WASHINGTON (March 19, 2015) -- Despite cancelling its quest for an Armed Aerial Scout, or AAS, aircraft - a replacement for the OH-58 Kiowa - an Army leader told Congress there is still a valid need for that type of aircraft.
During a March 19 hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, subcommittee on tactical air and land forces, Maj. Gen. Michael D. Lundy, commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence, said the Army still considers AAS a valid requirement.
Right now the Army plans to divest itself of the OH-58 Kiowa aircraft, which had performed the armed reconnaissance helicopter mission. The Army deemed it too expensive to maintain the aircraft or upgrade it for the AAS mission through a Service Life Extension Program. Also too expensive was a replacement aircraft.
The Army now plans to use AH-64 Apache aircraft teamed with unmanned aerial systems to fill the role. But Lundy said that isn't the end of the Army's quest for a new AAS aircraft.
For those pilots making the transition from OH-58 to AH-64 Apache pilot, Lundy said the training is going well, and said that the Army recently graduated three such pilots from training, and that two of those had done well enough to remain on at the school house as instructor pilots.
"I see no issues with the training," Lundy said.
Lundy also told lawmakers that the Army's effort at modernization of the UH-60 Black Hawk is underway, and that it supports all components of the Army.
As many as 600 UH-60A Black Hawks across the Army will be divested from the fleet by 2023, he said. Additionally, the Army is converting UH-60L Black Hawks to the UH-60V version, which includes a glass cockpit.
Fielding will happen between 2018-2032, he said. The majority of those will go into the National Guard and the Army Reserve. The Army continues to field the UH-60M model as well, and expects to finish by 2028.
Challenged by one lawmaker with the suggestion that the M4 Carbine is a less-than-satisfactory weapon, the Army's chief of resourcing said he has heard no complaints from Soldiers.
Ierardi said the Army will continue to enhance the M4, including conversion to the heavier M4A1. He said 90 improvements have been made to the weapon since it was fielded in 1994.
The M113 armored personnel carrier has been in the Army since 1960 and Ierardi said the vehicle has already seen its last days as an operational vehicle. While a number of M113s remain in the Army inventory, the service has stopped using them operationally. The Army plans to replace the M113's capability with the armored multi-purpose vehicle, or AMPV.
The Army announced in late 2014 that that BAE Systems Land & Armaments, L.P. was selected for the engineering and manufacturing development, or EMD, contract for the AMPV. The initial award is for a 52-month base term, valued at about $382 million. During that time, BAE Systems will produce 29 vehicles.
