Cost of Mil Helicopters
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: On the Rump of Pendle Hill Lancashi
Posts: 614
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cost of Mil Helicopters
What does it cost for the Brit Mil to purchase a CH47 Chinook,
I ask simply to see if we are getting a good deal, for one of the most recent files to come thru to my desktop show the US Arsenal Div are buying heavy lift chinooks for $22.3 m each the exchange today is .66 so that would make a chinook worth £14.718m, I know this is only fag packet maths but I seem think we have been told much higher figures in the past when questions have been asked as to why we have a shortage of heavy lift Helis, could some body who knows a little more than what I have gleaned, put something else into this figure work..! Or explain why things ain't so simple..!!
Peter R-B
I ask simply to see if we are getting a good deal, for one of the most recent files to come thru to my desktop show the US Arsenal Div are buying heavy lift chinooks for $22.3 m each the exchange today is .66 so that would make a chinook worth £14.718m, I know this is only fag packet maths but I seem think we have been told much higher figures in the past when questions have been asked as to why we have a shortage of heavy lift Helis, could some body who knows a little more than what I have gleaned, put something else into this figure work..! Or explain why things ain't so simple..!!
Peter R-B
Depends who is buying them.
If they are being sold to 'certain' friendly countries, they are 10 a penny.
If sold to the home market they cost the earth.
EG: Merlin helicopters now cost less than they did when new (obviously) but you can get one for around £40 million a piece! To put it in perspective, an F35 is looking at around £100 million each.
SeaKings cost £10,000/hour to run and average about 500hrs (statistically) per year flying. Work that out.
$22 million for one of the most versatile (western) helicopters ever - bargain.
Police EC135: £6 million each. To run: £2000/hr (wet).
Robinson: £30 +vat each. To run: about £1.19/ltr for diesel
If they are being sold to 'certain' friendly countries, they are 10 a penny.
If sold to the home market they cost the earth.
EG: Merlin helicopters now cost less than they did when new (obviously) but you can get one for around £40 million a piece! To put it in perspective, an F35 is looking at around £100 million each.
SeaKings cost £10,000/hour to run and average about 500hrs (statistically) per year flying. Work that out.
$22 million for one of the most versatile (western) helicopters ever - bargain.
Police EC135: £6 million each. To run: £2000/hr (wet).
Robinson: £30 +vat each. To run: about £1.19/ltr for diesel
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: On the Rump of Pendle Hill Lancashi
Posts: 614
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you all,
I see that its like buying a Land Rover , then fitting Leather, Aircon Tints, Goodmans Radio and the like, I was thinking when any heli is purchased it is complete at that price ie as the US Arsenal have purchased, and ready to Fly,
so do I understand that yes it will Start, take off and fly, but no nav or radios or anything to sustain a journey other than in daylight hours, or are you just buying the shell controls and engines, all the rest needs fitting or kiting out completely in order to use.
PR-B
I see that its like buying a Land Rover , then fitting Leather, Aircon Tints, Goodmans Radio and the like, I was thinking when any heli is purchased it is complete at that price ie as the US Arsenal have purchased, and ready to Fly,
so do I understand that yes it will Start, take off and fly, but no nav or radios or anything to sustain a journey other than in daylight hours, or are you just buying the shell controls and engines, all the rest needs fitting or kiting out completely in order to use.
PR-B
FYI, in this case, Mil = Military, not the Russian helicopter manufacturer.
Cost of Mil Helicopters
An example of what MOD would pay for CH47s is the original purchase of 8 Mk 3 ac, valued at £259m in 1998 by the NAO. Ultimately it cost over £500m, to return them to original cockpit standard.
What are you Buying?
How long is a piece of string? The price of any military kit depends on who is selling, who is buying and what is being bought.
Government-to-Government sales can be for the whole aircraft in an operational state, with training and support package at one extreme and at the other airframes only- everything else extra. The package is also politically negotiable as with various F5 and F16 deals over the years.
With Manufacturer-to-Government sales much depends on how competitive the market is and how many extras you need.
Design Authority and Airworthiness data? Not something most US manufacturers know well as the US Forces do their own DA/Airworthiness stuff. Add costs.
"Special to you" Mods?- add (Big) Bucks/Francs/ Quids as required. (As the Aussies found with S70B-2 mission system and again with the Sea Sprite).
Integration of your own/new weapons? Add even more money.
Training packages? Add extra.
There are no 'reduce cost' options by the way.
N
Government-to-Government sales can be for the whole aircraft in an operational state, with training and support package at one extreme and at the other airframes only- everything else extra. The package is also politically negotiable as with various F5 and F16 deals over the years.
With Manufacturer-to-Government sales much depends on how competitive the market is and how many extras you need.
Design Authority and Airworthiness data? Not something most US manufacturers know well as the US Forces do their own DA/Airworthiness stuff. Add costs.
"Special to you" Mods?- add (Big) Bucks/Francs/ Quids as required. (As the Aussies found with S70B-2 mission system and again with the Sea Sprite).
Integration of your own/new weapons? Add even more money.
Training packages? Add extra.
There are no 'reduce cost' options by the way.
N
