wessex19
1st Sep 2004, 05:08
The Australian
1st September 2004
JOHN Howard has announced a scaled-down $1billion plan to buy 12 new European trooplift helicopters after Defence Minister Robert Hill was rolled by a cabinet committee.
The powerful National Security Committee led by the Prime Minister and Treasurer Peter Costello overturned a defence recommendation to buy more US built Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters.
Mr Howard said the Government had opted for 12 Australian Aerospace MRH 90s -- European-built helicopters that are larger and can carry more troops than the Black Hawk.
The MRH 90 is also widely regarded as better suited to a role working off navy ships.
"This (decision) will bolster our trooplift capacity, because of the state-of-the-art technology associated with the new helicopters, but it will also release a squadron of Black Hawks to be shifted to Sydney to reinforce the special forces (counter-terrorism units)," Mr Howard said.
The initial defence plan put to the committee was far more ambitious and involved buying 12 new US-built Black Hawk's and rationalising the entire helicopter fleet over 25 years.
The rationalisation plan has now been delayed for some years.
The new squadron will be based with the army's 3rd Brigade in Townsville, allowing 12 existing Black Hawk helicopters at Townsville to be transferred to the army's counter-terrorism unit at Holsworthy in Sydney.
But the Opposition said yesterday the new helicopters would not only be delivered up to two years late but costs had blown out by up to $400 million on original estimates.
The decision suggests the entire fleet of Black Hawks will be replaced by the European helicopters over time.
The new helicopters can carry more troops (18 compared to 12 for the Black Hawk) and are used for tactical transport army missions and anti-submarine and anti-surface missions. They will be delivered from mid-2007.
Australian Aerospace -- a wholly-owned subsidiary of European defence group EADS -- will assemble the new helicopters at its plant in Brisbane, where it is already asssembling a new fleet of Tiger attack helicopters for the army.
Senator Hill said the new helicopter would double the number of troops the army could lift at any one time.
"The helicopter can carry up to 18 troops plus four crew or 4000kg of underslung cargo, cruises at up to 300km/h and has a maximum range of over 900km," Senator Hill said.
"This will give the army an enhanced capability to move more soldiers further and faster from HMAS Kanimbla and Manoora and their replacements," he added.
Labor's defence procurement spokesman Chris Evans said the helicopters would be delivered up to two years later than scheduled and the cost had blown out by up to $400million because of the need to equip them to work at sea.
"This project is just another example of how the Howard Government's mismanagement of defence procurement is compromising Australia's national security," Senator Evans said last night.
EADS Asia-Pacific chief executive Brendan Roberts told The Australian last night the company was "pretty pleased" with the selection.
"I think this shows the Australian Government is willing to make decisions on merit and has chosen a helicopter which represents the way ahead," Mr Roberts said.
1st September 2004
JOHN Howard has announced a scaled-down $1billion plan to buy 12 new European trooplift helicopters after Defence Minister Robert Hill was rolled by a cabinet committee.
The powerful National Security Committee led by the Prime Minister and Treasurer Peter Costello overturned a defence recommendation to buy more US built Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopters.
Mr Howard said the Government had opted for 12 Australian Aerospace MRH 90s -- European-built helicopters that are larger and can carry more troops than the Black Hawk.
The MRH 90 is also widely regarded as better suited to a role working off navy ships.
"This (decision) will bolster our trooplift capacity, because of the state-of-the-art technology associated with the new helicopters, but it will also release a squadron of Black Hawks to be shifted to Sydney to reinforce the special forces (counter-terrorism units)," Mr Howard said.
The initial defence plan put to the committee was far more ambitious and involved buying 12 new US-built Black Hawk's and rationalising the entire helicopter fleet over 25 years.
The rationalisation plan has now been delayed for some years.
The new squadron will be based with the army's 3rd Brigade in Townsville, allowing 12 existing Black Hawk helicopters at Townsville to be transferred to the army's counter-terrorism unit at Holsworthy in Sydney.
But the Opposition said yesterday the new helicopters would not only be delivered up to two years late but costs had blown out by up to $400 million on original estimates.
The decision suggests the entire fleet of Black Hawks will be replaced by the European helicopters over time.
The new helicopters can carry more troops (18 compared to 12 for the Black Hawk) and are used for tactical transport army missions and anti-submarine and anti-surface missions. They will be delivered from mid-2007.
Australian Aerospace -- a wholly-owned subsidiary of European defence group EADS -- will assemble the new helicopters at its plant in Brisbane, where it is already asssembling a new fleet of Tiger attack helicopters for the army.
Senator Hill said the new helicopter would double the number of troops the army could lift at any one time.
"The helicopter can carry up to 18 troops plus four crew or 4000kg of underslung cargo, cruises at up to 300km/h and has a maximum range of over 900km," Senator Hill said.
"This will give the army an enhanced capability to move more soldiers further and faster from HMAS Kanimbla and Manoora and their replacements," he added.
Labor's defence procurement spokesman Chris Evans said the helicopters would be delivered up to two years later than scheduled and the cost had blown out by up to $400million because of the need to equip them to work at sea.
"This project is just another example of how the Howard Government's mismanagement of defence procurement is compromising Australia's national security," Senator Evans said last night.
EADS Asia-Pacific chief executive Brendan Roberts told The Australian last night the company was "pretty pleased" with the selection.
"I think this shows the Australian Government is willing to make decisions on merit and has chosen a helicopter which represents the way ahead," Mr Roberts said.