Canada Mulls Cyclone Alternatives

Canada's purchase of maritime helicopters for its air force has lurched from bad to worse with the revelation that it may abandon its existing deal with Sikorsky and reopen the acquisition process. The US airframer in 2004 won a $1.8 billion deal to supply 28 CH-148 Cyclones – a militarised and marinised version of its commercial S-92 – to the Royal Canadian Air Force. However, Sikorsky has been consistently unable to produce a helicopter that is acceptable to Ottawa. Deliveries of the final versions of the Cyclone were due to start in June 2012.

Four CH-148s produced to an interim standard are stationed at the air force's 12 Wing Shearwater base. However, no flight activities are taking place with the aircraft. Procurement body Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) says: "The government expects suppliers to meet their contractual obligations, and Canada will not accept the helicopters until contractual requirements are met.

"Sikorsky has yet to deliver contractually compliant helicopters to Canada."Ottawa has already levied fines of $88.6 million on Sikorsky, which it intends to offset against payments due under a support contract for sustainment of the helicopters. However, the US manufacturer could face the ultimate sanction of being dismissed from the contract entirely. PWGSC has already tasked an external consultant to report on "the viability" of the Cyclone programme – in other words, whether Sikorsky will ever be able to deliver fully compliant aircraft.

"The review by the consultant is not yet finalised," says PWGSC. "Upon completion the government will carefully consider the recommendations as well as consider all options, to ensure we protect taxpayers' interests and get the right helicopter for our men and women in uniform."

But other manufacturers are already circling. Anglo-Italian airframer AgustaWestland is keen to offer its AW101, should the competition be rerun. It says: "AgustaWestland understands the government of Canada is considering an alternate solution to the CH-148 Cyclone for the Royal Canadian Air Force maritime helicopter replacement programme. "Events in Canada in recent years have clearly demonstrated the AW101 is still the only helicopter which remains compliant and true to all the [original] requirements."

AgustaWestland was victorious with the AW101 in an earlier contest for the requirement, but that programme was cancelled in 1993. And to add even more weight to AgustaWestland's argument, an earlier variant of the rotorcraft is already in service with the air force, operating search and rescue missions as the CH-149 Cormorant.

Canada's need for new maritime helicopters is becoming ever-more pressing as its fleet of Sikorsky CH-124 Sea Kings marks a half-century of service this year. Sikorsky was not immediately available to comment.
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