Regarding the delay for the Australian delivery, Eurocopter will deliver an extra MRH90 for free as a compensation.

You guys are unbelievable. I don’t know in which world you live. One for free. Yes that what was stated months ago, but any serious individual would have hoped this “initiative” to stay under the table.

It’s a military shopper. It provides “services” where and when there is no other means to do it… What will you say to the next flooded victims in the far remote corner of Au:

Standby kid, we will be back in half a dozen of years with the new one (if everything go as planned). A free one! Wew (Thumbs up and patting to the drowning poor little soul)…

Cost & Delay. Does it still means anything ?

Italy ponders Hammerhead UAV as Predator replacement
[ATTACH=CONFIG]230736[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]230737[/ATTACH]

On July 16 Piaggio and Selex ES said they had validated onboard systems supplied by Selex as well as autonomous take-off and landing functions. The UAV is due to use the Selex ES Seaspray 7300E radar. Piaggio Aero has proposed the Hammerhead as a candidate to become Europe’s joint medium-range, long-endurance UAV. A full prototype will fly by the end of the year, according to CEO Carlo Logli. The Hammerhead UAV should be given certification by the Italian Air Force next year.

Predator:

Empty weight: 1,130 lb[100] (512 kg)
Loaded weight: 2,250 lb (1,020 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 2,250 lb[100] (1,020 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 914F turbocharged four-cylinder engine, 115 hp[100] (86 kW)
Endurance: 24 hours[1]

Hammerhead:

Max TakeOff Weight MTOW 6,146 Kg [13,550 lbs.]
Powerplant
2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66B 850 SHP (ISA, sea level)
Endurance (500 lbs payload) @ 1,500 km from takeoff & landing base 10.5 hours
Service ceiling 45,000 ft

Sources:
Wiki
PiaggioAero

NO Way!

A big fat and noisy Hammerhead to track combatants overhead… That’s won’t happen soon.

On the contrary if the Hammer is mission specific (MPA, Fishing, armament carried internally , Laser)… why not.

NH90 from what I’ve heard. Over cost, massive delivery delays, underpowered when compared to new production helicopters available, first generation composite aircraft, breaks down to often, spares cost far more then were budgeted for, to many variants for individual countries. local assembly raising cost per helicopter, and a design mini maxed to original design spec in order to save weight that has limited potential for growth without a major redesign being undertaken.

NH90 was a important technical program for Europe but is shaping up as a flop as a operational aircraft.

Did you heard what the exec at Eurocoter said some months ago? The Mil are annoying since they have non-compliant request with the civil industry… I think it said it all.

“D” for disaster.

Since it does not have any engine what will you do beyond the ramp or when the catapult sledge start to separate ?

Claim that Newton was wrong with gravity (insert pages of BS arguments HERE) ?

… Sry. That was easy doing

With all those digitized evidences of the presence of the BUK system before the shot down, I wonder what the Intel guys in Kiev where thinking to not see it.

Again, a nation facing a war shld not be permitted to grant by itself permission over its administrative territory. Rules have to be changed.

You are facing Civil/Invasive war. We at the UN/ICAO (or whatever) assess security of a civil overflight and become the only one permitted to do so. End point.

I wonder why we still don’t see any complaints by passenger carried through that dangerous zone the days before that awful event…

Which gives the best high/hot performance?

UH-60 is an ancient Cold War design intended to operate over the plains and hills of western Europe. In high/hot environments such as Southwest Asia or the western US, it has a reputation for being a dog unless it is lightly loaded.

Turkey seems to be happy with theirs. Central America also. Not particularly “flat and cold” countries.

http://armstass.su/?page=article&aid=129626&cid=25

and the data and findings of the investigation will be made public later

That will be a good day 🙂