First armed commercially qualified helicopter available for sale in Southern Africa

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Bell Helicopter’s armed 407AH is available for sale in Southern Africa. It is the first Bell-qualified armed commercial aircraft across the market, the company says.

The aircraft is designed to support a wide range of law enforcement and paramilitary missions. It is equipped with a baseline law enforcement package that can be customized with multiple weapon configurations.
“This is another example of Bell Helicopter responding directly to customer needs,” said Larry D Roberts, Senior Vice President, Commercial Business, Bell Helicopter. “The 407AH is a high-performance platform with exceptional manoeuvrability, speed, payload and range. It will meet the needs of a variety of parapublic agencies at a cost that is far less than that of a similarly equipped military aircraft – but with increased lethality.” The model was unveiled in March last year.

The 407AH’s initial weapon system includes the Dillon 7.62 mm M134T Minigun as well as the M260 2.75 inch seven shot Rocket Launching System. Both rockets and a minigun can be carried at the same time. It is fitted with a thermal imager and camera system.

In addition, extensive customisation is available through Bell Helicopter’s Piney Flats facility. Options include: chaff/flare controller for counter measures, sliding doors in the rear that allows for personnel or cargo transportation, cargo hook for search and rescue capability, crew seat armour, among others.

The 407AH comes equipped with a number of safety features such as AAI Bulged Skylights Kit, AAI Inlet Barrier Filter with access door, AAI Wire Strike Protection System and Meeker Quick Release Pins for Crew Doors.

The model features a cruise speed of 246 km/h, a never- exceed speed of 259 km/h, a range of 611 km, a maximum endurance of 3.8 hours and seven-seater capacity.

The maximum internal gross weight of the Bell 407AH is 1 174 kg and the external weight is 2 722 kg.
“Bell Helicopter’s legacy in the parapublic market is well established,” said Roberts. “Until now, this type of armed helicopter was only available from our military sector. With the 407AH, Bell Helicopter will change the game in the armed commercial helicopter space as well.”

National Airways Corporation (NAC), which represents Bell Helicopter in 13 Southern African countries, is now selling the 407AH.
“This helicopter was designed as a cost-effective light armed helicopter,” NAC executive director for helicopter sales Gary Phillips said. “It is perfect for militaries that need the featured capabilities at a more affordable price.” As the 407AH is based on an existing commercial helicopter, Bell expects cost savings in maintenance and parts as over a thousand commercial 407s have been sold. Indeed, cost effectiveness is touted as the 407AH’s best feature.

No orders for the 407AH have yet been received in Southern Africa, Phillips told defenceWeb, but he added that the market “is bigger than five to ten helicopters in the short to medium term”. He said that the regional African market is relatively small and the numbers aren’t big. The model has, however, been ordered by an undisclosed customer.

NAC is attempting to give the Bell 407AH exposure to potential military customers by bringing one out to the Africa Aerospace and Defence expo in September at Air Force Base Waterkloof outside Pretoria.

Meanwhile, Eurocopter and local company Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE) are busy developing their new Stand Alone Weapons System (SAWS) for light and medium helicopters.

Eurocopter and ATE are jointly designing, developing, manufacturing and supporting the SAWS that can be installed on any of Eurocopter’s light and medium helicopter products.

The package features a Belgian FN Herstal HMP–400 12.7 mm machine gun, a French Nexter NC-621 20mm cannon, FZ-233 70 mm rockets and Denel’s Ingwe Anti-Tank Missile. Future weapons include missiles and guided rockets of various international suppliers.

Integration of the rockets, machine gun and cannon has been completed and in December last year ATE concluded Ingwe firing trials aboard the EC 635. The SAWS has been ordered for the EC 635 for an undisclosed international customer and will be delivered early this year. In the future ATE will integrate the SAWS onto other helicopters as part of its collaboration with Eurocopter.
“Eurocopter’s partnership with ATE on SAWS is a joint response to an increasing market demand for helicopters equipped with a suitably credible weapon system able to counter evolving threats and both current and future conflict mission scenarios. While we have proven capabilities producing multi-role military helicopters, ATE is unrivalled in weapon system development and sub-systems integration on fixed and rotary wing aircraft. This venture and our partnership make perfect sense,” explained Olivier Lambert, Eurocopter’s Senior Vice President Sales & Customers Relations.

The SAWS typically comprises a core element including a Mission & Firing Control Computer, together with controls and components to interface the crew and the platform; a choice of sensors (FLIR, TV, HUD, HMSD); guided and unguided weapons.

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