via Rotorhub.
The Turkish Land Forces is on the verge of taking delivery of their first T-129 ATAK attack helicopters as the production of the aircraft gathers momentum.Interesting news. I'll never understand the selection of this helicopter. Its lighter and less powerful than the AH-64, AH-1Z and KA-52 that were offered but I imagine that the driving force behind the selection was the production offsets.
Speaking at the IDEF exhibition in 2013, company representatives stated that the army is expected to take delivery of its first aircraft in the coming weeks.
Four T-129A aircraft are now ready to be formally handed over to the army and will be used to train the initial batch of pilots and maintenance staff. In addition to these first four, three production aircraft are currently undergoing factory acceptance tests.
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), the programme’s prime contractor that is assembling the aircraft, has increased production to one aircraft per month, which will be the ongoing rate through until deliveries of the 59 aircraft are completed in 2018.
I look forward to seeing how it performs in combat.
Compare T-129's stats with AH-1Z. T-129 is almost head to head with viper. AH-1Z shines only with her max takeoff weight. Also look into cruise speed.
ReplyDelete"Production offset" ?? All intellectual and property right owner state, Turkey.
T-129 already compete in Korean tender. Reach to finals with AH-1z and AH-64. Countries like KSA, Pakistan, Azebaijan, Jordan showed interest in T-129.
If you have the time, please cover IRAN's latest indigenous stealth reconnaissance, combat drone. lol.
http://www.presstv.com/detail/2013/05/09/302684/iran-unveils-stealth-recce-combat-drone/
AH-1Z is faster, has longer range, bigger payload and can carry sidewinder missiles for self defense.
Deletein all categories the AH-1Z is superior. Turkey knows what Turkey needs but in looking at the numbers dry the AH-1Z is better...so is the AH-64 and the KA-52. like i said it doesn't mean that the T-129 is a bad helicopter, just that on paper it doesn't match up.
Yeap, i agree. I made a mistake in cruise speed (mile, kilomter). I think we would go at AH-1Z but the main reason is for choosing A-129 is TOT and property rights.
DeleteIf you look into Turkey's latest products, TOT is the most important factor.
FYI. Both T-129 and AH-1Z lost out S. Korean's contest to AH-64E.
DeleteIt looks like the spawn of a L'il Bird and an Apache gunship.
ReplyDelete