PANHA Saba-248 (Good Wind)

Twin-Engine Lightweight Utility Military Helicopter

Iran | 2019

"Despite its resemblance to the American Bell 427, Iranian industry and its military are billing the PANHA Saba-248 as an indigenous development."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/15/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

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Common practice for growing military powers like China and Iran is to reproduce / reengineer existing foreign equipment to satisfy local requirements and, at the same time, educate local industry on the finer points of military-related technologies. For Iran, this has led to various products influence by American designs and reconstituted for the Iranian military as is the case with the new Saba-248 ("Good Wind") helicopter by PANHA. The twin-engined platform was unveiled in March of 2017 and showcased at MAKS 2017 in July.

The Saba-248 bears more than a passing resemblance to the Bell Helicopter Model 427, what essentially became a failed helicopter product for the American company (it only found two global users in the Czech Republic and Argentina). However, in the Iranian interpretation of this aircraft, the form and function of the Model 427 are all there. The helicopter showcases sleek contouring from nose-to-tail and the engine installations are well-embedded along the fuselage roof. The cockpit - featuring side-by-side seating and LCD displays - is aft of a short nosecone assembly. Entry/exit for the operating crew is by way of hinged automobile-style doors and larger rectangular doors allow access to the passenger cabin aft of the cockpit. All doors have large transparent screens and windows make up a large portion of the cockpit walls allowing for excellent vision and situational awareness. The tail section sports an elevated stem housing the drive shaft powering the tail rotor element. Vertical and horizontal planes are seated along the tail unit. The main rotor component consists of four total blades and the tail rotor - offset to portside - has two blades. The undercarriage is of a simple four-point skid arrangement.

Internally, the Saba-248 is made up largely of Western systems and subsystems. The engines are 2 x French-originated Turbomeca "Arrius" series turboshaft engines of 640 horsepower each. The gearbox is of Austrian origin. Altogether, the helicopter has an estimated top speed of 172.5 miles per hour putting it in line with Western helicopters of similar design and functionality.

A first-flight of a Saba-248 prototype was recorded in 2016. The Iranian military hopes to introduce the product into service sometime in 2019 following testing and certification prior to serial production efforts.

The Iranians plan to utility the Saba-248 series in several frontline roles including Search and Rescue (SAR). Its lightweight nature also opens it up for use as a reconnaissance platform and light-attack gunship.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the PANHA Saba-248 Twin-Engine Lightweight Utility Military Helicopter.

2 x Turbomeca Arrius turboshaft engines developing 700 horsepower each and driving a four-bladed main rotor and two-bladed tail rotor.
Propulsion

173 mph
278 kph | 150 kts
Max Speed

112 mph
180 kph | 97 kts
Cruise Speed

9,843 ft
3,000 m | 2 miles
Service Ceiling

603 miles
970 km | 524 nm
Operational Range

1,750 ft/min
533 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

City-to-City Ranges
Operational range when compared to distances between major cities (in KM).

NYC

LON

PAR

BER

MOS

TOK

SYD

LAX

NYC

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the PANHA Saba-248 Twin-Engine Lightweight Utility Military Helicopter.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

37.4 ft
11.40 m
O/A Length

36.9 ft
(11.25 m)
O/A Width

10.5 ft
(3.20 m)
O/A Height

3,858 lb
(1,750 kg)
Empty Weight

6,393 lb
(2,900 kg)
MTOW

Design Balance
The three qualities reflected below are altitude, speed, and range. The more full the box, the more balanced the design.

RANGE

ALT

SPEED

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the PANHA Saba-248 (Good Wind) Twin-Engine Lightweight Utility Military Helicopter .

Typically unarmed. Can be armed for the light gunship role with rocket pods, gun pods and cannon pods.

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the PANHA Saba-248 (Good Wind) family line.

Saba-248 - Base Series Designation.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the PANHA Saba-248 (Good Wind). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 1 Units
Contractor(s): Iran Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (PANHA) - Iran

[ Iran (possible) ]

1 / 1

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Going Further...
The PANHA Saba-248 (Good Wind) Twin-Engine Lightweight Utility Military Helicopter appears in the following collections:

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