First Agusta Westland/TAI T129 Helicopter for Turkey Makes Maiden Flight

[Rage]

First Agusta Westland/ Turkish Aerospace Industries T129 Helicopter for Turkey Makes Maiden Flight

Published: 28 Sep 2009 16:45

ROME - The first prototype of the T129 attack helicopter destined for Turkey has made its maiden flight at an AgustaWestland facility at Vergiate, Italy, the firm said Sept. 28.

Turkey is to acquire 50 T129 helicopters, which are based on the AgustaWestland A129 Mangusta helicopter now in service with the Italian Army.

The T129 P1 prototype was flown by test pilots from AgustaWestland and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). AgustaWestland, TAI and Turkish firm Aselan are partners on the program, which features Turkish involvement in design, development and production.

In a statement, AgustaWestland said the program is running on time and on budget.

Muharrem Dortasli, TAI general manager, said Turkish industry would play a "primary role" in any eventual exports of the T129.

AgustaWestland CEO Giuseppe Orsi called the T129 "the most modern combat helicopter in the world."

AgustaWestland has opened a center in Italy to train Turkish engineers on the program. The company also is waiting to hear if its under-development AW149 has been selected by Turkey in a utility helicopter contest, where it is competing against the Sikorsky Black Hawk.


http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4298395&c=EUR&s=AIR

 

[SATISH]

SO another Mangusta upgraded I guess...wasnt it the SA guys who upgraded it first? Looks a bit like our LCH...or is it just me?

 

[Rage]

SO another Mangusta upgraded I guess...wasnt it the SA guys who upgraded it first? Looks a bit like our LCH...or is it just me?

Apparently, the mission computer, weapons systems, avionics, self-protection suites and helmet-mounting cuing systems are all indigenously developed by TUSAS that wanted the platform itself to be 100% turkish. The LHTEC T800 turboshaft engines are also being manufactured by TUSAS under a licensing agreement with RollsRoyce and Honeywell. The MAST radar is based on IAI/ELTA's synthetic aperture/inverse synthetic aperture EL/M-2022A radars, and the 12 Roketsan ATM's it will carry are an indigenous UMTAS development similar to the Hellfire II.

 

[SATISH]

Apparently, the mission computer, weapons systems, avionics, self-protection suites and helmet-mounting cuing systems are all indigenously developed by TUSAS that wanted the platform itself to be 100% turkish. The LHTEC T800 turboshaft engines are also being manufactured by TUSAS under a licensing agreement with RollsRoyce and Honeywell. The MAST radar is based on IAI/ELTA's synthetic aperture/inverse synthetic aperture EL/M-2022A radars, and the 12 Roketsan ATM's it will carry are an indigenous UMTAS development similar to the Hellfire II.

well another upgraded mangusta altogether...But it is one hell of a machine:twizt: