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There are no survivors after a military helicopter carrying two people on a routine training mission crashed onto an Alabama highway Wednesday, officials said. The Black Hawk aircraft crashed around 3 p.m. near Highway 53 and Burwell Road in Harvest, about 10 miles northeast of Huntsville, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said. The helicopter caught fire upon impact, and both passengers died, military officials said.

PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Textron Inc (NYSE: TXT) announced today that Bell Textron Inc., a Textron company, has been awarded the development contract for the U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program. The award is based on Bell’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor that was developed and tested as part of the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR TD) program that began in 2013. The V-280 progressed through design, manufacturing, and more than three years of rigorous flight testing that provided extensive data validating the technical and operational advantages of the aircraft for the long-range assault mission. "We are honored that the U.S. Army...

The massive Sikorsky CH-53 turns 53 today. It's pretty amazing to think that the "Stallion" took its first flight on October 14th, 1964 and the type is now entering its third major iteration in the form of the immensely powerful CH-53K King Stallion. As they say, the only thing that can replace a CH-53 is a better CH-53! This is something Israel seems to have recently learned in a very hands-on fashion. SIKORSKY ARCHIVES First flight of the YCH-53A on October 14th, 1964. Our friends at Flightglobal.com report that the Israeli Air Force has halted its evaluation of the MV-22...

The U.S. Army is the biggest operator of military helicopters in the world. However, all of its combat rotorcraft were developed during the Cold War, and despite upgrades are beginning to show their age. In fact, the Army's main reconnaissance ("scout") helicopter, the Kiowa Warrior, grew so decrepit after 16 years of fighting in Southwest Asia that they were retired despite the absence of a dedicated successor. Apache, the Army's preeminent tank-killer, will do double duty as an armed recon helicopter for the time being, but Army leaders admit lack of a next-generation recon helicopter is the gap in aviation...

The office of Connecticut’s governor says Sikorsky Aircraft has committed to keeping its headquarters in the state and adding jobs in an agreement that involves $220 million in state incentives. […] The deal calls for Sikorsky to build nearly 200 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters in Connecticut for the U.S. Navy until at least 2032. The incentives pledged by Malloy’s office include grants and tax exemptions. …

The new generation helicopter is based on the Sikorsky S-92, whose cabin, some other parts and wire harnesses are made only in India. NEW DELHI: Construction of the first lot of six VH 92 Super Hawk helicopters that transport the US president has begun in India. Caption - The new generation helicopter is based on the Sikorsky S-92, whose cabin, some other parts and wire harnesses are made only in India in collaboration with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) at Hyderabad. Caption - In pic: H-92. VH-92 Super Hawk VH variant is a much advanced version of H-92. Work on...

It will be Lockheed’s largest acquisition since it bought Martin Marietta Corp. for about $10-billion two decades ago, and the first major strategic move for both United Tech chief executive officer Greg Hayes, who was elevated to CEO from finance chief in November, and Lockheed CEO Marillyn Hewson, who has been in that position since January, 2013. Officials at United Technologies and Lockheed declined comment. Textron Inc. had submitted a bid for Sikorsky, but dropped out of the bidding after the price rose, according to several sources familiar with the matter. Pentagon officials last week said they would carefully evaluate...

The Royal Canadian Air Force has accepted delivery of its first six Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone maritime patrol helicopters, marking a major step forward for the Sea King replacement programme that has a “torturous history”. Two more helicopters are due to arrive at the Shearwater operating base in Nova Scotia this December, and the full tranche of 28 Cyclones will be in place by 2021, Canadian defence minister Jason Kenney said at a ceremony 19 June. The first six choppers arrive amid a hurricane of displeasure in Canada over the handling of the various Sea King replacement efforts, the latest of...

United Technologies Corp. has announced it will separate its Connecticut-based Sikorksy Aircraft business as it exits the helicopter business. The Hartford conglomerate says it will focus on high-technology systems and services to the aerospace and building industries. It says a decision on selling or spinning off Sikorsky will be made by the end of the third quarter. …

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. on Friday flew for the first time its next-generation light-attack helicopter, the S-97 Raider. The test flight took place at the company’s developmental flight center in West Palm Beach, Florida. It comes as its parent company, United Technologies Corp., mulls a possible sale of the 90-year-old rotorcraft manufacturer. The chopper’s coaxial design features counter-rotating rotor blades and a push propeller, among other innovations, that will allow it to fly much faster and farther than today’s choppers. The Raider was initially designed to target a potentially $16 billion U.S. Army weapons acquisition program called the Armed Aerial Scout...

