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Helicopters are a distinguished class of light aircrafts with vertical take-off/landing and flexible hovering capabilities. Historically, the aerial warfare was not a primitive policy of combat unlike its noted counterparts, the infantry and navy.
With the dawn of 20th century, aviation assumed only an assistive role in military reconnaissance. But with the outbreak of World War II when military aircrafts had to heavily reprise offensive duties with the army, there grew a strong need for a comparatively lighter and compact aircraft with a characteristic ease in its manueverability, which could aid in surveillance and rescue operations, primarily at the battle front and the glories for pioneering this “automobile of the future” is widely credited to Igor Sikorsky of United States.
As likely as it implied in transforming apes to men, evolution has constantly redefined the needs in terms of functionality of a mere rotorcraft into a modern-day military helicopter.
It started from the world war during the early 1940’s which witnessed Sikorsky’s XR-4 being inducted into the US armed forces to aid in rescue operations and in 2020, we have Boeing’s AH-64E Apache the most advanced military attack helicopter today. Diversified use of Military helicopters, have come to the fore from the mid-20th century.
Helicopters are now specifically designed to participate in strategic attacks, to undertake transport/support roles to mobilize resources, to perform search and rescue mission of personnel, and also in surveillance activities.
Spike in demand for attack and transport helicopters
The prevalence of an agitated relation between several nations around the globe, due to territorial disputes, especially in the Asiatic region with countries such as China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Political conflicts in the middle-east involving Syria and Iraq have aggravated tensions, also the nuclear armament threat posed by North Korea has alarmed its neighbours who share lateral aggression. This perception of threat has prompted countries to induct the modern warfare equipment into its armed forces.
Adaptability is the key
At this time when the global community is firmly in the grips of a malicious pandemic, and nations around the world are battling a serious economic downfall, the defence sectors of majority of the countries will, by all means be deprived of additional budgetary allocation to invest in advanced warfare technologies.
In order to identify the military’s needs for a new medium multi-role helicopter to replace those now in their inventories, six European NATO states agreed to provide funds for NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) project, which was formally inaugurated in Brussels.
Prior to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, the project already had the support of France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and the United Kingdom. NATO claims that the US and Spain, who had previously indicated interest, finally decided against joining. The project’s principal nation is the United Kingdom.
By the time many of the already in use approach the end of their useful lives in the near future, it is intended to replace the existing generation of medium multi-role helicopters, including the NH90 and the AW101 Merlin.
The six NATO countries using the same system would have clear interoperability benefits and, at least on paper, should help keep costs down by buying in bulk. However, the agreement does not obligate the countries to purchase a final design together.
The signing of the MOU is an obvious illustration of how NATO and its allies are cooperating to take advantage of rapidly advancing technologies for the advancement of our military capabilities. They are ensuring that Allies will have access to the greatest equipment by allocating funding and directing their development through an international framework.
The participants will begin from scratch in collaboration with industry to investigate how to match their requirements with the most cutting-edge technology available, looking at options like hybrid and electric propulsion, a methodical open system architecture, and the delivery of significantly improved flight characteristics.
USA, Russia and China together hold ~43% of the worldwide military helicopters, trailed by South Korea with 4.5% and India and Japan, both with 4.2%. Despite the fact that France is the nation to have battled most wars, it is ranked in the eighth position in this rundown. Interest for military helicopters isn’t confined to wars, but also for different reasons, for example, transportation of work force, perception, preparing and salvage etc.
The “Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion” is the most expensive in the market and is a substantial lift payload helicopter. Substantial helicopters can be utilized for different purposes and can convey enormous weight. The interest for light weighted choppers is the key factor which is driving the market presently.
Utility helicopters comprise of transport, rescue, maritime and training helicopters.
The attack helicopters are the most expensive of all, for instance, the “Boeing AH-64 Apache” is evaluated at $31 Million and “Sikorsky Sea Hawk” at $43 Million.
Transport helicopters are one of the bigger helicopters and are intended to convey heavier burdens including light vehicles, enormous gatherings of troops, and consignment into battle conditions.
The “Mil Mi-17, Mi-8M, Textron Bell UH-1 Huey” are a couple of instances of it, costing between $12 Million to $26 Million. The world’s most progressive oceanic helicopter is the MH-60R Seahawk costing $28 Million. India has, as of late positioned an interest for 24 multi-job MH-60R Seahawk oceanic helicopters to US at an expense of USD 2.6 Billion.
The need of clinical and emergency rescue administrations has expanded worldwide because of the global pandemic hitting the countries just as the natural disasters happening successively all through the globe. This legitimately impacts the need of military helicopters in each country.
The improvement of cutting-edge helicopters is one of the critical elements driving the development of the market. What’s more, expanded automation, innovative advancements in technology and development of the aviation business are extra factors which are expected to prompt the development of the military helicopter market in the upcoming years.
The helicopter enterprise is ruled by a couple of significant companies, namely, Bell Helicopters (US), The Boeing Company (US), Sirkorsky-Lockheed Martin (US), Russian Helicopters (Russia), Airbus Helicopters SAS (France), Leonardo S.p.A. (Italy), and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (Japan), among others. Seven Western and two Russian makers produce the greater part of the world’s enormous military helicopters.
Light weight military helicopters will generate highest amount of interest around the world. Rising measures for countering fear mongering will build interest for territory military helicopters.
Regarding application, utility military helicopter section is foreseen to represent the biggest portion of use globally. Transport and Attack helicopters are foreseen to represent the second and third biggest fragments as far as consumption over the estimate period.
The remaining piece of the overall industry is held via Search and Rescue, Reconnaissance and perception and preparing helicopters.