Bell OH-58 Kiowa Military Helicopter

• OH-58F
The OH-58F is the designation for planned upgrade of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior to extend the design's service until 2025. The planned Cockpit and Sensor Upgrade Program (CASUP) features a nose-mounted targeting and surveillance system for use to look downward over mountains and deserts, rather than the mast-mounted sensor used on the OH-58D, used to look over trees and down-range. The AAS-53 Common Sensor Payload includes an advanced infrared camera, color Electro-Optical camera, and image intensifier. Cockpit upgrades include the Control and Display Subsystem version 5, which has more processing and storage power, three full color multi-function displays, and dual-independent advanced moving maps. It has the Force Battle Command Brigade and Below (FBCB2) display screen, with future improvement to Blue Force Tracker 2. The new model will have Level 2 Manned-Unmanned (L2MUM) teaming. Survivability enhancements include ballistic floor armor and the Common Missile Warning System (CMWS). Other features include improved cockpit control hardware and software for enhanced situational awareness, digital inter-cockpit communications, digital HELLFIRE future upgrades, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) upgrades, a redesigned aircraft wiring harness, Health and Usage Monitoring (HUMS), and enhanced weapons functionality via 1760 digital interface. The aircraft has a dual-channel, full-authority digital engine-controller to ensure it operates at required power levels in all environments. The F-model upgrades do not address increased engine power requirements, although Rolls-Royce has proposed a power boost to the current Model 250-CR30 engine to increase output by 12% to achieve "high-hot" performance.
In October 2012, the Army finished building the first OH-58F Kiowa. Unlike most other military projects, the Army designed and built the new variant itself, which lowered developmental costs. The Army designed model weighs 3,590 lb, which was 53 lb below the target weight and about 200 lb lighter than the OH-58D. The weight savings are attributed to fewer wires routed more efficiently and a lighter sensor. The Army is to build two more aircraft with the first delivered in March 2013. The first production aircraft will start being built in January 2013 and will be handed over to the Army by the end of the year. Low rate production is to start in March 2015, with the first operational squadron being fully equipped by 2016. The Army is to buy 368 OH-58Fs, with D-models being converted into F-models. Older A and C-model OH-58s, which are currently being remanufactured into D-models, will instead be remanufactured into F-models. Because of battle damage and combat attrition, total OH-58F numbers will be about 321 aircraft. The first flight of the OH-58F occurred on April 26, 2013.