Boeing Awarded CSAR Contact

[Rich Lee]

Air Force Awards Copter Deal to Boeing
Thursday November 9, 5:10 pm ET
By Matthew Daly, Associated Press Writer
Air Force Awards $13B Contract for Search, Rescue Combat Helicopters to Team Led by Boeing


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Air Force awarded at $13 billion contract Thursday for search and rescue combat helicopters to a team led by aerospace giant Boeing Co., two members of Congress said.
The lawmakers, speaking on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made, said Chicago-based Boeing beat out rival Lockheed Martin and helicopter maker Sikorsky for the contract to build 141 helicopters by 2019 for the Air Force's fleet of rescue aircraft. Estimates of the contract's eventual value run as high as $25 billion.

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Some Wall Street and industry analysts had thought Maryland-based Lockheed would win. The Lockheed version had a roomier cabin, three powerful engines and was cheaper than the Boeing version.

The decision is the latest blow to Sikorsky, a division of United Technologies Co., which sought to replace its own Pave Hawk helicopters that the Air Force has flown since 1982 on rescue missions.

Sikorsky, based in Stratford, Conn., spent about $1 billion developing the new S-92 model, according to analyst estimates, but has yet to find a U.S. government buyer. Sikorsky has a deal to provide 28 to the Canadian government.

"It would be bad for them," Paul Nisbet, a defense industry analyst with JSA Research said before the late afternoon announcement. "They would go twice without winning despite having the most modern and up-to-date helicopter of the group."

[Jolly Green]

I think the HH-47, if near identical to the MH-47G, will be a great SAR aircraft. Down side is that it's so big.

Now paranoia creeps in. The last large SAR helo for the USAF, the HH-53, got swiped by the special ops folks. Those helos are now retiring, supposedly replaced by the CV-22 and the joint partners flying the MH-47. Can't help but wonder if the special ops folks won't take these too. Or if the anti helo guys in the air staff won't give them to the Army (the people who have to replace the A-10 because its too low and slow too). Seems way too convenient to buy the aircraft already in use by the opposition. (Opposition for funding, manpower etc. they are NOT the enemy)

So am I too paranoid or is everyone just out to get me? Or both?

[hotzenplotz]

Boeing Awarded U.S. Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Contract
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 09, 2006 -- The Boeing Company's [NYSE: BA] HH-47 helicopter has been selected by the U.S. Air Force as the winner of the Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) program competition.
"The CSAR award is a vote of confidence by the Air Force in the ability of Boeing to provide them the rotorcraft they need for this very important mission," said Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. "Backed by our decades of experience in rotorcraft design, production and systems integration, the HH-47 will rapidly deploy versatile rescue capability to even the most challenging combat rescue situations."
The CSAR program calls for initial operational capability of the HH-47 aircraft in 2012. Under the program, which is valued at up to $10 billion, Boeing will build 141 production aircraft and four test aircraft at its Rotorcraft Systems manufacturing facility in Ridley Park, Pa., also home to the MH-47G Special Operations and CH-47F Chinook programs.
"Boeing is delighted that the Air Force has selected the HH-47 for its new Combat Search and Rescue platform," said Mike Tkach, vice president and general manager of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. "We believe our proposal provided the best combination of capability and cost."
"We are ready to produce and deliver this outstanding aircraft to the Air Force, on-time and on-cost," said Rick Lemaster, CSAR program manager.
CSAR-X is a U.S. Air Force initiative to procure more capable and survivable aircraft able to recover isolated personnel from hostile or denied territory. The tandem rotor, heavy-lift, high-altitude HH-47 is based on the CH/MH-47 Chinook transport helicopter, with performance capabilities that have been widely demonstrated in the ongoing global war on terrorism and in numerous U.S. and international humanitarian relief operations. http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2006/q4/061109f_nr.html

[heli1]

Well..at least the rescuees will hear it coming !
What do you think Nick....where do Sikorky go from here ? Does it improve their chances of picking up the missile support sites role or converesely is the S-92 too big !!?

[Algy]

Closest to the spec out of the box. (http://shortlinks.co.uk/le)