Chile mulls options on attack copters

Santiago, Chile - Chilean armed forces are looking to augment their inventory with an early acquisition of light attack helicopters, part of new options being considered to modernize the military.

Chile is also reported to be looking into acquiring light attack aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles but no deals have been announced.

In September Chile was reported in talks with the Netherlands to buy at least eight Cougar helicopters earmarked for reconditioning with new avionics.

Chilean armed forces have let President Sebastian Pinera know the military's light attack capability needs to be modernized as the country faces multiple potential threats from the drug trade, cross-border smuggling of other contraband goods and human trafficking.

At least three types of light attack helicopters are under consideration and include the Eurocopter EC 635, the Bell 407 AH and the Boeing AH-6i, Defense Market Intelligence data showed.

Boeing is expected to demonstrate the AH-6i during trials mounted for the Chilean armed forces which earlier operated and trained on the MD 530.

The Eurocopter is also considered a strong contender, as it's known to both Chilean army and navy personnel. All three models have greater weapons capabilities and advanced electronics and optical equipment than the MD 530 but the competition now centers on availability, price and financial arrangements.

Jane's Defense Weekly said the military would likely approach the manufacturers to request further information.

Chile's defense requirements for 2012 were originally estimated to be in excess of $2 billion but cutbacks, Cabinet reorganization and new legislation led to several downward revisions in that estimate.

A Companies and Markets report estimated Chilean defense market value at $2.5 billion for this year, one of the largest in Latin America. However, Chilean defense expenditure declined steeply due to transfer of Carabineros de Chile and Investigations Police to the Ministry of Interior and Public Security.

The outlook for the coming years may be better, the report said. An aggressive modernization strategy, border disputes and persistent threats from drug traffickers are likely to push the country's defense expenditure to at least $4 billion by 2017.

Industry data showed the U.S. defense industry's share of Chilean defense exports is set to increase. The U.S. share of Chilean defense imports rose from 16 percent for the 2006-10 period to 30 percent for 2010 alone.

Part of the increase in Chilean defense spending has come from upgrading of armor, artillery, infantry, logistics and engineer units. Total spending in those areas is still awaiting financial data from various procurement agencies of the government.

Chile is in talks with the Netherlands to purchase eight Cougar helicopters that are likely to be reconditioned and upgraded to form part of an air cavalry brigade.

The Cougars are part of a Dutch armed forces armada that is targeted for a drawdown. Officials in the Netherlands have said the military's need for cash is behind the decision to run down the current inventory, which they see as excessive to need in peace time.

The Cougar is the Eurocopter's AS532 version, a twin-engine, medium-weight, multipurpose aircraft developed by France and built by Eurocopter and Turkish Aerospace Industries.

The AS532 is an upgrade of the Aerospatiale Puma in its militarized form and has been superseded by the Eurocopter EC725.

The secondhand helicopters, if acquired, will meet an immediate challenge for Chile, which is aiming to upgrade its armed forces' equipment as economically and fast as possible.

Some military commanders backed the idea of having all helicopters from the same manufacturer but cost considerations kept getting in the way.

Chilean army commander Gen. Juan Miguel Fuente-Alba said he favored a standardized helicopter force from a single manufacturer but that doesn't seem to be happening.

Support is also growing for a better-equipped Chilean army with its own air support backup.

El Periodista said on its website the army wants to enhance its fixed-wing capabilities and is seriously considering three to five Spartan C27J twin-engine light transport aircraft for its inventory. The aircraft costs about $53 million and is manufactured by Alenia Aeronautica of Italy.

Chile deploys Israel's RecceLite system

Chile's air force command has deployed the Israeli-made RecceLite reconnaissance system but the government of President Sebastian Pinera has yet to formally announce the acquisition.

Reports of the Rafael air defense system entering the service of Chile's military establishment followed industry assessments Pinera's administration is keen to hasten modernization of the country's military, neglected for more than a decade.

The Chilean military was relegated to the background in the years after the end of dictatorial rule in the country from 1973-90 because of public sensitivity to funding or procurement measures seen to strengthen the armed forces.

The military is widely blamed for supporting authoritarian regimes in Chile, including that of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Sympathy for Chilean military's interest in upgrades and defense modernization has contrasted with bitter opposition in earlier years.

The air force's use of the RecceLite pod system wouldn't have come to light or reported through normal channels because RecceLite isn't regarded as a weapon. However, news reports said the Chilean military was one of six air forces that attended a recent conference in the Netherlands that brought together users of the Rafael system.

RecceLite is favored by air forces worldwide because it provides real-time reconnaissance and data links. Chile's reported purchase of the advanced pods is meant to supplement the air force's operations of its F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet.

Photographs of Chilean F-16s showed a targeting pod that appeared to be the Litening, the blog website for Chile's Defense and Military said.

However, defense analysts said, the Litening and RecceLite are similar in appearance opening possibilities that the Chilean air force may be using both systems. The Litening targeting pod, also designed originally in Israel, is a precision targeting pod system used with a wide variety of combat aircraft.

Chile never publicly has acknowledged deployment of targeting and reconnaissance pods.

The representatives of the air forces from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Spain and the Netherlands met at Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands for what was acknowledged to be the third annual RecceLite users' conference.

Users shared experiences and feedback while discussing dynamic changes in operational needs. Officials from Rafael presented developments taking place to improve and upgrade the system.

Developed and produced by Rafael, RecceLite is a self-contained, self-cooled multi-sensor tactical reconnaissance system, consisting of an airborne pod based on the Litening pod, a ground exploitation station and a data link.

The system was used during NATO campaigns in Libya and Afghanistan.