Az Air International 2014/02 számában megjelent írás szállítógép beszerzési terveinkről és lehetőségeinkről szóló része:
"Airlift Tender
The failure in February 2012 of national airline Malév left Hungary without a state-owned airlift capability. As a result, government delegations now fly with foreign commercial air carriers or employ the HuAF’s five ageing An-26 tactical transports, scheduled for retirement in 2017.
Ideally Hungary would like to procure new EADS C295 or Alenia C-27J tactical airlifters, but that cannot happen until after the higher-priority tactical helicopter programme is complete towards the end of this decade. This means an interim aircraft is required.
According to the May agreement, the goal with the fixed-wing aircraft procurement is to “create a state-owned airlift fleet able to carry out the tasks of passenger and cargo transport for Hungary and the Hungarian Defence Forces cost-effectively and independently. “This means airlifts to foreign missions and the delivery of hazardous materials that are not transportable by civil aircraft, the rescue of Hungarian citizens left stranded abroad because of extraordinary conditions (and their required in-flight medical treatment) as well as the management of emergency organ transportation by air and the tasks of other state-level and law enforcement bodies abroad.” The tender issued in June by the Ministry of Defence’s Armaments and Quartermaster Office calls for three second-hand transports, in a mix of passenger and cargo configurations, to be procured with a $22 million budget. These ‘new’ aircraft will reduce demands on the An-26s which will be retained for bulk cargo and parachute operations until they are progressively withdrawn from service.
The airlift missions envisaged for the second- hand aircraft include ministerial and general staff transport to European forums, visits to deployed troop contingents, personnel training and logistics support missions for the HuAF’s Gripen fighter force, the future tactical helicopter force and deployed forces in the Balkans, Cyprus, Sinai and Africa, and for NATO/EU training exercises. Other tasks will include medical evacuation and humanitarian missions.
Transport Choices
Contractors submitted bids for the transport tender between July 1 and 11. Contract negotiations were due to begin on August 1, leading to signature by the end of 2013. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected within 15 weeks of signature, meaning no later than the end of April 2014. Given the comparatively limited funds available, bids are likely to be for a mix of one or two turboprop executive aircraft and at least one larger aircraft capable of transporting passengers and cargo.
The best solution for the former is probably one or two late-model Beechcraft 350 or 200-series King Airs in standard eight- or six-passenger fit respectively, with one convertible to accommodate a medevac sled or two.
The only viable alternative to the King Air is probably the Pilatus PC-12. For the passenger/cargo role, obtaining a used Lockheed Martin C-130E/H Hercules would likely be precluded by serviceability issues with this older model of the type as well as operating costs. For example, of the three ex-RAF C-130Ks in the Austrian Air Force, only one is generally serviceable at any given time.
A trip to Spain in May by Hungarian defence staff chief General Tibor Benko – which included a visit to the Spanish Air Force transport wing at Getafe for briefings on aircraft in service and operational deployments – has led to speculation that Hungary might purchase two or three of the Spanish Air Force’s ten remaining CASA CN235-100s. There are rumours that Spain might trade-in some or all of these aircraft to Airbus Military to help reduce costs associated with the imminent delivery of the new Airbus A400 Atlas: they would then be refurbished and sold on by Airbus.
Alternatively, two King Airs could serve alongside a 70-seat Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 regional airliner as an interim capability until Hungary can afford new C295s or C-27Js. Q400 performance is exceptional and very economical, making it an excellent choice for troop rotations and large ministerial requirements such as NATO and EU summits. Four Q400s were operated by Malév and there remains a strong base of available experience in Hungary. Hiring a few former Malév Q400 pilots and technical personnel,
including flight attendants, would enable full capability and the training of HuAF personnel to be achieved rapidly."
"Airlift Tender
The failure in February 2012 of national airline Malév left Hungary without a state-owned airlift capability. As a result, government delegations now fly with foreign commercial air carriers or employ the HuAF’s five ageing An-26 tactical transports, scheduled for retirement in 2017.
Ideally Hungary would like to procure new EADS C295 or Alenia C-27J tactical airlifters, but that cannot happen until after the higher-priority tactical helicopter programme is complete towards the end of this decade. This means an interim aircraft is required.
According to the May agreement, the goal with the fixed-wing aircraft procurement is to “create a state-owned airlift fleet able to carry out the tasks of passenger and cargo transport for Hungary and the Hungarian Defence Forces cost-effectively and independently. “This means airlifts to foreign missions and the delivery of hazardous materials that are not transportable by civil aircraft, the rescue of Hungarian citizens left stranded abroad because of extraordinary conditions (and their required in-flight medical treatment) as well as the management of emergency organ transportation by air and the tasks of other state-level and law enforcement bodies abroad.” The tender issued in June by the Ministry of Defence’s Armaments and Quartermaster Office calls for three second-hand transports, in a mix of passenger and cargo configurations, to be procured with a $22 million budget. These ‘new’ aircraft will reduce demands on the An-26s which will be retained for bulk cargo and parachute operations until they are progressively withdrawn from service.
The airlift missions envisaged for the second- hand aircraft include ministerial and general staff transport to European forums, visits to deployed troop contingents, personnel training and logistics support missions for the HuAF’s Gripen fighter force, the future tactical helicopter force and deployed forces in the Balkans, Cyprus, Sinai and Africa, and for NATO/EU training exercises. Other tasks will include medical evacuation and humanitarian missions.
Transport Choices
Contractors submitted bids for the transport tender between July 1 and 11. Contract negotiations were due to begin on August 1, leading to signature by the end of 2013. Delivery of the first aircraft is expected within 15 weeks of signature, meaning no later than the end of April 2014. Given the comparatively limited funds available, bids are likely to be for a mix of one or two turboprop executive aircraft and at least one larger aircraft capable of transporting passengers and cargo.
The best solution for the former is probably one or two late-model Beechcraft 350 or 200-series King Airs in standard eight- or six-passenger fit respectively, with one convertible to accommodate a medevac sled or two.
The only viable alternative to the King Air is probably the Pilatus PC-12. For the passenger/cargo role, obtaining a used Lockheed Martin C-130E/H Hercules would likely be precluded by serviceability issues with this older model of the type as well as operating costs. For example, of the three ex-RAF C-130Ks in the Austrian Air Force, only one is generally serviceable at any given time.
A trip to Spain in May by Hungarian defence staff chief General Tibor Benko – which included a visit to the Spanish Air Force transport wing at Getafe for briefings on aircraft in service and operational deployments – has led to speculation that Hungary might purchase two or three of the Spanish Air Force’s ten remaining CASA CN235-100s. There are rumours that Spain might trade-in some or all of these aircraft to Airbus Military to help reduce costs associated with the imminent delivery of the new Airbus A400 Atlas: they would then be refurbished and sold on by Airbus.
Alternatively, two King Airs could serve alongside a 70-seat Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 regional airliner as an interim capability until Hungary can afford new C295s or C-27Js. Q400 performance is exceptional and very economical, making it an excellent choice for troop rotations and large ministerial requirements such as NATO and EU summits. Four Q400s were operated by Malév and there remains a strong base of available experience in Hungary. Hiring a few former Malév Q400 pilots and technical personnel,
including flight attendants, would enable full capability and the training of HuAF personnel to be achieved rapidly."