DefenceTalkThe US Defense Department has decided to stop buying EADS Lakota helicopters for the Army next year, according to the head of the European aerospace’s US-based unit. “The Lakota is built by a highly skilled workforce, more than half of which are military veterans, at my company’s Columbus, Mississippi, helicopter production facility,” Sean O’Keefe, chairman […]https://www.defencetalk.com/eads-says-pentagon-ending-helicopter-program-47765/

DefenceTalkThe helicopter squadron responsible for carrying the President of the United States and his staff, Marine Helicopter Squadron One, received its first of 12 MV-22 Ospreys to be assigned to its fleet, April 5, at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. The Ospreys will conduct presidential support missions, which means these aircraft will carry presidential […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ospreys-delivered-to-marine-presidential-helicopter-squadron-47714/

DefenceTalkHelicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35 became the first composite expeditionary helicopter squadron to include both the world’s most technologically advanced helicopter; the MH-60R Seahawk and the MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Take-off and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV); during an establishment ceremony today on Naval Air Station North Island. As the Navy’s first operational […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navys-first-squadron-to-operate-manned-and-unmanned-aircraft-47696/

DefenceTalkAgustaWestland is pleased to announce that the first NH90 TTH in FOC (Final Operational Capability) configuration for the Italian Army has been delivered today during an official ceremony held at AgustaWestland’s Venice Tessera plant in the presence of Gen. Giangiacomo Calligaris, Commander of Italian Army Aviation, and Gen. Francesco Langella, ARMAEREO. This delivery brings to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/italian-army-takes-delivery-of-its-first-nh90-tth-helicopter-47676/

DefenceTalkDefence Minister Dr Jonathan Coleman says the government has approved the purchase of an upgraded and expanded Seasprite helicopter fleet for the New Zealand Defence Force. A total of eight Seasprites (plus two spare airframes) will be purchased from the United States company Kaman Aerospace in a NZ$242 million dollar deal, which includes a training […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nz-seasprite-helicopter-project-approved-47528/

DefenceTalkAgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, has officially unveiled the latest generation AW169 AAS military helicopter during a dedicated ceremony held at the Army Aviation Association of America Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Fort Worth, Texas (April 10th-13th) today. The AW169 AAS is an advanced twin-engine helicopter with the capability to meet all US Army Armed […]https://www.defencetalk.com/agustawestland-unveils-the-aw169-aas-47454/

DefenceTalkBell Helicopter revealed today the Bell V-280 Valor, its offering for the Joint Multi Role/Future Vertical Lift (FVL) Technology Demonstrator (JMR/TD), at the 2013 Army Aviation Association of America’s (AAAA) Annual Professional Forum and Exposition in Fort Worth. “The introduction of the Bell V-280 Valor underscores our commitment to our military customers. The Bell V-280’s […]https://www.defencetalk.com/bell-helicopter-introduces-the-bell-v-280-valor-tiltrotor-at-aaaa-47433/

DefenceTalkThe ongoing VVIP helicopter contract scandal has sent the separate impending procurement of 197 light utility helicopters into a tailspin, with the Army now asking the government to conduct a fresh probe into the role played by a brigadier who allegedly demanded money from AgustaWestland to swing the latter deal as well. Army chief General […]https://www.defencetalk.com/bribe-charges-in-another-indian-copter-deal-47340/

DefenceTalkEurocopter, the world’s leading maker of civil helicopters, will sign an agreement next month aimed at setting up production in Poland, putting it in the running for a Polish chopper deal, a factory president said Monday. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced in September that Warsaw was seeking 70 helicopters for its army and that […]https://www.defencetalk.com/eurocopter-enters-race-for-polish-chopper-deal-47273/

DefenceTalkThe Colombian Army has formally inducted five new Sikorsky S-70i multi-mission helicopters into its fleet of Black Hawk aircraft. Colombia is the first South American country to buy the S-70i Black Hawk helicopter variant from Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (UTX). “We are honored by the trust the Colombian Armed Forces continue […]https://www.defencetalk.com/colombian-army-takes-delivery-of-five-s-70i-black-hawk-helicopters-47242/