Singapore's plans to order eight helicopters to support its new fleet of navy frigates will be high on the agenda this week for the three manufacturers in the race to the supply the aircraft.
Singapore has yet to confirm when it will make a decision, but Asian Aerospace will provide a key opportunity for Eurocopter, NH Industries and Sikorsky to complete another round of intense lobbying.
The competition was narrowed to three types in 2001 - Cougar, NH90 and the S-70, but the programme has since been marred by delays, with debate over the alternative configurations one possible cause. Eurocopter appears to be in pole position as it has a stake in the NH90 programme in addition to offering the Cougar.
Roles
Speaking on the eve of the show, Eurocopter president Fabrice Br‚gier described the two aircraft as viable alternatives for the Singapore armed forces, saying: "Cougar is a mature platform with state-of-the-art mission systems and commonality with the existing fleet, while NH90 is a growth platform with some high end new technologies."
Singapore air force chief Lim Kim Choon says the air force and navy are now working together to select one of the three candidates, but refuses to confirm when any announcement will be made.
"While the concept of operations is still being refined, it is clear that the helicopter will be organic to the frigates and perform multiple roles, especially in the areas of anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare."
Lim says navy pilots have been working with other nations such as France to see how they operate shipborne helicopters as part of the familiarisation process.
Source: Flight Daily News
