Defence Helicopter

Now well into its third decade, Defence Helicopter's unrivalled reporting is respected and read by those involved in military and parapublic aviation. From the strategists to the pilots who fly the missions, from airframe researchers & developers to weapons & equipment users and designers. We also feature "after-action" reports from those who were there, read by those who may soon take their place. Defence Helicopter informs, analyses and provides the facts.

Defence Helicopter's 2009 feature programme offers subjects relevant to both the military and civil communities in every issue, and in addition to its circulation will be distributed at leading military and parapublic events and conferences around the world.

Complementing the magazine’s expanded editorial coverage is www.Rotorhub.com. A major daily news and information resource for both the civil and the military communities. The Shephard Group provides the international helicopter community with its most comprehensive portfolio of specialist information services and an array of cost-efficient sales and marketing opportunities.

An independent reader survey conducted by Clear Impressions received a fantastic 19.2% response with two-thirds of respondents voting Defence Helocopter their favourite defence publication.

We are told that each issue is passed on to a minimum of six others giving a readership of over 70,000 per copy.

Current Issue

3 Editorial comment

4 Defence news

6 Finding its claws
The first active deployment of the Eurocopter Tiger to a war zone has helped French pilots refine their tactics in addition to demonstrating the aircraft’s capability.

Cover story

8 Good fortunes for the future fleet?
After overseeing a decade of helicopter modernisation, the US Army faces a number of milestone decisions in 2010 that will influence the makeup of the future force. Defence Helicopter looks at where the road is likely to lead for the service’s rotary assets.

14 A tale of two markets
Helicopter procurement in the Asia-Pacific market is following two divergent paths as some countries invest in domestic development, while others continue to procure from the main international players.

21 The world in my eyes
The ability to receive information constantly from your flight instruments, weapons systems and sensors, regardless of where you are looking, is the rationale behind the development of helmet mounted display (HMD) systems.

26 Battlefield ability
Utility helicopters satisfy various exacting niches with individual operators, but populate the huge gap between cargo and attack machines. Defence Helicopter looks at how the role has evolved and the new machines joining the fray.

32 Rotors in the loop
Defence Helicopter reviews the ongoing efforts to link battlefield helicopters into the wider digital battlespace.

37 France’s CSAR solution
The EC725 Caracals of the army and air force are now amongst the most heavily tasked platforms in France’s armed forces.

40 Tail Spin
Col Shane Openshaw, US Army project manager, Apache attack helicopters opens our new column and discusses programme milestones and activities following completion of the last flight mission of the Apache Block III limited user test at Yuma Proving Ground in November 2009.