Taiwan is expected to launch a competition within the next few months for up to 12 firefighting, maritime patrol and search and rescue (SAR) helicopters.
Manufacturers say Taiwan's National Airborne Services Corps (NASC) will be seeking information on heavy helicopters with service ceilings of at least 13,000ft (4,000m). The Eurocopter EC225 and Sikorsky S-70A Firehawk are considered the lead candidates.
Sources say Kamov is trying to push the Ka-32 and Boeing, in conjunction with the US government, is offering some of the hundreds of CH-47 Chinooks to be offloaded as part of the US Army's CH-47F modernisation. The Ka-32 and Chinook are considered long shots, because Taiwan is not keen on purchasing Russian aircraft and prefers new helicopters.
Taiwan's National Firefighting Administration (NFA) has long been eyeing replacements for its ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s, which cannot be used for most missions because they lack high-altitude capability, and Boeing 234s, which have become difficult to support because there are now only two remaining operators of this type worldwide. But budget constraints and last year's merger of NFA's aviation unit into NASC have delayed the acquisition.
Industry sources say the government is finally prepared to budget for six to eight firefighting helicopters from 2006, following a spate of recent disasters that highlighted the deficiency in Taiwan's fleet.
Another four helicopters of the same type will be used for maritime patrol missions.
If its budget request is approved as expected, NASC will invite manufacturers to submit information this year.
Source: Flight International
