Contract for more search and rescue helicopters to be issued next year if legislature approves budget
Taiwan is planning to acquire three additional Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk search and rescue helicopters, before deciding on larger programmes for new attack, utility and minesweeping helicopters.
Industry sources say the defence ministry has approved an air force request to increase its Black Hawk fleet from 17 to 20 aircraft. A contract will be awarded next year if the legislature agrees later this month to include the $65 million purchase in the 2005 budget.
Sikorsky has also been pushing the Black Hawk as a potential replacement for the Taiwanese army's fleet of Bell AH-1W attack and UH-1H utility helicopters. Manufacturers do not expect a selection in the former contest until at least 2006, with the utility requirement to follow within several years.
Taiwan has so far refused to consider the Black Hawk for the attack requirement, having earlier this year ranked Boeing's AH-64D Apache Longbow ahead of Bell's AH-1Z.
Sikorsky is also pitching the CH-53E or new CH-53X for a 12-aircraft marine corps transport and minesweeping helicopter requirement. This is considered a high priority, but budget constraints and uncertainty over whether Taiwan should wait for the introduction of the developmental CH-53X in at least 10 years will probably delay this purchase until at least 2006.
Taiwan purchased 14 Black Hawks in the 1980s and added another four in the late 1990s. Its three additional aircraft will be of a similar configuration to the latter variant, although Taiwan is being given the option to incorporate some newly available technologies.
Taiwan has also been looking at possible upgrades for its 13 remaining earliest Black Hawks, but a decision is not expected for several years.
BRENDAN SOBIE / SINGAPORE
Source: Flight International
