Nh90 Question

[Iranian F-14A]

What sort of weapons could or would an NH90 helicopter carry? Now,as far as the NFH model goes,I've heard it can carry Sea Skua and Marte Mk.2 anti ship missiles,as well as torps.Could it carry the larger Harpoon,Sea Eagle,Exocet or Gabriel ASMs? The Army/AF TTH model would probbley be unarmed except for door mounted guns,maybe some unguided rocket pods.However,would these pods be mounted to a brace mounted pylon like the NFH has foreward of the landing gear sponson or could it be mounted to a small stub wing on the sponson itself?
I'm trying to get a good list of possiblities for possible exports to former Warsaw Pact,middle eastern and asian countries.For the former Warsaw Pact naval models,I was thinking the AS-20 Kayak would be a good choice for an ASM.

[jcf]

This pic shows the TTH with airframe mounted stores support, and an MG in the rear window.


Which frankly, is very logical, if the airframe has been designed and stressed to carry the naval stores support in that location then it makes sense that the Army version would be the same...the days of unique designs for each user are long gone.

The mounting design and location certainly gives the machine a unique and clean look, rocket or gun-pods would look cool, antitank missiles are another possibility..

As to other missiles, one source states a maximum external load of 700kg for the NFH...one Marte 2 weighs 324kg, one AM39 Exocet weighs 670kg, Sea Eagle is 600kg, AGM-84 Harpoon 519kg, Gabriel Mk 3 A/S 590kg. The AS-20 is in the same weight category.

So based on that its two Marte or one of any other anti-ship missile.

Cheers, Jon

[GTX]

Which frankly, is very logical, if the airframe has been designed and stressed to carry the naval stores support in that location then it makes sense that the Army version would be the same...the days of unique designs for each user are long gone.

The mounting design and location certainly gives the machine a unique and clean look, rocket or gun-pods would look cool, antitank missiles are another possibility..

That may all be so, but the NH-90 and the various army variants of it (i.e. excluding the NFH-90) are planned to carry nothing more deadly than a machine gun mounted from the door.

Regards,

Greg

[jcf]

That may all be so, but the NH-90 and the various army variants of it (i.e. excluding the NFH-90) are planned to carry nothing more deadly than a machine gun mounted from the door.

Regards,

Greg

Yeah, but we're speaking what-if?, aren't we?

A gun-pod could be mounted in place of the fuel tank shown in the photo, and as I said 'tis very likely that whatever local strengthening was done for the naval version is present in the Army version.
Building two different fuselage versions would make no sense.

Swing down rocket pods ala the Aliens Dropship would look cool.

Jon

[GTX]

Well, if we're talking about Whif MH-90s, I have a plan to do an AH-90 just as soon as there is a 1/48 MH-90 kit available.  It would consist of the front half of an Eurocopter Tiger and the rear half of a NH-90 and would have stub wings and plenty of weapons.  Essentially a "Euro-Hind"!

Regards,

Greg

[grayman]

I seem to recall a similar proposal for the ADF by Augusta - using the dynamic components of the Mangusta gunship with a new front (troop-carrying) fuselage. Think Mangusta crossed with (shrunken) Blackhawk and you'll know what I mean.

Vaguely (late '80s) I recall it being touted as a replacement for the Kiowa, but rejected because it could not carry a section of fully-kitted out troops.

[Iranian F-14A]

I think I remember what you're talking about.I think it was the original Aguata A139(not the newer AgustaBell AB139). There were two of them IIRC.One looked kinda like the A109,but had an undernose gun and the tricycle gear of the Mangusta.The other one was newer and I think it was based on the AB139 and had weapons carrying wings,sort of like the ESSS of the Blackhawk.

[Maverick]

All this talk of gunning up troopies or making troopies out of gunships is quite interesting. An old DVD about GW1 (ie Desert Storm) mentioned how happy the Brits were with Lynx because it could kill tanks and carry troops (not at the same time of course). One thing they sorta conveniently failed to mention was that if they were killing Soviet tanks their Lynxs would have a life expectancy of ooo about .3 seconds.

Still, in hindsight (the great leveller), imagine if they weren't so keen to be on Uncle's bandwagon and actually kept their Lynxs... the situation with those lads hanging half-a**ed of an Apache wouldn't even need to be mentioned...?

Regards,

Mav (Keybooard... Check!, Puter Power Supply... Check!, Meds... Check! Happy Smile coz he can Profile & Surf again... CHECK plus.)  

[grayman]

ANother one for the "I vaguely recall" series...

The Mi-28 Havoc has (had?) a troop compartment under the fuselage (beneath the engine pods, rear of the wings) that would allow one or two people to be carried. From memory (an old Air International article) this was a feature incorporated from combat lessons in Afghanistan.

Incidentally, back to Augusta product, Sikorsky proposed a modified Blackhawk (equipped with additional optronics and Hellfires) to fill the role for which the Tigre was ultimately selected.

[B777LR]

Incidentally, back to Augusta product, Sikorsky proposed a modified Blackhawk (equipped with additional optronics and Hellfires) to fill the role for which the Tigre was ultimately selected.

That was the Battehawk i think, it had a machine gun under the cockpit like the AH-64 as well (i think)  

[GTX]

The AH-60L:



See here for more info.  At one time it was offered to Australia as part of the AIR87 project (eventually won by the Tiger).

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

The Mi-28 Havoc has (had?) a troop compartment under the fuselage (beneath the engine pods, rear of the wings) that would allow one or two people to be carried. From memory (an old Air International article) this was a feature incorporated from combat lessons in Afghanistan.

I recall that too - but do you think I can find the reference? (I think I first read it in a copy if Air International in the late '80s/early '90s)

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

and actually kept their Lynxs

Err what do you mean?  The Brits still have the Lynx as far as I know.  In fact there is a program to update them - see here

Regards,

Greg