The mission: Airbus H145M helicopter weapon system integration T&E
To successfully launch laser-guided rockets from a weaponised civil helicopter design, it takes some serious design planning, know-how and a firing range big enough to handle the laser and weapon safety footprints. When a customer came to FMV looking to conduct live laser-guided rocket firing from their helicopter, it was a challenge we were well prepared for.
Setting up a live firing campaign with H145M and un-guided and laser-guided rockets presented us with multiple challenges. One of which was managing the permit to fly, as the helicopter to be used during the trials was on a civil register (EASA), which does not handle military or weapon system installations.
Another challenge was fitting the safety footprint of their laser designator, as very few places in Europe have the capability for such a task. Finally, we needed to present a proper set-up of targets, as well as test systems for documentation of the trials.
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The solution: Customised targets at Älvdalen Firing and Exercise Range
After analysing the customer’s needs, we offered a tailored project set-up consisting of our large, 540 km² Älvdalen Firing and Exercise Range, as well as various purpose-designed targets, challenging firing scenarios and high-speed video for trial documentation. Using the Älvdalen Firing Range we could, with margin, fit the laser designator and laser-guided rockets safety footprint. Included in the package was also support with the complex Permit to Fly (PtF) process from our experienced airworthiness office.
In the end, the project resulted in two separate campaigns. The first focused on technical firings against static targets and the second on more operational representative firing scenarios, including the usage of a moving target.
The customer’s live firing campaign was supported by our Flight Test Centre (FTC), where experienced staff were on hand to manage test planning, airworthiness and flight operational issues. In a joint effort with the customer’s national military and civil aviation authorities and the Swedish civil aviation authority, the Permit to Fly process was handled in a smooth way.
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Watch videos from the two successful campaigns below:
The result: Successful verification of the enhanced weapon capability for H145M
Challenges will always arise when it comes to live firing of complex weapon systems from airborne platforms. But with decades of experience from fixed and rotary wing test and evaluation projects, FMV T&E could successfully solve all issues and together with our customer perform two successful live firing campaigns.
Both campaigns were performed late in the year and in harsh conditions. The customer was able to take full advantage of Älvdalen Firing and Exercise Range’s large, remote and unpopulated, test area to successfully and safely conduct all the tests they needed to verify the integration of the weapon suite, including laser-guided rockets, un-guided rockets and guns.
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Services delivered
- Project and test management
- Flight test and airworthiness engineers
- Remotely controlled moving target
- Purpose-designed static targets
- Tracking radars
- Optical tracking and high-speed video cameras recording
- Large 540 km² firing range