The joint venture formed by the engineering and technology group SENER and Babcock Spain has received the technical certificate no. 003/16 from INTA (the Spanish National Institute of Aerospace Technology) in its review 01, as part of the AB-212 helicopter program to extend their operational life for the Spanish Navy.
This certificate no. 2, which is related to the operational configuration CT2, extends the previous CT1 certification obtained by the joint venture in 2016. With the extended certificate, the in-flight operation of all the systems required in the contract is now permitted. These include the rescue crane, the tactical mission computer, the radar, the electro-optical system and the missile proximity warning system, as well as the weaponry system. All this equipment is integrated into a digitized Full Glass Cockpit.
Furthermore, the new accreditation enables the aircraft to operate day and night-time VFR (Visual Flight Rules) flights, as well as operating night-time flights using night vision goggles.
The program to extend the lifecycle of seven Agusta-Bell helicopters of the Spanish Navy, which came into service in 1974, will allow the service life of the helicopters to be significantly extended by incorporating upgrades in aeronautic equipment and providing them with new capabilities, such as radar, a night-vision system, self-protection and self defense means, among others, all of which are essential for operating efficiently in national and international scenarios that are increasingly demanding.
