Zarvan
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16 June 2016
A company-owned H225M testbed platform equipped with the Airbus Helicopters HForce GWC modular weapons system. Initial live-fire tests took place at a test range in Belgium from 25 May to 3 June. Source: IHS/Gareth Jennings
Airbus Helicopters has completed initial testing of its modular HForce Generic Weapon System (GWC) that is geared at enabling operators to quickly and easily transform their civilian platforms into armed military ones by means of a single common mission computer, the company announced on 13 June.
The tests, which took place at a test range in Belgium from 25 May to 3 June, involved a company-owned H225M helicopter to demonstrate the system with ballistic weapons, including 12.7 mm machine guns, 20 mm cannons, and 70 mm rockets.
First revealed in March, HForce comprises a central Rockwell Collins Deutschland (RCD) FMC-4212 General Purpose Computer (GPC), the Thales' Scorpion monocular helmet-mounted sight display (HMSD), a Wescam electro-optical sensor, as well as gunner armament weapon grips and weapon pods.
The GPC enables the integration of a number of different weapon systems aboard the H125M, H145M, or H225M helicopters, with company officials describing it as a "Swiss Army knife" to cover all of the operational spectrum.
As previously described to IHS Jane's , the HForce GWC is available in four different options, depending on the customer's requirements:
Option 0 - the helicopter is provisioned for the HForce GWC for later retrofit, but not yet equipped with it.
Option 1 - Ballistic firing with HMSD. This includes pilot HMSD, plus the integration of a combination of 12.7 mm HMPs, 20 mm cannons, and unguided rockets.
Option 2 - Ballistic firing with HMSD and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) targeting. This includes Option 1, plus pilot and co-pilot/gunner HMSD, and EO/IR targeting.
Option 3 - Ballistic firing with HMSD and EO/IR and guided weapons. This includes Option 2, plus air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles, and laser-guided rockets.
With live-fire testing now underway, the first fully qualified H225M should be ready in 2017, to be followed in 2018 by the H125M and in 2019 by the H145M.
Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options ihs.com/contact
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(329 of 441 words)
http://www.janes.com/article/61414/...e-trials-of-hforce-gwc-modular-weapons-system
A company-owned H225M testbed platform equipped with the Airbus Helicopters HForce GWC modular weapons system. Initial live-fire tests took place at a test range in Belgium from 25 May to 3 June. Source: IHS/Gareth Jennings
Airbus Helicopters has completed initial testing of its modular HForce Generic Weapon System (GWC) that is geared at enabling operators to quickly and easily transform their civilian platforms into armed military ones by means of a single common mission computer, the company announced on 13 June.
The tests, which took place at a test range in Belgium from 25 May to 3 June, involved a company-owned H225M helicopter to demonstrate the system with ballistic weapons, including 12.7 mm machine guns, 20 mm cannons, and 70 mm rockets.
First revealed in March, HForce comprises a central Rockwell Collins Deutschland (RCD) FMC-4212 General Purpose Computer (GPC), the Thales' Scorpion monocular helmet-mounted sight display (HMSD), a Wescam electro-optical sensor, as well as gunner armament weapon grips and weapon pods.
The GPC enables the integration of a number of different weapon systems aboard the H125M, H145M, or H225M helicopters, with company officials describing it as a "Swiss Army knife" to cover all of the operational spectrum.
As previously described to IHS Jane's , the HForce GWC is available in four different options, depending on the customer's requirements:
Option 0 - the helicopter is provisioned for the HForce GWC for later retrofit, but not yet equipped with it.
Option 1 - Ballistic firing with HMSD. This includes pilot HMSD, plus the integration of a combination of 12.7 mm HMPs, 20 mm cannons, and unguided rockets.
Option 2 - Ballistic firing with HMSD and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) targeting. This includes Option 1, plus pilot and co-pilot/gunner HMSD, and EO/IR targeting.
Option 3 - Ballistic firing with HMSD and EO/IR and guided weapons. This includes Option 2, plus air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles, and laser-guided rockets.
With live-fire testing now underway, the first fully qualified H225M should be ready in 2017, to be followed in 2018 by the H125M and in 2019 by the H145M.
Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options ihs.com/contact
To read the full article, Client Login
(329 of 441 words)
http://www.janes.com/article/61414/...e-trials-of-hforce-gwc-modular-weapons-system
