Pt. 1 is found here.
Despite some shortcomings during the 2012 FALCOR (Final Assessment of Limitations and Combat Operational Requirements) exercise, which was held in New Mexico in the US, both TIGER and NH90 have fared well during recent operations in Afghanistan. Due to intense political pressure, realisation of operational readiness of TIGER for Afghanistan operations was accelerated in order to overcome the so-called German ISAF combat support helicopter capability gap. Part of the German Expeditionary Air Wing, four ASGARD-F (Afghanistan Stabilization German Army Rapid Deployment- Full) TIGER attack helicopters were deployed to Mazar-e-Sharif (MeS) in December 2012, subsequently achieving operational capability on 30 January 2013. Operating the Airbus Helicopters TIGER UHT since August 2008, the designated lead unit for the deployment Kampfhubschrauberregiment 36 KURHESSEN (KHR36 – 36th Attack Helicopter Regiment) conducted an intensive training schedule for armed reconnaissance, escort, close combat attack (CCA) and rotary wing close air support (RW CAS) tasks with its interim ASGARD-T (T for training) TIGER aircraft starting in April 2011, subsequently receiving its first ASGARD-F helicopters in August 2011. Fitted with additional ballistic protection, blade protection kits, sand filters and improvements to their defensive aids suite and communications equipment, the ASGARD-F TIGER aircraft feature air to ground armament consisting of FN Herstal HMP400 12.7mm gun pods, unguided rocket pods (19 x 70mm) and MBDA HOT guided missiles. In March 2013, one of the ASGARD-F upgraded TIGER helicopters was lost during a training mission in mountainous terrain in the German Alps, luckily without the loss of life. Meanwhile, it has emerged that operations with TIGER were ended on 1 July as part of the drawdown of German forces from Afghanistan. The aircraft are expected to return to Germany by August and have flown almost 1860 flying hours in theatre during approximately 260 operational missions without a single shot having been fired in anger.
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Looking back TIGER performed better as expected, this perhaps vindicating some of its proponents. While the aircraft appeared to be hampered by limited “hot, high and dusty” performance during FALCOR 2012, it has now emerged that much of this was due to the the unique environment encountered at Holloman AFB and the nearby White Sands missile range. Dust in New Mexico proved to be much more aggressive than in Afghanistan due to it containing metal and concrete debris, this causing a lot of damage.
Not used in Afghanistan, MBDA’s PARS 3 LR fire and forget missile will further enhance the TIGER’s capabilities while STINGER has also been certified for use on TIGER. Steps are also being taken to enhance TIGER’s connectivity with German Joint Fire Support Teams and the overall fire support communications architecture while manned unmanned teaming (MUMT) with UAS is also high on the agenda. Meanwhile, the first steps are being taken for a future mid-life upgrade for TIGER, this being looked into together with France, Spain and Australia.
For the deployment to Regional Command-North of ISAF the German NH90s were equipped with a high end medical evacuation suite which can be installed or removed from the cabin within 30 minutes. Having provisions for carrying a Rheinmetall MG3 general purpose 7.62mm machine gun attached to a swivelling mount on port and starboard side, the German NH90s also operated as armed escorts during medevac missions. In addition, two mountings were installed in the cockpit behind the pilots’ seats in order to fit a pair of Heckler & Koch MP7 submachineguns with another MP7 fitted in the cabin for the flight engineer.
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He also praised the combination of the aircraft’s FLIR, helmet-mounted sight/display (HMSD) and night vision capability: “In Germany, operations with FLIR can be hampered by moisture. Afghanistan’s low humidity provides good conditions for FLIR but due to the low levels of light, conditions for operating with night vision goggles can be poor. So, switching from FLIR to night vision in a second is a huge advantage. On top of this, you can now actually look through the image which is unlike older generation NVGs, this helping to identify different colours even at night. This really helped us better cope with brown out conditions.” Eggert continued: “The NH90’s automatic flight control system (AFCS) also proved to be most helpful when landing in brown out conditions.”
