From Defense News
U.K. May Drop Helo Life Extension, Advance Medium-Lift Craft
By andrew chuter
Published: 2 Jun 2009 13:34
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LONDON - Britain's Ministry of Defence is reconsidering whether to ditch two helicopter life-extension programs in favor of fast-forwarding a requirement to bring a new medium-lift rotorcraft into service.
A plan to extend the life of the U.K. Puma helicopter fleet could be in peril if plans for next generation of helicopters are pushed forward. (AFP)
The last-minute review of the program extending the life of much of the Puma fleet and some versions of the Sea King was revealed by Defence Procurement Minister Quentin Davis while he gave evidence on helicopter capabilities June 2 to the Parliamentary Defence Committee.
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The minister said a "complete re-examination, admittedly at the 11th hour" was now under way on the way forward.
"The alternative we want to fully explore is the possibility of dispensing with spending taxpapers' money on upgrading aircraft which already have a certain age … and bring forward the Future Medium Helicopter," he said.
For the moment, the formal position is to proceed with the life-extension programs, he said.
The MoD is reconsidering whether it is worth spending hundreds of millions of pounds extending the lives of old helicopters by about eight to 10 years rather than accelerating the future medium-lift requirement from its current in-service date of around 2017.
Eurocopter has for weeks been expecting to sign a deal worth more than 300 million pounds ($489.8 million) to extend the life of the Puma out to 2022 with a new engine, new avionics and other changes.
Eurocopter UK officials could not be contacted for comment.
AgustaWestland said the deal for the Sea King upgrade was due to be signed later this year.
"Sea King variants would be life extended out to 2017. If it proceeds, it will be a relatively small contract primarily addressing obsolescence issues. Under current plans, they would have remained operational until the first batch of medium helicopters came into service," an AgustaWestland spokesman said.
Either deal may still proceed. An MoD spokeswomen said a decision would be made in weeks rather than months. One of the key issues is whether the MoD could find a way to advance delivery of new medium-lift rotorcraft.
Davis said if the life-extension programs were abandoned, his "strong preference" would be to acquire a modified, off-the shelf helicopter to meet the medium-lift requirement.
The first of the Puma and Sea King variants start going out of service as early as 2012. One of the drivers in deciding whether to purchase new helicopters is how quickly the platforms can be delivered to ensure a gap doesn't open up in Britain's already stretched rotorcraft capability.
AgustaWestland, Boeing, Eurocopter and Sikorsky could all be possible contenders.
Local helicopter maker AgustaWestland with the Merlin and Boeing with the Chinook already have modern medium-lift helicopters in service with the British armed forces.
Davis said if the MoD acquired new helicopters, it would dispense with the normal competitive process.
He described the process he had in mind as, "Not an urgent operational requirement but not the rather laborious full-scale classic international tender."