PETER LA FRANCHI / ADELAIDE
EADS subsidiary Australian Aerospace says it will direct work packages worth around A$60 million ($42 million) into the Australian economy and create 300 jobs in the near term if it wins the Australian Department of Defence's Project Air 9000 competition.
Australian Aerospace proposes replacing Australian Army Sikorsky Black Hawk, Royal Australian Navy Sikorsky Seahawk, Westland Sea King and Kaman Super Seasprite helicopters with variants of the NH Industries NH90, redesignated the Multi-Role Helicopter (MRH-90) for the Australian requirement.
The Air 9000 programme is aimed at reducing the number of types in the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy rotary-wing aircraft fleets from nine to four or five, or fewer, over a 20-year period.
The initial requirement, designated Phase 2, calls for the supply of up to 12 additional troop lift helicopters and includes requests for proposals for the Phase 4 upgrade or replacement of the 36 Army Black Hawks. Australian Aerospace is offering 11 MRH-90s for the Phase 2 requirement. It says up to 40% of the overall acquisition price tag would be returned to Australia in the form of local industry involvement in the event of a combined Phase 2/4 purchase. The Australian defence department had set a benchmark of a 30% return.
Australian Aerospace would undertake MHR-90 assembly in Australia if selected to implement the full Air 9000 rationalisation programme, creating around 400 jobs over a 10-year period. The company has offered to transfer tailrotor production for all NH90 series aircraft to Australian industry if selected for the Phase 2/4 requirement.
Source selection for the Air 9000 project is scheduled for November.
Source: Flight International
