5 year SAR support, then PFI/PPP
Source: Rotorhub
UK - Support service and shipbuilding company VT Group has been selected by AgustaWestland as preferred bidder for the role, valued at approximately £40 million, of providing maintenance support to the fleet of Sea King helicopters used by the RAF and Royal Navy for Search and Rescue (SAR) duties around the UK coast and in the Falkland Islands, Rotorhub reports.
The front line maintenance activities will involve over 200 current military posts being outsourced to VT Support Services at seven RAF locations in the UK and Falkland Islands, and the RN SAR detachment at HMS Gannet (Prestwick).
The programme will be run over an initial period of five years, with a contract expected to be finalised in November this year ready for operations to commence in April 2008.
VT Group Chief Executive Paul Lester commented: “Following our selection as preferred bidder for the UK Military Flying Training System, this latest award will further boost our presence in the aerospace sector and will strengthen VT’s position as a leading provider of support for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft”.
The move into the SAR sector also positions VT to bid for the harmonised SAR-Helicopter contract which will replace the UK SAR helicopter fleet under a PFI/PPP deal, due to start in 2012.