THE GERMAN ARMED forces are in preliminary talks with helicopter manufacturers over a new primary-training-helicopter procurement, which could lead to an UK-style tri-service training school.
German Eurocopter partner Eurocopter Deutschland (ECD) confirms that it will be bidding for the contract, but declines to say which helicopter types it will be proposing. Bell Helicopter Textron is also expected to bid.
While ECD says that it expects a selection to be made by the end of the year, the defence ministry - in the middle of a defence-budget crisis following cuts earlier this year - says that the selection is likely to take longer.
According to the ministry, the contract is likely to cover a fleet of 15 new helicopters to replace ageing army Aerospatiale Alouettes, which will no longer be serviceable after 2000, and air force Bell UH-1Ds. The new helicopters will be combined with simulators to form a new training unit.
The ministry says that it is "not yet clear" whether the order will lead to a new training system covering all three armed services, but says that this is being considered.
The talks follow the recent selection of French-built Eurocopter AS350 Squirrels and Bell 412s for the UK's tri-service Defence Helicopter Flying School, which is due to start operating in April 1997.
Source: Flight International