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| Seasprite project to move ahead Edition 5009, 31 May, 2007 |
| The Government’s decision to move ahead with the Seasprite helicopter program will result in the Navy having an initial operational capability by 2011. But safety will be of paramount importance. And the contractor’s progress with the project will be closely monitored against milestones during the course of additional work necessary to bring the aircraft into service. The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, announced on May 25 that the Government had decided to continue the project subject to satisfactory contract arrangements. His announcement followed a full examination of the project ordered in April 2006 after the aircraft were grounded because of concerns over the reliability of the aircraft’s automated flight control system. The Chief of Navy, VADM Russ Shalders, AO, CSC, RAN, said he considered the safety of Navy personnel to be of paramount importance. |