2008/04/11
Successful ops push up demand for AW101 copters
By : Adrian David in Helston (England)
DEMAND for the AgustaWestland AW101, one of the four models shortlisted for the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF) Nuri replacement programme, has picked up following its successful operations in various countries.
AgustaWestland communications manager Geoff Russell, said demand was so critical that even Britain's Royal Air Force had to "jump-queue" to acquire six AW101 intended for the Royal Danish Air Force last year.
Britain's Royal Navy operates 44 AW101 while its Royal Air Force has 22, some of which saw action in Iraq.
The Italian Navy has ordered 20 AW101, with an option for four more, Denmark bought 14, Portugal 12, Japan 14, Algeria six and Canada 14.
Russell said since 1997, more than 100 AW101 utility and combat variants had been delivered to Britain, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Canada and Denmark.
The AW101 (formerly the EH-101 Merlin) is among four helicopters being considered to replace the RMAF's ageing fleet of Sikorsky S61-A4 Sea Kings, better known as Nuri, by 2015.
The other three are the Eurocopter Cougar EC725, Sikorsky S92 and the Russian-made Mil Mi-17 Hip.
It is learnt that the government plans to allocate a budget of US$600 million (RM1.82 billion) to initially buy 12 of the new helicopters for service until 2050.
Eight units are planned for the RMAF for the Nuri replacement programme, while the remaining four would go to the army.
The army is using 17 of the RMAF's 29 Nuri for its training and utility operations, in addition to the 11 A109 light observation helicopters supplied by AgustaWestland since 2005.
The army is also scouting for newer models of general utility and attack helicopters.
Russell said AgustaWestland was prepared to negotiate a win-win deal for the RMAF, considering that the Anglo-Italian joint-venture, between Italy's Agusta of the Finmeccanica group and GKN of Britain, had invested RM20 million on a 50,000sq ft service and training facility in Subang, Selangor.
A further RM60 million will be invested at the facility in the near future.
Although the AW101 is comparable with the Eurocopter Cougar CH-148 Cyclone, NHI NH90 and Sikorsky S-92, there was greater demand for it owing to several factors.
"These include the AW101's fuselage which is damage and crash resistant, stringent vibration control, reduced noise signature, ability to operate in temperatures ranging from -40 to +50oC, armoured seats for the crew, and able to withstand an impact velocity of over 10 metres per second," Russell told a group of Malaysian journalists on a tour of AgustaWestland facilities in Europe.
He said the other special features of the AW101 were its flight controls that were designed to be flown by a single pilot, thanks to the high-definition instrumentation screens, digital maps, advanced avionics, radars, dipping sonar and weapons systems.
Among the onboard weapons are Sting Ray torpedoes, Sea Skua anti-ship missiles, general purpose machine guns, bombs and rockets.
The AW101 has a range of 1,583km, and a cruise speed of 280kph.