DOD's €50m contracts for state choppers

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Department of Defence's €50m contracts for state choppers


By Niamh Connolly

The Department of Defence has invited tenders to supply the Air Corps with six new military helicopters, with an option on two more.


The contract is estimated to be worth between €50 million to €80 million.

The tender for the new helicopters, which will replace the outdated Dauphin and Alouette aircraft, must be submitted by July 23.

The government is acquiring two twin-engine light utility helicopters and four twin-engine military helicopters, with an option for another two helicopters.

The aircraft will be used for special forces deployment, inland air rescue, air ambulance service and food drops. The larger military helicopters can carry up to eight troops.

Sikorsky is expected to tender its Black Hawk, which has won a recent Austrian military contract, as well as its S-71, while tenders are also expected from Augusta for its A109 and a new model, the AB139. Eurocopter is expected to tender its EC-145 and EC-155 helicopters, according to industry sources.

The tender documents do not specify the weighting attributed to price or quality, but there is a strong view within military circles that the helicopter with the highest specifications, rather than the cheapest model, will be chosen by the department.

A trade-in of the Air Corp's three remaining Dauphin and six Alouette may be considered as part of the deal. No prototypes or secondhand aircraft will be accepted, according to the tender documents drawn up by officials for the Minister of Defence Michael Smith.

The Air Corps' search-and-rescue (SAR) missions will focus on inland and mountain services, following a decision to transfer all coastal rescue services to the Irish Coast Guard, which falls under the auspices of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

The country's entire coastal services are being outsourced by the Marine Department to the private helicopter firm, CHC, which receives about €30 million to cover coastal services at Dublin, Shannon and Waterford. It will shortly cover the north west as well.

A `green flu' campaign relating to pay issues among Air Corps search-and-rescue winch crews in Sligo led to pressure for the government to outsource the North West SAR.

Critics claim that leasing and outsourcing aircraft doubles the cost to the taxpayer, deprives the exchequer of its own assets and reduces the Air Corps' SAR training. The total cost of private outsourcing and maintenance is €45 million a year.

The contract to acquire three medium-lift Sikorsky helicopters for €70 million, which was controversially abandoned two years ago on cost grounds, is still under review, said a spokesman for the Department of Defence.

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