiscal 2013 other procurement authority accounts.
This contract was a non-competitive acquisition with one bid solicited and one bid received.
The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (Aviation), Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity.
THE OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
Proven in combat all over the world, the Bell OH-58D offers everything your mission requires in a scout helicopter: long-range day and night target acquisition, multi purpose quick-change kits, and multiple armaments with low infrared and acoustic signatures. And it can be armed and ready to fight less than 10 minutes after being off-loaded from a C-130. If the mission calls for truly exceptional war-fighting capabilities, the Bell OH-58D is always ready to answer the call.
SPOTLIGHT
FEATURES
Weapons Capability
Universal weapons pylons offer quick-change selection of the helicopter's diverse weapons systems. Each of the helicopter's two pylons can be armed with any of the following:
• Hellfire and anti-tank missiles
• Hydra 70 rockets
• .50-caliber machine gun
Survivability & Crashworthiness
Like no other armed reconnaissance helicopter in the world, the OH-58D survives combat with a countermeasure suite, which includes:
• Infrared seeker jammer
• Pulse and CW radar warning receivers
• Laser warning detectors
• Inherent infrared suppression
Mast-Mounted Sight
The mast-mounted sight enables the Kiowa Warrior to fight both day and night, at the maximum range of its weapons systems - and with minimum exposure. The aircraft remains concealed during all but a few seconds of an autonomous engagement, making it considerably more survivable than gunships with nose-mounted sensors.
Systems inside the mast include:
• High-resolution TV camera for long-range, low-light target detection
• IR thermal imaging sensor for navigation, target acquisition at night or under obscured conditions
• Laser rangerfinder for precise target location and guidance of armament
• Boresight assembly for quick in-flight sensor alignment
Engine Transmission and Rotor
The Kiowa's power train gives the speed, lift and maneuverablilty needed to endure battlefield conditions. Standard on the OH-58D are:
• 458 kw (650 shp) Allison turbine, proven on Bell's commercial model 206 LongRangers, which have amassed tens of thousands of flight hours
• "Ruggedized" transmission with a transient power capability of 475 kw (637 hp)
• Four-bladed main rotor system with all-composite, lifetime rotorblades capable of surviving shell hits up to .50 caliber
Cockpit Electronics
The OH-58D features:
• Video recorder for storing TV and thermal imagery from mission
• Cockpit playback capability
• Data transfer system with data-loading module for pre-mission storing of navigation waypoints and radio frequencies
• Night vision goggle flight reference symbology display
• Have-Quick UHF and SINCGARS FM anti-jam radio
• Displays to align and fire weapons systems
*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth - DTN News & U.S. Department Of Defense No. 608-13 August 26, 2013
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com
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