STRATFORD, Conn., Dec. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- India's Navy has selected Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. UTX, +0.07% to fulfill the service's Multi-Role Helicopter requirement for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare (ASW/ASuW), among other maritime roles. Negotiations will now begin to procure 16 S-70B SEAHAWK® helicopters, with an option for eight additional aircraft, along with a complete logistics support and training program. "India's selection of the S-70B helicopter represents a major strategic win for Sikorsky in an important growth market, and positions us well for future opportunities," said Mick Maurer, President of Sikorsky Aircraft. "We look forward...

The S-97 Raider-Sikorsky new attack helicopter-is out and it is not only gorgeous. It's absolutely badass. It is based in the same technology as their X2 technology demonstrator, which broke the world helicopter speed record in 2010: 260 knots-that's 299.2mph vs the 172mph of conventional helicopters. According to Sikorsky's Mike Miller, it "is an all-new helicopter, all-new configuration. We haven't seen something this new in 30 years." The Raider uses counter-rotating rotor blades with a push propeller on the tail. This unique combination allows it to pulverize all speed records. Obviously, its weight is limited. This thing will not have...

(Reuters) - In a boost to U.S. weapons makers looking for ways to offset lower domestic military spending, India is expected to choose Sikorsky Aircraft's S-70B Sea Hawk helicopters at a 16-aircraft tender worth over $1 billion. The decision could come during a high-profile visit to the United States by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that starts on Friday. The Sikorsky deal would be one of several large U.S. arms purchases by India that are nearing completion, including over $2.5 billion in orders for Boeing Co's AH-64D Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters. Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp, declined...

Sikorsky and Boeing Team Submit New Army Helicopter Design By: Dave Majumdar Published: June 17, 2014 2:00 PM Updated: June 17, 2014 2:00 PM A joint Sikorsky-Boeing team has submitted their initial design for a new high-speed compound helicopter called the SB-1 Defiant to the U.S. Army. “Last week we submitted our initial design and risk report to the customer,” said Doug Shidler, one of the two co-program directors for the industry team, during a Tuesday teleconference. “Next week we will be conducting our initial design and risk review with them.” The high-speed compound helicopter design is the team’s entry...

ISIS has shot up dozens of helicopters, so Baghdad is going shopping In the span of a few short years, Iraq went from having a nonexistent air force to having one just barely getting on its feet. Now Baghdad’s shaky flying corps is getting into real trouble as it tries to contain a worsening civil war. Iraq’s front-line helicopter gunships are taking so much punishment, the government is growing desperate for replacements. On June 20, the Czech defense ministry revealed that Iraq approached Prague with an offer to buy up to seven Mi-35M Hind gunships—the export version of the famed...

Sikorsky Aircraft rolled out the CH-53K, the U.S. Marine Corps’ future heavy lift helicopter, on May 5 at the company’s West Palm Beach, Fla. facility. According to Sikorsky, the mostly composite helicopter—dubbed the “King Stallion”—will fly by year-end, with operational service expected in 2019. “The rollout of the CH-53K helicopter introduces a new era in Marine Corps aviation,” said Sikorsky president Mick Maurer. “The clean-sheet CH-53K will effectively triple the external load carrying capacity of the CH-53E aircraft—to more than 27,000 pounds over a mission radius of 110 nautical miles. With its 88,000-pound maximum gross weight, powerful new engines, lightweight...

January 9, 2014, 8:03 AM China’s newest military helicopter made its first flight on December 23 at a location in “northeastern China,” a site presumed to be the Harbin facility. The aircraft, believed to be designated Z-20, is in the “10-tonne” class, and is thought to be a collaborative effort among Harbin, Changhe and the 602 Institute. It closely resembles the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk that has been in Chinese army service for nearly three decades. The first public glimpse of the Z-20 came in August 2013, when the heavily wrapped fuselage was photographed being transported by road. China acquired...

United Technologies Corp. says it may furlough more than 5,000 workers if the U.S. government shutdown continues into next month. The company said Wednesday that its Sikorsky division, which makes Black Hawk helicopters, would be hit first. … The Hartford, Conn.-based manufacturer said it would halt some defense manufacturing because government inspectors themselves have been furloughed. That leaves it without the necessary federal approvals to make military products. …

Citing cuts in the federal defense budget and a continuing weakness in its military helicopter business, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announced Monday it will close its military completions center in Big Flats at the end of the year.

Navy: Europe firm ‘twisting’ facts for $1bn deal Feb 21, 2012 - Sridhar Kumaraswami A big controversy has hit the acquisition of 16 Multi-Role Helicopters for the Indian Navy, a deal estimated to be worth around $1 billion, with the Indian Navy accusing European vendor NH Industries (NHI) of trying to “mislead” the defence ministry, “twist” the Naval Staff Qualitative Requirements (NSQRs), “falsify” the Request for Proposal (RFP) and cause delays with “unreasonable que-ries/concerns”. Docu-ments accessed by this newspaper show the Navy criticised the European firm after it raised doubts about the helicopter of its American rival Sikorsky. This new...