Also speaking at Bückeburg was former S3 staff officer of Fliegende Abteilung 101 Lt.Col. Andreas Zahn who indicated that on the basis of his recent experience with the NH90 in Afghanistan he felt that “the NH90 compares favorably to the UH-60 BLACKHAWK including the more advanced Swedish UH-60M which I encountered when I was in theatre. Despite the BLACKHAWK design being a proven, reliable design, NH90 is a more advanced aircraft with more potential.” Zahn continued: “Due to the nature of its aero-medevac suite, the FAM NH90 had to be parked inside. However, this specific suite proved superior to the equipment on board medevac helicopters of coalition partners.” Speaking about the need for ramping up in-service support, Zahn told WT: “On a negative note, a lack of NH90 spare parts in theatre led us to sending in parts from Fassberg, this leading to a reduced availability of aircraft at home.. Nowadays stationed in Bückeburg, Zahn concluded: “Operations with the Forward Air Medevac (FAM) NH90 in Afghanistan are now planned to end on 1 August with CH-53GS aircraft continuing to provide support in theatre.”
Due to the level of commonality due to their glass cockpits, students coming from basic helicopter training with the EC135 now undergo a direct transition to the NH90 or TIGER. Initial mission qualification training (IMQT) is part of the overall curriculum and is done at the German-French Army Aviation Training Center – TIGER in Le Luc, France for those earmarked for the TIGER or at Bückeburg for future NH90 crews. Krahl explains: “Training 30 to 35 students each year, the army aviation school forwards seven aspiring pilots to Le Luc each year and this number is set to grow to 10 annually by 2016.” Speaking in June, Krahl also indicated that there is currently a requirement for five new twin engined basic training helicopters. These would replace the Bo-105s still being used for autorotation training as the current fleet of EC135s is not well suited for performing consecutive series of autorotation landings all the way to the ground.
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The airfield at Celle with its Lehrgruppe C now also comes under the auspices of the army aviation school with Training Groups A and B being stationed at the main base of Bückeburg. Training Group B is currently responsible for pre-flight training and both Bückeburg based groups will be absorbed into the new Training Department A envisaged as part of the new international training center. The yet to be established Air Assault Training Center at Celle will become part of the future Training Department B together with the NH90 maintenance training facility at Fassberg which is currently still part of the northern department of the Luftwaffe’s Technical Training Center (Technische Ausbildungszentrum der Luftwaffe). Forming the nucleus of tomorrow’s Air Assault Training Center, the experimental Air Manoeuvre Tactical Leadership Training (AMTLT) already provides multiplayer networked training sessions to army aviation crews by incorporating full mission simulators, battlefield simulation systems and actual ground weapon systems operating in instrumented training areas. The current AMTLT scheme could easily be enhanced by expanding the network to the UK School of Army Aviation at Middle Wallop and the French simulation center at Le Luc, which is also home to the German-French Army Aviation Training Center – TIGER. Responsible for training German Tiger crews since November 2010, the latter will also become part of the International Helicopter Training Centre together with the German-French Tiger Technical Training Center which is located at Fassberg, both organisations reporting directly to the new school’s training and instruction division. Planned to move to Oldenburg, the army’s Parachute Training Center which is currently still based in Altenstadt will also be incorporated into the new overarching international training center.
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In an effort to further enhance its tactical skills, the German Army air corps is currently contemplating joining forces with the Dutch Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) in organising a joint helicopter weapons instructor course (HWIC) in an effort to enhance the quality of mission qualification training (MQT) being conducted within the operational helicopter squadrons. In both the Dutch and German military, MQT typically comprises specific skills such as conducting special operations air support and training for hot, high and dusty conditions. Recently, the army air corps has also been participating in a series of exercises which are part of the European Defence Agency’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP. This programme comes under the umbrella of the wider Helicopter Training Programme (HTP) which also comprises a Helicopter Tactics Course and a Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course, two events which have also been attended by German helicopter crews in recent times.
