Minister for Defence Smith and Minister for Defence Material Kelly have announced that the troubled MRH-90 program will be re-baselined under a revised industry partner agreement.
Also the Army will get a free maintenance trainer.
Yippee.
This is an effort to convince us that the NRH-90 has value. I disagree with that theory.
The aircraft is overly complex for Australia’s needs, expensive to procure, and at $31k per flight hour, expensive to operate.
In comparison for practical Army needs, they could have refurbished Huey UH-1s for a small handful of millions or go whole hog and get something that is out of the box very useful, deadly (not unlike this) at night and in the UH-1Y form, salty-capable and joint with our USMC friends.
The MRH-90 is a legacy of years gone by when the federal government had budgets that were not in the red. Today, Defence still has the big-spender mindset.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
According to Defence, the MRH-90 will be considered for removal from the Project of Concern list by the end of 2013.
The NRH-90 and Tiger are a pox on the ADF helicopter force structure.
4 comments:
Over three years late, so far.
Tiger,5 years late so far.
Reality? Anyone's guess.
Sweden made an emergency purchase of the Blackhawk for Afghanistan, even though NH90 in service.
Anyone have any answers for that one?
A couple of nights back on the NBN9 'Millionaire Hot Seat' program, a female participant revealed she was an Air Force Squadron Leader working for DMO on a flying training project involving new platforms, flight simulators and so forth. She did not reveal whether fixed or rotary wing.
If rotary wing, she is probably. referring to the intent in the Helicopter Strategic Master Plan to acquire a twin-engine platform for basic helicopter training, which is apparently also envisaged as as a Light Utility Helicopter to cope with former Iroquois battlefield utility support roles. An unarmed LUH simply will not suffice.
Seemingly, the disastrous HSMP rolls on despite the big holes it has created in helicopter force capacity and the imminent and unavoidable constraints on downstream defence funding over the next decade or so. Just a complete absence of leadership and positive control over the DoD realm in Canberra.
The first 4 Swedish NH-90's were a basic version: VFR only and no deicing equipment. Sweden should receive the first Full Ops Capability NH-90 in January 2013. The Black Hawk is a replacement for the Swedish Super Puma's working Overthere.
The Dutch operated with the Cougar Mk.2 in Afghanistan, a mil version of the Super Puma. In the summer time, the Cougar Mk.2 could lift a maximum load of 3 - 5 pax in Uruzgan (Afgh) + 2 pilots, 1 loadmaster & 1 doorgunner. At sea level and in a moderate West-European climate the Cougar Mk.2 could lift 12 - 16 pax or 3.000 kg easily. To make the Cougar Mk.2 suitable for battlefield missions, 12 crash resitant seats and armour for the crew & pax were installed. The crash resistant seats added in total approx 286 kg / 630 lbs. And armour added another appox 600 - 750 kg (1.323 - 1.653 lbs).
The NH-90 TTH can lift 12 - 16 pax or approx 2.500 kg in a moderate climate. In an Afghan summer, the NH-90 can only lift a maximum of 2 - 4 pax with 2 pilots, 1 doorgunner & 1 loadmaster. Just 2 - 4 pax! The much smaller AS350BA Squirrel (Eurocopter Ecureuil) can carry the same number op pax under hot & high conditions.
Locum, it does not work as advertised nor ever will. Ditto the Tiger.
Ask the Germans why they are rebuilding their CH53's and keeping the Huey.
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