EUROPEAN PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY HELICOPTERS CREATION AT THE END OF THE 20th – THE BEGINNING OF THE 21st CENTURIES AND THEIR ROLE IN RENEWAL OF ARMY AVIATION

Abstract

The purpose of the research is to analyze the international European programs fulfillment for new military helicopters creation, starting from the 80s of the 20th century. Additionally, importance of these programs for army aviation re-equipment of leading NATO countries as Germany, France, Italy and Spain, has been also defined. The methodology of the research was meant to utilize a chain of general scientific and special historical principles. There is analysis and synthesis that should be brought to attention among general scientific principles. Among the special methods, the focus should be on historical systematic and typological methods. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the fact that, for the first time in the Ukrainian historiography, it examines the main programs for the creation of military helicopters in Western Europe and their significance for the rearmament of the army aviation of NATO countries. Conclusion. During the last quarter of the 20th – the beginning of the 21st century, two international programs were fulfilled on helicopters creation for army aviation in Western Europe, namely – attack helicopter Tiger (French-German one) and a medium transport ТТН (the last is a part of broader program NH 90 that is put into action by France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands).

Though the process of new helicopters creation became prolonged in time – they were 10 or more years behind the deadline. That was the cause, first, by the end of the Cold War, that resulted in decreasing military expanses and the need to amend projects to adjust to new conditions of combat actions. Decrease in army and military expenses influenced the program capacities. For instance, the quantity of the helicopter Tiger production was twice less than planned at the beginning – this is including export to countries which are not program participants.

Fulfillment of programs under the research had a hidden meaning for army aviation re-equipment of the leading Western European countries. It is typically of Germany, where Tiger and ТТН became almost the only samples of helicopters in army aviation units in the first line. France and Spain finished the process of re-equipment the units with Tiger helicopters. Though there were too few helicopters TTH ordered due to financial restrictions. That prevented from modernizing the whole helicopter pool. It is typical of Spain that had to extend in time the procurement of helicopters due to financial issues. Procurement of TTH in Italy enabled to re-equip transport helicopter units partially.

In general, the two examined Programs became of significant experience in mutual design of innovation assets for aviation manufactory and influenced further integration of European helicopter industry.

Key words: combat helicopter, transport helicopter, army aviation, aviation industry, NATO, Cold War.