USDA FOREST SERVICE UNVEILS NEW HELICOPTER TECHNOLOGY [HueyCobras]

The Feds ^ | 11-17-03 | staff

[jordan8]

11/17/03

USDA FOREST SERVICE UNVEILS NEW HELICOPTER TECHNOLOGY

Boise, Idaho --- The USDA Forest Service has nearly completed work on a new tool for firefighting. The new Firewatch helicopter is a redesigned AH-1 Army “Cobra” helicopter and is a prototype for a new aerial supervision platform for coordinating air resources over wildland fires.

In early 2003, the Forest Service acquired 25 Cobra helicopters from the Army excess property program as a part of a technology demonstration project to study ways of increasing the efficiency of air operations by leveraging emerging technologies. A recommendation for using new technologies was included in the 2002 Blue Ribbon Panel on Aerial

Firefighting study that explored the future of aviation safety and equipment in the wildland firefighting arena.

This aircraft is designed to perform three currently separated mission roles:

1. Air supervision module/leadplane.

2. Air attack (airborne command and control over fires).
3. Geo-referenced Infra-red and video mapping with real time downlink
   It is anticipated that a combination of these roles could result in significant large fire cost savings as well as providing for enhanced firefighter and public safety through real time downlink of video and infrared information to the incident commander.

In altering the helicopter, the technology includes a ground module receiver vehicle and crewed by experienced fire fighting and incident command personnel equipped with state of the art multi-spectral imaging systems and communications equipment.

The Firewatch helicopter is not equipped with tanks for retardant or hooks for cargo; those missions will still be performed by private sector helicopters, and a private sector contract to maintain the Firewatch Cobra helicopter is in place. This project was taken up by the Forest Service because of the need to routinely modify both the helicopter and the technology during the operational evaluation. After the prototype tests, the concept would be adopted and expanded through private sector contracts.

After completing some final adjustments on the avionics and video technologies, the Firewatch Cobra will be assigned to the Forest Service airtanker base in Redding, California.

[GeronL]

why not let them carry fire retardant??

Air attack (airborne command and control over fires).

Just give those fire an order and they shall obey.

[dagnabbit]

I like AH-1 Cobras, having flown them from 1987-90. I'm not so sure from the article, however, what these airframes bring to the firefighting business that couldn't be obtained from something lighter. Anyone in the forest fire fighting business know more about the selection of Cobras? I can't imagine they're going to be cheap to keep flying.

That said, where do I sign up for a summer job with the USFS?

[bigfootbob]

How many tankers or other more effective fire extinguishing equipment could this expenditure provide?

[Jeff Head]

Right here (35 miles from our home town) in the Boise area.

I would have thought that an appropriately outfitted UH-1 Huey would be more capable in the role of Command and Control...and have significant fire fighting capability as well.

I guess they want the high performance angles of attack that the Cobra brings to the table.

[dagnabbit]

Now here's a former military helicopter put to serious firefighting use:

[Kirkwood]

Looks cool.

[Chewbacca]

That pod under the nose looks to be some sort of thermal imaging sensor for spotting hot spots.
I don't think the water bombers, or water helos have that capability.

[dagnabbit]

Elsewhere, it looks like private industry is getting to the serious side of the scale with their firefighting aircraft plans:

Pioneering fighter plane maker Irkut on Monday said it had found an American buyer for its Be-200 amphibious jet, the first foreign customer to sign up for the unique firefighting craft.

Hawkins & Powers, a Wyoming-based company specializing in aerial firefighting and agriculture spraying, signed a protocol agreement to buy eight of the novel Be-200s, which are powered by Rolls-Royce BR715 engines, with the delivery of the first scheduled for 2007, Irkut said in a statement.

The company did not put a price tag on the deal, but an Irkut official said on condition of anonymity that the total package would come to about $200 million.

The agreement was reached with the help of Rolls-Royce and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., or EADS, which last year agreed to help Irkut promote the craft internationally and assist in post-sale servicing.

The jets, which are capable of scooping and dropping 12 tons of water, will be assembled at Irkut's production facility near Lake Baikal in Irkutsk, where the company also assembles Sukhoi Su-30MK fighters for export to India and Malaysia.

[Squantos]

I think the key word here is Free......others surely would do the job better but free makes that pretty much a moot point.

Ya'll Stay Safe !

[quietolong]

Talk about a waste of money!
Yet they cut services because there short of money.

[Jeff Head]

You are right there my friend.

If they offered me a Cobra for free...at least that type of Cobra...I would not turn it down either!

[Tijeras_Slim]

If they mini-gun the idiots that infest Pine Flat with their BBQs on Memorial Day I'm all for it!

[dagnabbit]

Good point. Free is a good price for most things.