HELISHOW: Second day focus on military and homeland security

The second day of the Dubai Helishow 2012 saw sustained interest and activity focusing on issues of military, homeland security and civil defence.

Economic development and the need to safeguard key economic and strategic zones has resulted in increased awareness of the need to invest in helicopters for homeland security and military solutions, leading to greater presence by military representatives at the 2012 event. The Helishow and supporting conference’s second day saw attendance from representatives of the UAE Navy, UAE Air Force, Abu Dhabi Air Wing, Royal Bahrain Air Force, UK Royal Navy and the Libyan Air Force.

The second day of the Dubai Helishow saw live demonstrations from Apaches and Blackhawks from the Presidential Guard, as well as a search and rescue Agusta Westland 139. The flights were coordinated by Aerogulf, the offshore helicopter oil support expert facilitating logistical planning at the Helishow 2012.

The Helishow is offering a concurrent conference programme, run by conference partner Tangent Link. The second day conference, led by Conference Chairman Rear Admiral Terry Loughran, focused on Heli-Borne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, a capability essential for any nation determined to exercise sovereignty over its borders and economic zones and guard against the destabilising effects of piracy, insurgency, drugs, arms, people trafficking and acts of terrorism. The conference looked at ways emergent technology such as helicopters and unmanned aerial systems were making affordable solutions to safeguard territory and sovereignty possible.

The second day conference event followed on from Tangent Link’s hugely successful High-Rise Firefighting and Rescue Conference on Day One, which discussed issues of fire hazards and rescue in high-rise megalopolises such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi. “ Statistics show that more than 70 percent of global fires are in cities, with only 30 percent in forests,” said Dimitri Zuikov of conference sponsors Russian helicopters.

The first day conference delegates noted that the height of fire affected buildings, traffic congestion, and the difficulty in evacuating people with elevators shut down are key adverse factors while firefighting in megalopolises. Conventional methods and water mounted trucks can only reach a maximum of height 100 metres, and also run the risk of getting stuck in city traffic, leaving helicopter rescue and relief the way forward for high rise cities.

Sikorsky Helicopters, manufacturer of the MH-60R and MH-60S Seahawk helicopters, is at the Helishow 2012 to demonstrate how their helicopters can help combat the increasing threat of sea-borne vessels and piracy. Sikorsky have good form in the UAE in recent years, having sold 20 UH-60L and 20 UH-60M Blackhawks to the Presidential Guard, while another 16 Blackhawks are expected to commence delivery in Spring 2013. The MH-60R (Romeo) is designed for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, and is the U.S. Navy’s most advanced maritime rotorcraft. It can be equipped with the new generation Hellfire II missile that can hit multiple targets simultaneously. As per Alan Warnes, aerospace military consultant, governments can expect to pay around USD 700 million for six MH-60Rs, together with logistical, spares and training support.

Lockheed Martin is displaying a range of defense and civilian capabilities, including its Gyrocam. It is also present as a part of Team Seahawk, collaboration with Sikorsky and the US Navy that has led to the development of the MH-60R (Romeo) and MH-60S (Sierra) helicopters.

"Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is pleased to participate for the second year at the Dubai Helishow," said Zak Tomczak, Lockheed Martin director international business development. "This is a great opportunity to exhibit our products and capabilities to Dubai and the greater region. For example, the Gyrocam sensors we have on display can be integrated with fixed and rotary wing aircraft and ground vehicles to provide advanced Intelligence, Service and Reconnaissance (ISR) to the warfighter.”

Boeing is present at the event, showcasing its AH-64 Light Attack/Reconnaissance Helicopter, the multirole combat AH-64D Apache, the medium to heavy lift CH/MH-47 Chinook, and the V-22 Osprey. The V-22 Osprey is a state of the art joint service multi-role combat aircraft utilizing tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed wing aircraft.

Enstrom is highlighting its state of the art 480B light turbine helicopter. “We are looking for viable partners to expand our business into the middles east. We would also like to get a read on potential customer’s responses to the aircraft. Enstrom’s networking desires include potential partners, potential clients, which include governmental and private, and potential service organizations,” said Dennis Martin, International Sales/Program Manager, Enstrom Helicopter Corp.

The Helishow’s second day also had Ivan Kristoff, dubbed the latter day spiderman for his expertise in mid-air and high rise rope rescue, present his Mid Air Rescue Systems (MARS). “I am officially announcing a new concept that can open a new chapter in the aviation, helicopter safety and aerial rescue history. No one has conducted air-to-air escues in the history of aviation, which means that passenger evacuation from planes in danger has not been explored thus far. But I believe that the availability of technology and modern aircraft now make this a viable technique for the UAE and the rest of the world,” said Kristoff.

The Dubai Helishow will conclude tomorrow, November 8 2012 at 9:30pm, culminating in a horse race that is expected to draw over 5,000 attendees.