The US government has authorised the international sale of the Sikorsky S-92 without any special export clearance, paving the way for the sale of two aircraft to China’s ministry of communications, writes Brendan Sobie.
Industry sources say the US State Department ruled earlier this month that the S-92 should not be considered a military aircraft and that exports will not require case-by-case approval. Sikorsky has been requesting clearance from the State Department for several years, arguing that the S-92 is purely civilian and should be given the same classification as the S-76, which has been operating in China since 1984.
China’s ministry of communications has been evaluating the S-92 since acquiring two S-76s in 2002, but has held back in releasing a tender for two large search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopters, in part because the S-92 was not yet available. Industry sources now expect the ministry to release a tender within the next several months, with Eurocopter also planning to offer its AS332 Super Puma.
The sources say the communications ministry has already agreed to acquire two additional S-76s, but has not announced the deal for political reasons. Another nine S-76s are operating in the Chinese offshore oil sector and Sikorsky last month sold a further two to the general aviation subsidiary of Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines.
Sikorsky has not yet sold any S-92 SAR helicopters, but is pursuing opportunities with the Japanese coastguard and the Taiwanese army and is aiming to meet the US Air Force’s potential 141-aircraft CSAR-X requirement.
Source: Flight International