Efforts to revitalise the UK's battlefield helicopter fleet gathered momentum late last month, when an initial report from the Future Rotorcraft Coherency forum was forwarded to government ministers for consideration.
The document seeks approval for new military requirements to formally replace the UK's former Support Amphibious Battlefield Rotorcraft, Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter, Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft and Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) projects. It also outlines industrial policy to guide future helicopter procurement to protect the UK's military helicopter industry.
The proposals aim to enable the UK to replace its ageing Westland Lynx and Gazelle light battlefield and maritime helicopters, and Puma and Sea King troop transports, as well as augment its existing Boeing CH-47 Chinook and AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin transport and maritime helicopter fleets.
Type selection decisions are due in late January or early February, with contract negotiations to gather pace by mid-2005. A Ministry of Defence source says the process is not a formal competition, with the key consideration being to establish a policy that protects AgustaWestland's Yeovil plant and the EH101's future sales prospects.
The UK Department of Trade and Industry, Treasury and MoD are all likely to fight their corners in the battle over the UK helicopter industry's fate. AgustaWestland is keen to launch an enhanced troop transport version of its Merlin, dubbed the HC3+, featuring an improved transmission, fly-by wire flight controls, enhanced rotor blades, folding tail, significant weight reduction and additional maritime features. The Merlin CSP effort is also important as it will strongly influence the export potential of naval versions of the Merlin. At the point at which the EH101 is starting to ramp up foreign sales, now would be the worst possible moment for the UK to signal it was not going to invest in future versions of the helicopter, says one industry insider.
The MoD must replace the majority of its current rotary fleet despite facing a 25% cut in its helicopter procurement budget to around £3 billion ($5.7 billion). EADS-owned Eurocopter has also offered to build its EC165 and the NH Industries NH90 in the UK to meet the requirement.
Efforts to revitalise the UK's battlefield helicopter fleet gathered momentum late last month, when an initial report from the Future Rotorcraft Coherency forum was forwarded to government ministers for consideration.
The document seeks approval for new military requirements to formally replace the UK's former Support Amphibious Battlefield Rotorcraft, Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter, Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft and Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP) projects. It also outlines industrial policy to guide future helicopter procurement to protect the UK's military helicopter industry.
The proposals aim to enable the UK to replace its ageing Westland Lynx and Gazelle light battlefield and maritime helicopters, and Puma and Sea King troop transports, as well as augment its existing Boeing CH-47 Chinook and AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin transport and maritime helicopter fleets.
Type selection decisions are due in late January or early February, with contract negotiations to gather pace by mid-2005. A Ministry of Defence source says the process is not a formal competition, with the key consideration being to establish a policy that protects AgustaWestland's Yeovil plant and the EH101's future sales prospects.
The UK Department of Trade and Industry, Treasury and MoD are all likely to fight their corners in the battle over the UK helicopter industry's fate. AgustaWestland is keen to launch an enhanced troop transport version of its Merlin, dubbed the HC3+, featuring an improved transmission, fly-by wire flight controls, enhanced rotor blades, folding tail, significant weight reduction and additional maritime features. The Merlin CSP effort is also important as it will strongly influence the export potential of naval versions of the Merlin. At the point at which the EH101 is starting to ramp up foreign sales, now would be the worst possible moment for the UK to signal it was not going to invest in future versions of the helicopter, says one industry insider.
The MoD must replace the majority of its current rotary fleet despite facing a 25% cut in its helicopter procurement budget to around £3 billion ($5.7 billion). EADS-owned Eurocopter has also offered to build its EC165 and the NH Industries NH90 in the UK to meet the requirement.
TIM RIPLEY / LONDON
Source: Flight International
