ARH-70
Encyclopedia
The Bell ARH-70 Arapaho is a four-bladed, single-engine, light military helicopter
designed for the United States Army
's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) program. With a crew of two and optimized for urban combat, the ARH-70 was slated to replace the Army's aging OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
.
Excessive delays and growth in program costs forced its cancellation on 16 October 2008, when the Department of Defense failed to certify the program to Congress. The ARH-70 was touted as having been built with off-the-shelf technology; the airframe was based on Bell's commercially successful Bell 407
.
helicopter program. The program had cost US$6.9 billion and 20 years of development without fielding a production aircraft. The cancellation was a result of a six-month Army study directed by Army Chief of Staff
General Peter Schoomaker
. The study recommended that by cancelling the program before the Comanche reached production, the Army could save US$14 billion which could then be used to update and replace the aging airframes of the current fleet.
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior was targeted by the study for replacement in the active service fleet, based on the age of the airframe, recent losses, and the lack of replacement airframes. The Army developed an armed reconnaissance helicopter concept that would use commercial off-the-shelf
(COTS) technology, with a goal of an operational unit of 30 helicopters and eight trainers ready by September 2008. On 9 December 2004, Army officials issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the ARH. Two companies submitted bids:
On 29 July 2005, the Army announced Bell as the winner of a contract for 368 helicopters. There was some confusion as Bell figures placed the contract value at US$2.2 billion while Army estimates were over US$3 billion, compared to its earlier estimate of US$2.36 billion. The contract called for the development of prototypes and the delivery of pre-production aircraft to the Army for the Limited User Test (LUT), with the first unit equipped by the end of September 2008.
. The flight had been delayed, first in March and then in May, to allow Bell to configure the prototypes as pre-production aircraft. Bell and the Army both eventually agreed that this delay would be essential for maintaining the compressed timeline for development.
On 21 February 2007, during its maiden flight, prototype #4 (s/n 53906/N445HR) suffered a loss of engine power, due to fuel starvation
, and made an autorotational
landing at a nearby golf course. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair when it rolled over during the landing, but the test pilots survived unhurt.
, Bell's parent company, notified investors that they could lose $2–4 million on each aircraft under the contract. Bell appealed and received permission to continue development using company funds until the notice was resolved. On 18 May 2007, the Army approved continuation of the ARH program.
On 25 July 2007, the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense panel drafted a bill for the 2008 Defense Budget which zeroed out funding for ARH-70 production, citing Bell's inability to enter production, but continued funding for research and development. However, in January 2008, government officials began working on export policy to allow international sales of the ARH-70. Including the U.S. Army's expected total of 512 helicopters, orders were anticipated to total over 1000.
The Army filed a Nunn-McCurdy cost and schedule breach on July 9, 2008, when new cost estimates showed a 40% cost increase above initial estimates. In August 2008, the Army requested that Bell cease hiring workers for the ARH-70 program pending the outcome of the Nunn-McCurdy review.
(DOD) not certifying the US$6.2 billion ARH-70 program to Congress. John Young, the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, cited the reason as excessive costs of the program which had increased over 70 percent with an estimated per-unit cost of US$14.5 million, up from US$8.5 million.
Military helicopter
A military helicopter is a helicopter that is either specifically built or converted for use by military forces. A military helicopter's mission is a function of its design or conversion...
designed for the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) program. With a crew of two and optimized for urban combat, the ARH-70 was slated to replace the Army's aging OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine, single-rotor, military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. Bell Helicopter manufactured the OH-58 for the United States Army based on the 206A JetRanger helicopter. The OH-58 has been in continuous use by the U.S...
.
Excessive delays and growth in program costs forced its cancellation on 16 October 2008, when the Department of Defense failed to certify the program to Congress. The ARH-70 was touted as having been built with off-the-shelf technology; the airframe was based on Bell's commercially successful Bell 407
Bell 407
The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 uses the four-blade rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-blade, semi-rigid rotor of the 206L-4...
.
Development
On 23 February 2004, the U.S. Army announced their decision to cancel the RAH-66 ComancheRAH-66 Comanche
The Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche was an advanced five-blade armed reconnaissance and attack helicopter designed for the United States Army. The RAH-66 program was canceled in 2004, before mass production began, after nearly $7 billion was spent on the program.During the early 1980s, the U.S...
helicopter program. The program had cost US$6.9 billion and 20 years of development without fielding a production aircraft. The cancellation was a result of a six-month Army study directed by Army Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
General Peter Schoomaker
Peter Schoomaker
Peter Jan Schoomaker is a retired four-star general of the United States Army and served as the 35th Chief of Staff of the United States Army from August 1, 2003 to April 10, 2007. Schoomaker's appointment as Chief of Staff was unique in that he was recalled and came out from retirement to assume...
. The study recommended that by cancelling the program before the Comanche reached production, the Army could save US$14 billion which could then be used to update and replace the aging airframes of the current fleet.
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior was targeted by the study for replacement in the active service fleet, based on the age of the airframe, recent losses, and the lack of replacement airframes. The Army developed an armed reconnaissance helicopter concept that would use commercial off-the-shelf
Commercial off-the-shelf
In the United States, Commercially available Off-The-Shelf is a Federal Acquisition Regulation term defining a nondevelopmental item of supply that is both commercial and sold in substantial quantities in the commercial marketplace, and that can be procured or utilized under government contract...
