https://www.flightglobal.com/helicop...152345.article
Leonardo Helicopters confirms UK NMH schedule slip
UK defence officials appear to have delayed the next phase of the ongoing New Medium Helicopter (NMH) contest,
otentially pushing back the service-entry target for the Puma replacement platform.
Having down-selected bidders in September last year,
the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) was supposed to issue the invitation to negotiate (ITN) to the three remaining contenders by the end of the first quarter 2023,
according to the most recent schedule.
However, the ITN – essentially the detailed specification, quantity and budget for the procurement – is now unlikely to arrive before mid-year 2023,
according to Leonardo Helicopters.
tefano Villanti, senior vice-president of sales and marketing at Leonardo Helicopters,
says the ITN is now expected to be released in May or June 2023,
although the MoD “has not specified an exact date”;
contract award is now anticipated in 2024, he adds.
Under the MoD’s initial schedule,
eliveries were meant to begin in 2025
allowing the progressive retirement of the Royal Air Force’s fleet of Puma HC2 transports.
But Villanti says the date for the first delivery was not specified at the industry day.
“The process has dragged on for longer [than expected] so 2025 is going be a challenge,” he adds.
https://www.flightglobal.com/helicop...152345.article