CANADAPLANS to decide in September on the C$600 million ($430 million) purchase of 15 search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopters. Bids have been received from Boeing, offering its CH-47 Chinook; Sikorsky, with a variant of its UH-60 Black Hawk called the Maplehawk; Team Cormorant, led by Agusta and GKNWestland, with a version of the EH101; and Team Cougar, led by Eurocopter, with the AS332 Cougar Mk2.
The industrial and regional beneÌts offered to Canada by the four teams are likely to play a critical role in deciding which helicopter is chosen. Team Cormorant includes Canadian companies Bombardier, CAE and Magellan Aerospace, while Team Cougar includes SNC-Lavalin and Spar.
The chosen aircraft will supersede the Canadian Forces' Boeing CH-113 Labrador SAR helicopters, which were to have been replaced by EH101s under a C$5.8 billion programme cancelled by Canada in 1993. The EH101s were also to replace the Canadian Forces' Sikorsky CH-124 Sea Kings, now to be superseded by a shipborne helicopter to be chosen in a separate competition.o
Source: Flight International
