Helo News game related.

[DRG]

Yes. I saw the short shot of it. I will add a slat version

found a photo


https://www.reddit.com/media?url=htt...6746a8b4b8fa77

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

So far there's been no word I the 'new" helo replacement for the PUMA HC2 we modified and as it turned out, saved. The article says they'll still be in service through 2028, however, due to several delays partly to blame on you know what and other factors I feel fully confident they'll make 2030 as well based on the 2nd Ref. concerning the extension.
https://www.flightglobal.com/defence...153340.article
https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircraft/puma-hc2/
https://www.airforce-technology.com/...k2-helicopter/
(One of the refs. I used at the time. Don where's the time gone!?!)

Since I found that article things obviously have changed Ref. 2 below is saying the competition is still on and a contract is not likely to be signed until 2025 sometime.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/f...petition-stage

Regards,
Pat

[FASTBOAT TOUGH]

Just a little diversion...Operation Mount Hope III.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidax...-hind-gunship/

Every "now and then" you might catch them in training ops near I-95 just south of Savannah, Ga. when operating out of Army Hunter Field.

Only one unit flies the Chinook with an extended refueling probe.

Regards,
Pat

[Pibwl]

Hungary in July 23 received first of H225M Caracal https://vpk.name/en/747323_hungary-r...licopters.html (French unit 520). Reportedly can be armed with 12.7mm machine guns and 20 mm Nexter NC-621 cannons and launchers of 70 mm rockets.

Czech Republic in Aug 23 shown their first AH-1Z Viper. They're meant to be armed with Hellfire and APKWS. It also got first UH-1Y Venom by that time.

[Pibwl]

Japan

363 AH-64DJP Apache - ending year should be probably 125 (now it's 109, earlier than corrected starting date)

Japanese Wikipedia says, according to the translator, that DJP was Boeing's designation, but Japanese forces call it just "AH-64D" (https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/AH-64D...83%9C%E3%82%A6, search for "DJP" in text). The same in Polish monographic article. The same for units 364, 951 AH-64DJP Apache.

Czech Republic
It's a detail, but 901 W-3A helicopters are also named Sokol in Czechia (Polish: Sokół).

Poland
I forgot, that since 1/24 Poland uses AW149 https://www.janes.com/osint-insights...for-operations. Italian unit 490 AW139 could do, with an increased carry capacity to 19. An armament as for now are only two 7.62 mm MGs in windows and 2x 7x70 mm rocket pods (not used before in this caliber).

[Pibwl]

I've found and article on Malaysia. Sorry for digging... I wanted to fix only S-61A4 Nuri, but the deeper you dig, the more questions come...

324 S-61A4 Nuri - grounded permanently after a crash in 8/19 due to wear out and lack of spares (now ends 12/25). Unless we assume, that in case of war they would fly somehow.

We have currently (only the 21st century):
325 - Mil Mi-17 Available 01/099 to 12/125;
326 - S-70A Blackhawk - Available 01/097 to 12/104
327 - S-70A Blackhawk - Available 01/105 to 12/125
- but the article doesn't mention any other transport helicopters existing in Malaysian military in last decade or two apart from H225M (unit 664) and S-61A4 Nuri, grounding of which caused problems with transport capability.

Wikipedia doesn't list Malaysia among Mi-8/17 operators either, apart from Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department.
There were some rumours, that S-70 were to be delivered by Brunei in 2015, but it is not clear if they were https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_UH-60_Black_Hawk, which links to https://web.archive.org/web/20150322...ce.com/?p=5827

Starting from 12/21, the air force leased 4 AW-139 (we can do without them I think), and the army leased 4 UH-60A expected in 1/24 as a stopgap - but as I read, they were not delivered https://aviationweek.com/defense/air...-fails-deliver

Wikipedia doesn't list any of older helicopters (Bell 205, Agusta 212N, Whirlwind, Belvedere, Wessex) in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...n_Armed_Forces - unless the earliest ones are purely RAF. I have no other knowledge here


As for light helicopters:
We have (in the 21st century only):
307 - Wasp - Available 01/088 to 12/125
308 - Sioux - Available 01/074 to 12/125
310 - Alouette III - Available 01/063 to 12/110
311 - Chetak - Available 01/081 to 12/125
312 - Fennec - Available 01/103 to 12/125
313 - A-109 - Available 01/090 to 12/125
314 - A-109R - Available 01/103 to 12/125

Wasps were used by the navy until 2000 only.
Alouettes were withdrawn from 2009 from the army, but in 2017 from the airforce.
Fennecs are used indeed by the navy.
A109 were bought by the army only in 2005/2006.
There is no mention on any other light helos in recent period (and it is doubtful if Sioux survived that much).

However, in 3/23 MD 530G were introduced to service, as light scout/attack helicopters. They have observation devices and can be armed with 7.62mm or 12.7mm MGs and 70mm rockets.
https://www.mdhelicopters.com/malays...ning-complete/
https://fl360aero.com/detail/malaysi...ters-texas/818

Armed helicopters are in class 221 Light Attack Helicopter
540 - Ranger - Available 01/074 to 12/088 (?)
541 - Ranger - Available 01/074 to 12/088 (?)
542 - Gazelle - Available 01/078 to 12/083 (Wikipedia doesn't list Malaysia among users in Gazelle nor List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces articles)
544 - Wasp - Available 01/088 to 12/103 (until 2000, as above)
546 - Fennec - Available 06/103 to 12/125
548 - Super Lynx - Available 06/099 to 12/125 (used by the navy indeed)

[Pibwl]

Portugal

275 SA330 Puma - according to https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%C3%A...le_SA-330_Puma used only from 1970 until 2009 (now 1969-2011) (first operational flight in Angola in 10/70, probably available a bit earlier)

280 EH101 Merlin - better icon is 1904, since they are camouflaged https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...101_Merlin.jpg

[Pibwl]

Brazil

903 - AH-2 Sabre - Available 04/110 to 12/125
904 - AH-2 Sabre - Available 04/110 to 12/125
- withdrawn in 8/22 https://www.aeroflap.com.br/fab-esta...ultimos-mi-35/