T-129 Atak & Turkish Attack Helicopter Programs

[S.U.R.B.]

What are those smokey pipes inside the cabin? They seem to emit some vapors?

Canopy defogging mechanism comes with ventilation/heat.Like an environment control system (ECS).

what are these shaking waves it seems to be the camera?

Correct.

That is an effect from the shadow of the rotor blades, 5 of them in fact which are making things difficult for the camera but easier for the crew.Of course any of this visual disturbance doesn't happen in real through an unaided eye or when seen through the HMD.

 

[ozi2000]

“T-129 perfect outsider in Malaysian attack chopper deal”
* News Catch, Choppers 2014/12/21 AIRheads/MB​

The Turkish Aerospace Industries / AgustaWestland T-129 ATAK might be the unexpected outsider to win the Malaysian Army deal for six attack helicopters. While many experts bet on the AH-64D Apache, the Bell AH-1Z Viper or the Airbus Helicopters EC665 Tigre to make it to the Asian country, the T-129 might just be what Kuala Lumpur seeks to supplement its AgustaWestland AW109s it is currently arming.

Featured image: The TAI T-129 ATAK had the distinction of being the only helicopter in the air display during the 2014 Farnborough airshow. (Image © Dennis Spronk)
“The armed forces are to acquire six attack helicopters to reinforce operations in Esszone, as soon as possible,” Deputy Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Bakri announced on 19 December 2014. The Esszone is the Eastern Sabah Safety Zone (Esszone): an area covering the districts of Kudat, Kota Marudu, Pitas, Beluran, Sandakan, Kinabatangan, Lahad Datu, Kunak, Semporna and Tawau. It is located on the island of Kalimantan that Malaysia shares with Indonesia and Brunei. Armed rebel groups from the Sulu Archipelago invaded the eastern part of it in March 2013.
Miniguns
As an intermediate solution to beef up its fighting capabilities Malaysia’s Army Air Corps are mounting 10 newly purchased General Electric M134D Hybrid Miniguns on its ten AgustaWestland AW109s, of which one was originally assigned to the Air Force. By not ordering a 11th of these Gatling-type guns, the faith of the 11th AW109 Malaysia received might have been sealed. This chopper was badly damaged during a crash on 30 January 2014. The AW109s currently make up the complete air fleet of the army.

A pananoramic shot of the T-129 at Farnborough. (Image © Elmer van Hest)
Labuan Airbase
Officially the AW109s are based at Kluang, but armed with the Miniguns some are or will operate out of Labuan Airbase at Sabah. The Royal Malaysian Air Force’s 15 Squadron “Panther” – flying Hawk Mk108 and Mk208s Hawk Mk208 – has already relocated from Butterworth Airbase to Labuan on 7 November. Moreover the Defence Ministry is aiming at basing its top F/A-18s and Su-30MKMs at Labuan as well, likely in smaller rotating detachments of 4 to 8 aircraft at a time. Labuan itself already was home to 5 Squadron flying the Agusta S61A-4 Nuri (licensed version of the Westland Sea King) helicopter and 14 Squadron with the C-130H30 Hercules tactical airlifter.

Best cards
Whether or not Malaysia will choose the T-129 will very much depends on the costs the manufacturer wishes to put on the invoice. With the current almost all European chopper fleet in the Malaysian armed forces, the Airbus Tigre initially seems to have the best cards on the table. But we at Airheadsfly.com won’t be surprised if Kuala Lumpur decides in favour of probably the perfect outsider in this bid: the Italian designed but Turkish redefined TAI T-129 ATAK.

© 2014 Airheadsfly.com editor Marcel Burger

>>> See our feature T-129 ATAK makes its mark



A pair of Turkish Army T129As during the development phase back in 2012 (Image © Turkish Aerospace Industries)


“T-129 perfect outsider in Malaysian attack chopper deal” | AIRheads↑FLY

 

[-------]

Composite rotor blades made in Turkey.

 

[SouI]

Ya ben anlamıyorum, şu öndeki fliri ne diye öyle koymuşlarki.. Ön kabinin görüşünü kapatıyor azcık, psikolojik olarak rahatsız ediyor insanı dışardan bakınca :S (btw yea, ik that 1st cabinet is used for the gunman, so kinda pointless, but still.. c.c")

 

[cabatli_53]

Ya ben anlamıyorum, şu öndeki fliri ne diye öyle koymuşlarki.. Ön kabinin görüşünü kapatıyor azcık, psikolojik olarak rahatsız ediyor insanı dışardan bakınca :S (btw yea, ik that 1st cabinet is used for the gunman, so kinda pointless, but still.. c.c")

Have you ever seen a gunner who is finding km away targets While looking at mirror of copter ?

 

[SouI]

Have you ever seen a gunner who is finding km away targets While looking at mirror of copter ?

As you also saw in the quote you used in your message, I've already underlined that point in the second part of my message.

 

[Kamil_baku]

Have you guys seen it?
Italy testing upgraded attack helo in Afghanistan | AIRheads↑FLY

 

[Timur]

so tech transfer comes with a price..

 

[-------]

Have you guys seen it?
Italy testing upgraded attack helo in Afghanistan | AIRheads↑FLY

You mean this
http://sobchak.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/ah129d.jpg
yeah, old news, ever since Italians received a chunk of change forT-129 purchase, they've started modifying their A129. Remember T-129 cannot be sold back to Italy.

 

[SouI]

You mean this
http://sobchak.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/ah129d.jpg
yeah, old news, ever since Italians received a chunk of change forT-129 purchase, they've started modifying their A129. Remember T-129 cannot be sold back to Italy.

More info on this version of italians? Looks very similar to T-129 in general, especially the turret. Will we also receive that extra piece of "radar-like-ball" between the flir and machine gun?

 

[-------]

More info on this version of italians? Looks very similar to T-129 in general, especially the turret. Will we also receive that extra piece of "radar-like-ball" between the flir and machine gun?

That "radar-like-ball" is pilot's night vision, independent of the gunners E/O.
Older generation of attack helicopters had a monocle style head mounted display, both gunner and pilot had to wear so the pilot and gunner could do role reversal in case of injury/death to one or the other. This prevented pilot from wearing stereoscopic NV goggles, so they added night vision for the pilot.

Modern Attack helicopters do not require Night Vision turret to be added independant of the gunners E/O, since Night Vision is integrated onto their head mounted display. Though, it would be cool if pilot had it's own night vision turret.

Also, found this. Chinese Head Mounted Display for their WZ-10 helicopter. Avci > C-HMD

 

[SouI]

That "radar-like-ball" is pilot's night vision, independent of the gunners E/O.
Older generation of attack helicopters had a monocle style head mounted display, both gunner and pilot had to wear so the pilot and gunner could do role reversal in case of injury/death to one or the other. This prevented pilot from wearing stereoscopic NV goggles, so they added night vision for the pilot.

Modern Attack helicopters do not require Night Vision turret to be added independant of the gunners E/O, since Night Vision is integrated onto their head mounted display. Though, it would be cool if pilot had it's own night vision turret.

Cool, thanks for informing! Any info you got on whether or not Turkey will also get that Night Vision "Ball (xD)" that is specifically for the pilot? Because I've failed to observe such a piece of hardware on the turkish version:

 

[xxxKULxxx]

The Royal Bahraini Air Force is currently in negotiations with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the T129 ATAK combat helicopter. Once in service, the T129 will augment the service's upgraded Cobras. Source: TAI

"Phase 2, the colonel said, will see the air force acquire a new attack helicopter type, as well as a new 'generation 4+' combat aircraft. In terms of the rotary-winged portion of this phase, Col Al Mansoor said that the RBAF has now entered into negotiations with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for T129 ATAK combat helicopters. These, he noted, would augment the upgraded Cobras and replace the Eurocopter BO-105 Bolkow platforms that were first delivered in 1978."

Bahraini air force details modernisation plans - IHS Jane's 360

T129’un ilk yurtdışı müşterisi Bahreyn mi olacak?

 

[xxxKULxxx]

When i look at Bahrain Air Force from wiki i see only 4 BO-105s...

Royal Bahraini Air Force - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[AKINCI]

T-129 B deliveries will start in this year. Totally 12 helicopters will be delivered in 2015.

T129B teslimatları başlıyor!