Despite some shortcomings during the 2012 FALCOR (Final Assessment of Limitations and Combat Operational Requirements) exercise, which was held in New Mexico in the US, both TIGER and NH90 have fared well during recent operations in Afghanistan. Due to intense political pressure, realisation of operational readiness of TIGER for Afghanistan operations was accelerated in order to overcome the so-called German ISAF combat support helicopter capability gap. Part of the German Expeditionary Air Wing, four ASGARD-F (Afghanistan Stabilization German Army Rapid Deployment- Full) TIGER attack helicopters were deployed to Mazar-e-Sharif (MeS) in December 2012, subsequently achieving operational capability on 30 January 2013. Operating the Airbus Helicopters TIGER UHT since August 2008, the designated lead unit for the deployment Kampfhubschrauberregiment 36 KURHESSEN (KHR36 – 36th Attack Helicopter Regiment) conducted an intensive training schedule for armed reconnaissance, escort, close combat attack (CCA) and rotary wing close air support (RW CAS) tasks with its interim ASGARD-T (T for training) TIGER aircraft starting in April 2011, subsequently receiving its first ASGARD-F helicopters in August 2011. Fitted with additional ballistic protection, blade protection kits, sand filters and improvements to their defensive aids suite and communications equipment, the ASGARD-F TIGER aircraft feature air to ground armament consisting of FN Herstal HMP400 12.7mm gun pods, unguided rocket pods (19 x 70mm) and MBDA HOT guided missiles. In March 2013, one of the ASGARD-F upgraded TIGER helicopters was lost during a training mission in mountainous terrain in the German Alps, luckily without the loss of life. Meanwhile, it has emerged that operations with TIGER were ended on 1 July as part of the drawdown of German forces from Afghanistan. The aircraft are expected to return to Germany by August and have flown almost 1860 flying hours in theatre during approximately 260 operational missions without a single shot having been fired in anger.
Looking back TIGER performed better as expected, this perhaps vindicating some of its proponents. While the aircraft appeared to be hampered by limited “hot, high and dusty” performance during FALCOR 2012, it has now emerged that much of this was due to the the unique environment encountered at Holloman AFB and the nearby White Sands missile range. Dust in New Mexico proved to be much more aggressive than in Afghanistan due to it containing metal and concrete debris, this causing a lot of damage.
Not used in Afghanistan, MBDA’s PARS 3 LR fire and forget missile will further enhance the TIGER’s capabilities while STINGER has also been certified for use on TIGER. Steps are also being taken to enhance TIGER’s connectivity with German Joint Fire Support Teams and the overall fire support communications architecture while manned unmanned teaming (MUMT) with UAS is also high on the agenda. Meanwhile, the first steps are being taken for a future mid-life upgrade for TIGER, this being looked into together with France, Spain and Australia.
Forward Air Medevac
The first of four enhanced initial operational capability (IOC+) NH90 TTHs were deployed to MeS in April 2013 with the 10th Transport Helicopter Regiment from Fassberg being the designated lead unit for this particular deployment. Full operational capability was subsequently reached on 22 June and Luftwaffe personnel from Helicopter Wing 64 assisted in the process of preparing the Fassberg based Army aviation regiment for operations in Afghanistan with the Forward Air Medevac (FAM) configured NH90 TTH. In close cooperation with Airbus Helicopters Germany, the FAM upgrade for the NH90 was performed by military personnel at the air force location of Holzdorf while Luftwaffe aircrews were part of the initial troop rotations to MeS before most of them were officially transferred to the Army due to the ongoing Helicopter Capabilities Transfer.For the deployment to Regional Command-North of ISAF the German NH90s were equipped with a high end medical evacuation suite which can be installed or removed from the cabin within 30 minutes. Having provisions for carrying a Rheinmetall MG3 general purpose 7.62mm machine gun attached to a swivelling mount on port and starboard side, the German NH90s also operated as armed escorts during medevac missions. In addition, two mountings were installed in the cockpit behind the pilots’ seats in order to fit a pair of Heckler & Koch MP7 submachineguns with another MP7 fitted in the cabin for the flight engineer.
