AW139: THE PAKISTAN AIR FORCE’S NEW MAINSTAY SAR HELICOPTER

[Quwa]

I have said it time and again that Pakistan should start a gas turbine based engine development project which is not affiliated with any project but it is purely R&D with a dedicated institute where professors and industry professionals deliver lectures and students & researchers get hands on experience and it should be purely in civilian setting... no military interference so that international faculty members can come and work.

Gas turbines
Steel
Semiconductors
Chemicals
Software development

 

[war&peace]

You cannot do a joint venture without having a comprehensive list of capabilities to share with other countries. This remains my point. This is not a short term plan but needs to be intermediate term projects. Specialized Steel, electronics base with some research would come in really handy.
A

As I said work on gas turbine development... for that you will need precision engineering, high temperature advanced materials that can withstand very high forces and hostile conditions for a long time, you will need expertise in unsteady aerodynamics, aeroelasticity, combustion science, controls etc ... so it will make you develop many facilities but it is a long term project. None of the countries that have mastered aero-engine technology, circled a magic wand ...alakazo alakazeee and bingo they got perfect recipe, rather it took them years and still it is under active development.

 

[Imran Khan]

its first time i see we used brain and buy same choppers for many roles and departments . we must stick on it navy should buy them too

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

because everyone will not lend you their wheel every time ......

Yes but your talking about indigenous production like goes thr Chinese did. Then again you can forget that ever happening with the current financial situation. It's cheaper to buy the technologies from italy then going abt making a new wheel.

 

[CHACHA"G"]

AW-139 beautiful and very capable heli , Money well spent , I see them in numbers in All 3 Branches , , PAA may have 30 to 40 of them to work with Bell (as light to medium or medium) category transport heli .

 

[HAIDER]

The initial PAF order was for 14 AW139s. They might have ordered more, but I'm not sure. That said, the three services had standardized on the Alouette III, and with PAC setting-up a d-level MRO plant for the AW139, I think we can expect the Army and Navy to go the same route as the PAF. Plus, the Pak Gov't also flies AW139s. But 40-50 sounds about right.

Isn't AW139 engine is now manufacturing in Turkey ?

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

Isn't AW139 engine is now manufacturing in Turkey ?

No. You're thinking about the GE T700 (for the T-70 Blackhawk). But the AW139 uses the PT6, which is widely available all over the world.

 

[Shabi1]

its first time i see we used brain and buy same choppers for many roles and departments . we must stick on it navy should buy them too

For the Army yes but with the Navy already operating the Z-9 wouldn't it make sense that they go for more Z-9s for replacing older helicopters. The AW-139 has more powerful engines and can operate at higher altitudes, high altitude operation isnt a requirement for the navy.

 

[AsifIjaz]

How is the operating cost of aw139 compared to its competitors????

 

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

How is the operating cost of aw139 compared to its competitors????

Those who've been against the AW139 say it's high, but those who've been supportive of it say it's among the lowest in the industry. So, I don't know. That said, it uses the PT6 turboshaft engine, which has been in use for decades with the Bell 412s and other helicopter types. Not sure of many complaints about the engine.

 

[war&peace]

Gas turbines
Steel
Semiconductors
Chemicals
Software development

Yes agreed.

Those who've been against the AW139 say it's high, but those who've been supportive of it say it's among the lowest in the industry. So, I don't know. That said, it uses the PT6 turboshaft engine, which has been in use for decades with the Bell 412s and other helicopter types. Not sure of many complaints about the engine.

Going by PAF traditions and philosophy, I can say that its operational cost would be among the lowest. PAF does not buy twin engine because of high operating costs.

 

[nomi007]

i hope PAA, PAF & PN will also consider
AgustaWestland AW149

 

[khanasifm]

For the Army yes but with the Navy already operating the Z-9 wouldn't it make sense that they go for more Z-9s for replacing older helicopters. The AW-139 has more powerful engines and can operate at higher altitudes, high altitude operation isnt a requirement for the navy.

Z-9 are basically licence copy of proven French heli and technology so should be fine and better then older allottes
Plus better weight class

 

[GriffinsRule]

Yes agreed.


Going by PAF traditions and philosophy, I can say that its operational cost would be among the lowest. PAF does not buy twin engine because of high operating costs.

This seems to come up quiet often here, except that I have not heard or read about this philosophy in any of the books or magazines. Mi-17s, that are twin-engined are flown up PAF so clearly that assertion is incorrect.