This news is classified in: Defense Missiles / Rockets Helicopters
Mar 6, 2018
In ever more urban environments, the priority of armed forces is to reduce the risk of collateral damage, and in this ambition they can rely on Thales. The Group has been recently awarded a contract from Airbus Helicopters for the test of its rocket systems to boost the H145M mission capability. This contract follows the selection of both Thales rocket systems (70mm NATO and 68mm Induction) to provide such capabilities to Airbus Helicopters’ platforms equipped with its new weapon management system, “HForce”.
The Group announces the recent completion of two successful tests firing campaigns.
In October 2017, Airbus Helicopters completed a ballistic development test of an HForce weapon system equipped on an H145M platform at the Bakony Combat Training Center – BCTC in Hungary. The system test included unguided 70mm / 2.75” rockets (with “FZ231” 12 tube launcher) as well as a helmet mounted sight display Scorpion® by Thales.
In December 2017, the test firings of Thales 70mm / 2.75” (“FZ275”) laser guided rockets were conducted on an H145M platform at the Älvdalen test range of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration Flight test Centre, in an adverse and challenging environment. With precision to within one meter, the guided air-to-ground rocket improves target engagement capabilities while reducing platform vulnerability.
By Range (Less than 100Km, 101-200Km, and 201-400Km), By Threat Type (Subsonic Missiles, Supersonic Missiles, and Hypersonic Missiles), By Domain (Ground and Marine), By Region, Competition, 2019-2029F
Download free sample pagesThese successful test firings with Thales “FZ275”, and the former ones, in 2014 from Tiger Combat Helicopter with the Thales “Aculeus” Induction Laser Guided, confirm the reliability and maturity of Thales’s Rocket Systems. Final qualification for both laser guided products is planned for end 2019.
''The laser guided rockets from Thales performed incredibly well especially taking into consideration the weather conditions we experienced during the trials which were far from ideal with a lot of moisture in the air.'' Raymond Laporte, Test pilot at Airbus Helicopters
With Thales Laser Guided Rockets and Scorpion®, Thales contributes to increase HForce efficiency.
Thanks to its very precise and unique Hybrid-Optical motion tracking (HObiT), Scorpion® dramatically secures Crew Resource Management during critical phase before firing, saving time and avoiding any misunderstanding between Gunner and Pilot. Equipped with a full color day/night display, Scorpion® is the new monocular helmet-mounted sight display reference for Light Armed Helicopters.
