UK defence officials hope by next April to have awarded a pair of contracts to Leonardo Helicopters and Lockheed Martin to carry out risk-reduction studies as part of a project to enable the Royal Navy’s AW101 Merlin helicopters to fly on until 2040.
Disclosing its proposals in a pre-contract notification on 29 October, the UK’s Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) procurement body says it intends to award single-source contracts worth a combined £140 million ($181 million): £90 million to Lockheed and £50 million to Leonardo.
Both companies have already been carrying out early assessment work covering the Merlin life extension under smaller contracts awarded previously. As the mission system supplier, Lockheed has been engaged on the HM2 anti-submarine warfare variant, while airframer Leonardo is responsible for activities on the HC4/4a troop transport fleet operated by the Commando Helicopter Force.
“It was always planned to implement a further risk-reduction phase once the early work had identified which activities need to commence early in order to protect the critical path,” says DE&S.
Subject to formal approvals, DE&S will issue tender notices to the pair for the work and “contracts are planned to be placed in April [20]25,” it adds. “This will protect the overall programme schedule and avoid a capability gap.”
Leonardo is to develop a new Digital Automatic Flight Control System for the Merlins, while Lockheed will address “obsolescence issues with some of the key aircraft computer systems” and the training system for the HM2 fleet.
“Both companies will also mature the design for the solution to sustain the Merlin fleet to a new out of service date and provide firm price proposals for the [next] phase.”
Following the risk-reduction studies, DE&S will seek ministerial clearance to launch a follow-on demonstration and manufacture (D&M) phase.
“Subject to approvals and the early risk-reduction phase being effective, we currently envisage D&M proposals from industry leading to approvals and contract award in Q1 [20]27.”
