Craig Hoyle in London
Several manufacturers have approached the UK Ministry of Defence offering to address a shortfall in its current battlefield rotorcraft capabilities by supplying leased or upgraded medium support helicopters.
Industry sources suggest Eurocopter and Sikorsky are among companies to have proposed interim lease deals to replace Royal Air Force Westland Puma HC1 and Royal Navy Westland Sea King HAS6 transports, which are to end operations in 2010 and 2012 respectively. AgustaWestland is also understood to have offered to upgrade the existing aircraft to cover the shortfall until money for a large-scale procurement becomes available around 2015, they say.
The MoD recently hinted that it was prepared to consider lease proposals to meet a combined search-and-rescue (SAR) requirement with the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, with this to potentially also include new battlefield helicopters (Flight International, 16-22 May). Speaking at the Royal United Services Institute’s Air Power conference in London last week, Air Cdre Carl Dixon, the MoD’s director equipment capability for air and littoral manoeuvre, said: “Industry is offering some very challenging options. Perhaps the next step for SAR and battlefield helicopters is full contracting for availability.”
Eurocopter parent EADS confirms that it has teamed with Defence Helicopter Flying School-operator FB Heliservices to offer new Cougar-derivative helicopters under an interim deal. “Our concept not only plugs their capability gap over the next 10 years or so, it gives them an enormous performance advantage at no extra cost,” says EADS.
Source: Flight International
