Australian Navy Sea Hawks to See in the Dark

[Tibbsy]

Seahawk upgrade: $5.45m on night vision
January 15, 2006 - 2:10PM
The Navy is upgrading its squadron of Seahawk helicopters with a $5.45 million plan to boost their ability to conduct air-sea rescues and night operations.
Defence Minister Robert Hill said the government would spend the money over the next two years providing night vision goggles to all Seahawk aircrew and new external lighting for the entire fleet of 16 Seahawk helicopters.
The spending is the first plank of a major upgrade of the Seahawks.
"The new night vision capability will greatly increase the capability of the Navy's 816 Squadron based in Nowra, allowing low level night operations over both land and sea," Senator Hill said in a statement.
"The capacity for these Seahawk helicopters to conduct search and rescue operations at night will be increased and the safety to the aircrew during any night operations will be improved."
The helicopters could also be used in night-time tactical operations overseas.
AAP
:cool: (http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/seahawk-upgrade-545m-on-night-vision/2006/01/15/1137259936016.html)

[last third]

mmmmmm does that mean the non gyro stabilised horizon bar on the Tobruk will be blown off, because that was a useful bit of kit (Not!!!!)

Lasty

[griffinblack]

Good to see the RAN decide to join the 21st century.

Now when are the navy going to modify Sea King in order to conduct utility operations by day and night in the littoral environment to support land operations?

[Oogle]

About time they came to the party especially after the Seasprite stuff up.

[helmet fire]

"The new night vision capability will greatly increase the capability of the Navy's 816 Squadron based in Nowra, allowing low level night operations over both land and sea," Senator Hill said in a statement.
"The capacity for these Seahawk helicopters to conduct search and rescue operations at night will be increased and the safety to the aircrew during any night operations will be improved."



Wow. Big endorsement from the gummint isn't it?
Meanwhile we continue the saga of NVG intro to the civil world fighting the same gummint who tell us they are dangerous!!

If they are such a boost to SAR (as I thoroughly agree they are) why does the government spend $5.45M on an asset that does little rescue, but uses rescue as a justification when they could spend only $0.1M more and upgrade an asset that does night rescue work on an almost daily basis?

Lets see, that is a whopping 1.83% cost increase to enable year around night SAR (even over Christmas and Easter).

CareFlight, Lifesaver X 2, and CHC eagerly await your response Senator Hill.

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