Lessons Learned
During the NH90 product conference which was held at the army aviation school (Heeresfliegerwaffenschule - HFWS) in Bückeburg in June, former FAM detachment commander (April –August 2013) Lt.Col. Kai Eggert told WT: “Operating with a notice to move (NTM) time of 15 minutes, the FAM NH90s routinely outpaced the co-located AH-64D APACHE attack helicopters which were often tasked to escort us, this due to these US helicopters having a NTM time of 30 minutes while on strip alert”. Eggert indicated that “despite local hot and high conditions leading to a reduction in payload and/or endurance, on average NH90 provided us with 1.5 to 2 hours of endurance, giving it a position in the top ten percent of best performing rotorcraft.”He also praised the combination of the aircraft’s FLIR, helmet-mounted sight/display (HMSD) and night vision capability: “In Germany, operations with FLIR can be hampered by moisture. Afghanistan’s low humidity provides good conditions for FLIR but due to the low levels of light, conditions for operating with night vision goggles can be poor. So, switching from FLIR to night vision in a second is a huge advantage. On top of this, you can now actually look through the image which is unlike older generation NVGs, this helping to identify different colours even at night. This really helped us better cope with brown out conditions.” Eggert continued: “The NH90’s automatic flight control system (AFCS) also proved to be most helpful when landing in brown out conditions.”
Also speaking at Bückeburg was former S3 staff officer of Fliegende Abteilung 101 Lt.Col. Andreas Zahn who indicated that on the basis of his recent experience with the NH90 in Afghanistan he felt that “the NH90 compares favorably to the UH-60 BLACKHAWK including the more advanced Swedish UH-60M which I encountered when I was in theatre. Despite the BLACKHAWK design being a proven, reliable design, NH90 is a more advanced aircraft with more potential.” Zahn continued: “Due to the nature of its aero-medevac suite, the FAM NH90 had to be parked inside. However, this specific suite proved superior to the equipment on board medevac helicopters of coalition partners.” Speaking about the need for ramping up in-service support, Zahn told WT: “On a negative note, a lack of NH90 spare parts in theatre led us to sending in parts from Fassberg, this leading to a reduced availability of aircraft at home.. Nowadays stationed in Bückeburg, Zahn concluded: “Operations with the Forward Air Medevac (FAM) NH90 in Afghanistan are now planned to end on 1 August with CH-53GS aircraft continuing to provide support in theatre.”
Training
Part of the army training command (Ausbildungskommando), the German Army aviation school headquartered at Bückeburg is one of Europe’s most modern training facilities for rotary wing aircraft. The school is commanded by brigadier general Alfons Mais who is also the director of the overall Army air corps. Speaking to WT during the recent NH90 product conference, Heeresfliegerwaffenschule (HFWS) Chief of Staff Lt.Col. Guido Krahl explains: “Having 50 years of flight training experience, the school is in the process of being transformed into an International Helicopter Training Centre by 1 July 2015”. Krahl continues: “Nowadays, basic rotary wing training in Bückeburg is executed with 14 EC135 helicopters for both Bundeswehr and foreign student helicopter pilots with eleven being available on a daily basis as part of a performance based contract between the military and Airbus Helicopters. Also present are fourteen NH90s including IOC, IOC+ and FOC aircraft although this number will go down to eight again once the transition to the FOC NH90 TTH gathers momentum.”Due to the level of commonality due to their glass cockpits, students coming from basic helicopter training with the EC135 now undergo a direct transition to the NH90 or TIGER. Initial mission qualification training (IMQT) is part of the overall curriculum and is done at the German-French Army Aviation Training Center – TIGER in Le Luc, France for those earmarked for the TIGER or at Bückeburg for future NH90 crews. Krahl explains: “Training 30 to 35 students each year, the army aviation school forwards seven aspiring pilots to Le Luc each year and this number is set to grow to 10 annually by 2016.” Speaking in June, Krahl also indicated that there is currently a requirement for five new twin engined basic training helicopters. These would replace the Bo-105s still being used for autorotation training as the current fleet of EC135s is not well suited for performing consecutive series of autorotation landings all the way to the ground.