(COTS) technology, with a goal of an operational unit of 30 helicopters and eight trainers ready by September 2008. On 9 December 2004, Army officials issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the ARH. Two companies submitted bids:
- BoeingBoeingThe Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
proposed the upgraded version of the MH-6 Little BirdMH-6 Little BirdThe MH-6 Little Bird , and its attack variant AH-6, are light helicopters used for special operations in the United States Army. Originally based on a modified OH-6A, it was later based on the MD 500E, with a single five-bladed main rotor...
, the MH-6M Mission Enhanced Little Bird (MELB). Because the aircraft was already in service with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, it became the predictive favorite despite doubts that MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI)MD HelicoptersMD Helicopters, Inc. is an aerospace company that produces helicopters primarily for commercial use. Coverage here includes the company's tenure as McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems, a subsidiary of McDonnell Douglas.-Background:...
could ramp up production to meet the contract's demands. To alleviate this concern, Boeing purchased the production rights for the design and served as the prime contractor.
- Bell Helicopter proposed an update of the OH-58D concept in a militarized version of the Bell 407Bell 407The Bell 407 is a four-blade, single-engine, civil utility helicopter; a derivative of the Bell 206L-4 LongRanger. The 407 uses the four-blade rotor with composite hub developed for the United States Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior instead of the two-blade, semi-rigid rotor of the 206L-4...
, using a more powerful Honeywell HTS900Honeywell HTS900-External links:* *...
turboshaft engine, an all-composite main rotor based on the Bell 430Bell 430-External links:*...
's rotor, and the Bell 427Bell 427|-See also:-References:* . Bell Helicopter-External links:*...
tail assembly.
On 29 July 2005, the Army announced Bell as the winner of a contract for 368 helicopters. There was some confusion as Bell figures placed the contract value at US$2.2 billion while Army estimates were over US$3 billion, compared to its earlier estimate of US$2.36 billion. The contract called for the development of prototypes and the delivery of pre-production aircraft to the Army for the Limited User Test (LUT), with the first unit equipped by the end of September 2008.
Flight test program
Bell's ARH demonstrator, a modified Bell 407 (s/n 53343/N91796), first flew on 3 June 2005. In February 2006, the ARH demonstrator flew with a limited avionics and Mission Equipment Package (MEP), and in April, Bell fitted and mounted the Honeywell HTS900-2 engine to the demonstrator airframe, followed by a series of ground runs. The first flight of the ARH-70 occurred on 20 July 2006, at Bell's XworX facility in Arlington, TexasArlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
. The flight had been delayed, first in March and then in May, to allow Bell to configure the prototypes as pre-production aircraft. Bell and the Army both eventually agreed that this delay would be essential for maintaining the compressed timeline for development.
On 21 February 2007, during its maiden flight, prototype #4 (s/n 53906/N445HR) suffered a loss of engine power, due to fuel starvation
Fuel Starvation
Fuel starvation and fuel exhaustion are problems that can affect internal combustion engines fuelled by either diesel, kerosene, petroleum or any other combustible liquid or gas. If no fuel is available for an engine to burn, it cannot function...
, and made an autorotational
Autorotation (helicopter)
Autorotation is the state of flight where the main rotor system of a helicopter is being turned by the action of air moving up through the rotor rather than engine power driving the rotor...
landing at a nearby golf course. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair when it rolled over during the landing, but the test pilots survived unhurt.
Program cost problems
A month later, on 22 March 2007, the Army issued a "Stop Work" notice, giving Bell thirty days to come up with a plan to get the ARH program back on track. Previous estimates for the System Development Demonstration portion of the program had grown from $210 million to over $300 million. TextronTextron
Textron is a conglomerate that includes Bell Helicopter, E-Z-GO, Cessna Aircraft Company, and Greenlee, among others. It was founded by Royal Little in 1923 as the Special Yarns Company, and is headquartered at the Textron Tower in Providence, Rhode Island, United States.With total revenues of...
, Bell's parent company, notified investors that they could lose $2–4 million on each aircraft under the contract. Bell appealed and received permission to continue development using company funds until the notice was resolved. On 18 May 2007, the Army approved continuation of the ARH program.
On 25 July 2007, the House Appropriations Committee’s Defense panel drafted a bill for the 2008 Defense Budget which zeroed out funding for ARH-70 production, citing Bell's inability to enter production, but continued funding for research and development. However, in January 2008, government officials began working on export policy to allow international sales of the ARH-70. Including the U.S. Army's expected total of 512 helicopters, orders were anticipated to total over 1000.
The Army filed a Nunn-McCurdy cost and schedule breach on July 9, 2008, when new cost estimates showed a 40% cost increase above initial estimates. In August 2008, the Army requested that Bell cease hiring workers for the ARH-70 program pending the outcome of the Nunn-McCurdy review.
Cancellation
On 16 October 2008, the Army's Acquisition Executive Office for Aviation directed that the ARH contract be terminated completely for the convenience of the government. The cancelation was the result of the United States Department of DefenseUnited States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
(DOD) not certifying the US$6.2 billion ARH-70 program to Congress. John Young, the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, cited the reason as excessive costs of the program which had increased over 70 percent with an estimated per-unit cost of US$14.5 million, up from US$8.5 million.