UH-1Y Iroquois (Huey)
The mission of the UH-1Y utility helicopter is to provide command and control and combat assault support under day/night and adverse weather conditions and special operations support; supporting arms coordination and aeromedical evacuation. Major modifications include: a new 4-bladed, composite rotor system with semi-automatic bladefold, new performance matched transmissions, T700 Engine Digital Electronic Control Units (DECUs), new 4-bladed tail rotors and drive systems, more effective stabilizers, upgraded landing gear, tail pylon structural modifications, and common, fully integrated cockpits and avionics systems.
The fully integrated cockpits will reduce operator workload and improve situational awareness, thus increasing safety and reducing the rate of aircraft attrition. They will provide considerable growth potential for future weapon systems and avionics, which will significantly increase mission effectiveness and survivability. The cockpits will also include integration of on-board mission planning, communications, digital fire control, self-navigation, night targeting, and weapon systems management in nearly identical crew stations reducing training requirements. This program maximizes commonality between the two aircraft and provides needed improvements in crew and passenger survivability, payload, power available, endurance, range, airspeed, maneuverability and supportability.
The H-1 Upgrade (UH-1Y/AH-1Z) program replaces the current twobladed rotor system on the UH-1N and AH-1W aircraft with a new fourbladed, all-composite rotor system coupled with a sophisticated fullyintegrated, state-of-the-art cockpit. In addition to the new rotor system and cockpit, the H-1 Upgrade will incorporate a new performancematched transmission, a four-bladed tail rotor and drive system, and upgraded landing gear for both aircraft.
The UH-1Y incorporates the identical rotor system and dynamic components which results in maximum commonality and supportability between the two aircraft. The UH-1Y returns the required aircraft power margin and provides adequate mission payload and warfighting capability growth potential.
Marking the “beginning of the end” of developmental flight testing for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y, a UH-1Y “Huey” made the first flight of a fully configured and functional H-1 Upgrade aircraft 09 October 2003. Coming out of the last major scheduled modification period that incorporated a moveable elevator and the Thales “Top Owl” helmet-mounted sight and display (HMSD), the aircraft will soon begin the final phases of developmental testing before operational evaluation, the last milestone before a full-rate production decision, began in the fall of 2004.
The UH-1Y Huey light utility helicopter, part of the Marine Corps’ H-1 Upgrades program, was approved 15 April 2005 by the Defense Department acquisition chief to be built as new helicopters rather than be remanufactured from UH-1N’s currently in use.
The Honorable Michael Wynne, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, signed the Acquisition Decision Memorandum that will provide new-built UH-1Y’s to the Marine Corps starting in 2008 as part of the third lot of low-rate initial production aircraft.
Program officials estimate production costs for building the helicopters new to add approximately $100,000 per aircraft, and non-recurring engineering costs to add approximately $8.1 million, to the program for a total increase of $17.4 million for the 90 UH-1Ys. Per the President’s 2005 budget, the H-1 Upgrades total program cost is estimated to be approximately $5.5 billion.
Although the H-1 Upgrades program originally planned to remanufacture 180 AH-1W Super Cobras and 100 UH-1N Hueys into the 84 percent identical AH-1Z/UH-1Y configuration, the UH-1N fleet has subsequently experienced a surge in operational tempo that is not expected to abate in the near term. Coupled with the average age and attrition rate of the aircraft, as well as the marginal cost difference between a remanufactured UH-1Y and a new-build UH-1Y, the program concluded, and DoD acquisition leadership agreed, that building UH-1Ys new better supports the needs of the Marine Corps.
With the current size and availability of the UH-1N fleet, having a number of them out of the fleet for two years to accommodate the remanufacture process severely and adversely impacts the Marine Corps’ speed, persistence, precision and reach in conducting expeditionary maneuver warfare in support of the Global War on Terrorism and other operations around the globe.
Program officials were studying the feasibility and cost of also building the AH-1Z’s new. A date for that decision had yet to be determined as of mid-2005.
As of mid-2005 10 UH-1Y and six AH-1Z aircraft were in production at Bell Helicopter’s production facilities in Fort Worth and Amarillo, Texas. By 2014, the Marine Corps will have procured 100 UH-1Y Hueys and 180 AH-1Z Super Cobras. The H-1 Upgrades program had achieved approximately 2,800 flight test hours since Dec. 7, 2000.The program is scheduled to begin its final operational evaluation in late 2005 year for both the UH-1Y and AH-1Z aircraft.
As Marine Corps aircraft, the AH-1Z and UH-1Y must be marinized to support the Corps’ mission of assault from the sea. “Marinization” refers to the unique capability of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft to withstand the daily punishment of temperature extremes, salt water, high structural loads and harsh conditions associated with shipboard/austere location operations in the expeditionary environment. Specific aspects of marinization can include blade and tail folding, ruggedized avionics and airframe structure, improved corrosion resistance for both the aircraft and support equipment, ability to withstand salt water ingestion by the engines, and close quarters deck-handling ability.
