The three competitors in the US Coast Guard's $10 billion, 20-year "Deepwater" procurement programme have until early next year to complete functional design work on their bids for the replacement or refurbishment of over 200 aircraft and around 100 ageing vessels.
Litton Avondale Industries, Lockheed Martin and Science Applications International (SAIC)-led teams have until April to refine conceptual designs submitted last December.
Final proposals will be submitted the following July. The USCG will select a winner in early 2002 for engineering and manufacturing development.
Nearly 100 EurocopterHH-65A Dolphin and 42 Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk helicopters reach the end of their service lives in 2004/5. The USCG's 41 Dassault HU-25 Falcon reaches retirement in 2002 and 30 Lockheed Martin HC-130H Hercules should have been replaced three years ago. Deepwater will determine the number and types of platforms and sensors the USCG will use for the next 40 years.
Litton Avondale's team includes Boeing, Raytheon and Kaman. Avondale's sister company Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding and Bell Helicopter Textron are teamed with Lockheed Martin. SAIC's team includes Marinette Marine and Sikorsky.
The new airborne assets could include fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft and unmanned air vehicles.
Source: Flight International
