26 March 2013
GOVERNMENT CONTRACT TO DELIVER FASTER, STATE OF THE ART SEARCH & RESCUE FLEET
A new £1.6bn contract for search and rescue helicopter services will see the UK benefit from improved flying times and better coverage of high-risk areas.
The Department for Transport has today signed a contract with Bristow Helicopters Ltd to provide search and rescue helicopter services in the UK. Helicopters will be able to reach a larger area of the UK search and rescue region within one hour of take off than is currently possible, and based on historic incident data it is estimated that there will be an overall improvement in flying times to incidents of around 20% (from 23 to 19 minutes). Presently, approximately 70% of high and very high risk areas within the UK search and rescue region are reachable by helicopter within 30 minutes. Under the new contract, approximately 85% of the same area would be reached within this timeframe.
Today's announcement represents a major investment by the Government in providing a search and rescue helicopter service using the most up to date helicopters and meeting the highest professional standards.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said:
"Our search and rescue helicopter service plays a crucial role, saving lives and providing assistance to people in distress on both land and on sea.
"With 24 years of experience providing search and rescue helicopter services in the UK, the public can have great confidence in Bristow and their ability to deliver a first class service with state of the art helicopters."
Under the new contract, 22 state-of-the-art helicopters will operate from 10 locations around the UK.
· 10 Sikorsky S92s will be based, two per site, at Stornoway and Sumburgh, and at new bases at Newquay, Caernarfon and Humberside airports; and
· 10 AgustaWestland AW189s will operate, two per site, from Lee on Solent and a new hangar at Prestwick airport, and new bases which will be established at St Athan, Inverness and Manston airports.
All bases will be operational 24 hours a day.
Following 70 years of outstanding service from the RAF and RN search and rescue squadrons, military involvement in search and rescue in the UK is to cease, and with the Sea King helicopter nearing its 40th year of operations, the time has come to change the way the service is provided and the aircraft used. Contracted search and rescue services have operated alongside the RAF and RN since 1983 with great success, and contracted search and rescue crews have won numerous awards for their bravery.
The new contract will be managed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency in the same way as the existing contract that operates the Coastguard helicopter bases on the south coast and on the Western and Shetland Isles. Half of the new fleet will be built in Yeovil and the contract will have a significant impact on the UK supply chain, providing and sustaining jobs and apprenticeships.
Government contract for search & rescue fleet - London Stock Exchange