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INBOUND:
The ADF will soon have 34 MRH 90 helicopters to replace
Sea Kings and Black Hawks.
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BIG
ANNOUNCEMENT (above): Minister for Defence Dr Brendan Nelson
announces the acquisition of 34 MRH 90 helicopters to replace
the Navy’s fleet of Sea Kings.
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Photo:
Kevin Piggott
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By
Barry Rollings
The announcement of the $2 billion acquisition of 34 twin-engine
MRH 90 helicopters to replace Navy’s Sea King and Army’s
Black Hawk helicopters marks a new era for rotary wing tactical
transport for the ADF.
PM John Howard and Defence Minister Brendan Nelson announced the
purchase at Russell Offices in Canberra on June 19.
Verification and Validation Manager of Project AIR 9000 MRH 90
MAJ Cameron Gillard said when combined with delivery of the already-contracted
12 MRH 90 from AIR 9000 Phase 2, the fleet of 46 aircraft would
provide the ADF with a much-enhanced tactical transport capability.
“The MRH 90, based on the German Tactical Transport Helicopter
version of the NH Industries NH 90 aircraft, will provide the
airmobile, maritime support and special operations roles for the
ADF,” MAJ Gillard said.
“The joint operation of this fleet by Army and Navy will
realise substantial efficiencies across the fundamental inputs
to capability and allow greater flexibility to be achieved by
that mature capability.
“Using
a common platform will allow Navy to achieve a greater MSH presence
at sea for longer periods than presently attained.
“The NH 90 program originally began as a maritime helicopter
project and a significant level of marinisation has been incorporated
into the aircraft design.
This will benefit the maritime support role, but also the increasing
amphibious emphasis to be placed on Army with the introduction
into service of the Future Amphibious Transport ships.”
The fly-by-wire technology used by the MRH 90 would allow the
full benefits of a digitised platform to be realised, increasing
safety and the ability to perform the mission in difficult and
challenging circumstances, MAJ Gillard said.
“Increased situational awareness is achieved with a helmet-mounted
sight and display, an integrated electronic warfare self protection
suite, airborne mission management system via multi-function displays,
forward-looking infra-red and variable message format data link.
“The large and flexible rear cabin will provide seating for
up to 20 personnel ‘clean skin’ (or 14 in patrol order)
and the availability of a rear ramp will allow safer, more efficient
entry/exit of troops and small vehicles.”
He said the in-service date for the MRH 90 capability would be
December 17, 2007.
Initial deliveries would support a training capability in Townsville,
followed by aircraft allocation to 817 SQN to provide an interim
operational MSH capability by the end of 2010.