Simulation Growing More Important
Large chunks of the training given at the army aviation school involve advanced simulation and modern training technology provided by computer-assisted training, part task and cockpit procedure trainers (PTT, CPT) as well as a number of full-flight mission simulators. The German Army Aviation school boasts an impressive arsenal of the latter including six EC135, two NH90 and two UH-1D simulators. Also present are two CH-53GA and two CH-53GS simulators. Contracted by the Federal Office of Defence Technology & Procurement and operated by CAE, the majority of these is part of the Hans E. Drebing simulator center. This center delivered its 100,000th hour of service on 6 September, this equating to some €500 million in savings according to Krahl. However, a separate company named Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) provides the full mission NH90 simulators. Made up of CAE, Airbus Helicopters Germany, Rheinmetall Defence Electronics and Thales Germany, the 14.5 year HFTS agreement is unique as the buildings and simulators are financed completely by industry under a performance based contract. Also furnished by the HFTS consortium, two more NH90 simulators are located at Fassberg and at Holzdorf, which can be networked with the other two at Bückeburg. With the Luftwaffe NH90s having been handed over to the Army, a move of the latter simulator to Niederstetten which lacks such an asset, appears likely. Developed by Thales in cooperation with Rheinmetall Defence Electronics, full flight simulators and cockpit procedure trainers for the TIGER are available at the joint German-French centre in Le Luc and with the operational regiments in Fritzlar (and Roth!).
The airfield at Celle with its Lehrgruppe C now also comes under the auspices of the army aviation school with Training Groups A and B being stationed at the main base of Bückeburg. Training Group B is currently responsible for pre-flight training and both Bückeburg based groups will be absorbed into the new Training Department A envisaged as part of the new international training center. The yet to be established Air Assault Training Center at Celle will become part of the future Training Department B together with the NH90 maintenance training facility at Fassberg which is currently still part of the northern department of the Luftwaffe’s Technical Training Center (Technische Ausbildungszentrum der Luftwaffe). Forming the nucleus of tomorrow’s Air Assault Training Center, the experimental Air Manoeuvre Tactical Leadership Training (AMTLT) already provides multiplayer networked training sessions to army aviation crews by incorporating full mission simulators, battlefield simulation systems and actual ground weapon systems operating in instrumented training areas. The current AMTLT scheme could easily be enhanced by expanding the network to the UK School of Army Aviation at Middle Wallop and the French simulation center at Le Luc, which is also home to the German-French Army Aviation Training Center – TIGER. Responsible for training German Tiger crews since November 2010, the latter will also become part of the International Helicopter Training Centre together with the German-French Tiger Technical Training Center which is located at Fassberg, both organisations reporting directly to the new school’s training and instruction division. Planned to move to Oldenburg, the army’s Parachute Training Center which is currently still based in Altenstadt will also be incorporated into the new overarching international training center.
Towards an International Pooling of Training Efforts
The current Army aviation school has had some success in attracting foreign students. Swedish, Spanish and Norwegian personnel having trained on the school’s EC135s while personnel from Bückeburg have recently assisted Belgian aircrews in preparing for the advent of their new NH90s. The simulators are in popular demand with students from a series of countries with them visiting the simulator park on a regular basis. Aiming to expand its activities, the school “is looking for international partners” and “has organised three roadshows in 2013 inviting 18 countries,” according to Krahl with the Netherlands being indicated as a possible future client for NH90 training.
In an effort to further enhance its tactical skills, the German Army air corps is currently contemplating joining forces with the Dutch Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) in organising a joint helicopter weapons instructor course (HWIC) in an effort to enhance the quality of mission qualification training (MQT) being conducted within the operational helicopter squadrons. In both the Dutch and German military, MQT typically comprises specific skills such as conducting special operations air support and training for hot, high and dusty conditions. Recently, the army air corps has also been participating in a series of exercises which are part of the European Defence Agency’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP. This programme comes under the umbrella of the wider Helicopter Training Programme (HTP) which also comprises a Helicopter Tactics Course and a Helicopter Tactics Instructor Course, two events which have also been attended by German helicopter crews in recent times.
Pieter Bastiaans