Page 32 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2019 Online Magazine

using additive manufacturing, were installed in the cabin and crew ment approach to the C-27J, and a roadmap
bunk areas of the plane, including overhead panels, reading and for future modernisation and upgrades. “With
emergency light covers, window reveals and gasper panels. The this partnership we want to make Australia our
benefits of additive manufacturing, were also made use for new hub for the C-27J in the region to provide New
aluminium seal retention handles,, which were designed to be more Zealand with true excellence not only in terms
ergonomically friendly, lighter weight, and more robust to installa- of product, but also in terms of services, to
tion variation. Another benefit was the elimination of the need to ensure decades of efficient transport and relief
paint the parts prior to installation as the RSO engineers collab- operations. The successful experience of the
orated with the polymer raw material vendor to release “gunship RAAF fleet is a testament to our commitment
grey” material, allowing parts to be printed in the color required and we are convinced that New Zealand would
for the interior cabin. receive significant advantages by becoming
the next Spartan Customer,” says Maurizio De
At the Aero India airshow held in the Indian city of Bengaluru in Mitri, Marketing and Sales Director at Leonardo
February, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, announced that an indig- Aircraft.
enously certified 3D printed fuel system elbow part manufactured
using additive manufacturing technology, would soon be fitted on Leonardo, together with Northrop Grumman
SU-30 MKI fighter jets. The 3D printed fuel system elbow part has Australia, will bring a whole-of-life sustain-
been certified by CEMILAC, India’s military certification agency. ment approach to the C-27J, and a roadmap
“The indigenously certified 3D printed fuel system elbow part, for future modernisation and upgrades using
allows HAL to join the growing trend which is seeing the use of 3D extensive reach-back and sovereign capabili-
printing technology being used for military applications, with real ties. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is
benefits in cost and time savings,” a HAL official told Asian Defence also a C-27J Spartan operator and Northrop
Technology, at Aero India. HAL is now manufacturing SU-30 MKI Grumman Australia maintains a team of more
aircraft under Transfer of Technology license from Russia from than fifty personnel at RAAF Base Richmond for
the raw material phase. However, there are some shortages for providing logistics, engineering, modernisation
and upgrade capabilities. The C-27J is oper-
ated by the U.S. Army, U.S. Coast Guard, Italian
Air Force and the RAF. Leonardo also recently
bagged the Apache Integrated Operational
Support (IOS) contract from the UK Ministry
of Defence for comprehensive support and
maintenance services for the UK Apache AH
Mk.1 Attack Helicopter fleet. The maintenance
contract is valued at approximately £293 mil-
lion and Leonardo, will support the Apache AH
Mk.1 from 1st April 2019 until the aircraft goes
out of service in 2024. “The Apache has pro-
vided years of crucial battlefield support to UK
and coalition troops in operations in Libya and
Afghanistan. This multi-million-pound contract
will ensure our Armed Forces continue to ben-
efit from this vital capability as we integrate the
latest Apache model into service in 2022,” said
UK Defence Minister Stuart Andrew.

Leonardo also provides support and training
castings for manufacturing of components. As a result, the Indian services for the UK MoD’s AW159 Wildcat
airframer, chose the 3D printed fuel system elbow part as a pilot helicopter fleet under the Wildcat Integrated
component for fabrication through additive manufacturing process. Support and Training (WIST) contract and
for the AW101 Merlins under the Integrated
Lucrative Opportunities Merlin Operational Support (IMOS) contract.
At the recently concluded Avalon airshow in Australia, Leonardo Leonardo is the prime contractor for the
and Northrop Grumman Australia announced that they would part- Apache IOS programme and along with its
ner on C-27J through life support services in New Zealand. Both industrial partners Boeing, Lockheed Martin
companies are targeting a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) and Longbow International will deliver complete
requirement for the Future Air Mobility Capability (FAMC) pro- spares provisioning, engineering, depth mainte-
gramme, which seeks to replace the aging C-130H fleet. Leonardo, nance, repair & overhaul and technical support
together with Northrop Grumman Australia is proposing the C-27J services for the UK MoD’s fleet of Apache AH
Spartan for the RNZAF requirement with a whole-of-life sustain- Mk.1 helicopters.

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