Deal to buy six helicopters revived
The Department of Defence has announced it is to buy six new helicopters for the Air Corps in a revival of a deal which was abandoned two years ago.
A contract for four helicopters capable of carrying eight troops, as well as two lighter military helicopters, will be signed before the end of the year.
The deal, announced yesterday, is estimated to be worth between €30 and €50 million and was abandoned in 2002 due to cutbacks at the Department of Defence.
"What this means is that we are going to spend a lot of taxpayers' money to give the Air Corps new helicopters. A large section of the existing fleet is approaching the end of its life and needs replacing," said Mr Jack McConnell, a spokesman for the Department of Defence.
He denied there were any concerns over the safety of current craft, adding that if there were, "we wouldn't fly them".
The first time, Defence Minister Michael Smith had begun final negotiations on the purchase of five helicopters with the US company Sikorksy, which had promised to provide €125 million of work to safeguard jobs in the Dublin maintenance company FLS Aerospace. Another rival bidder, Eurocopter, which had been recommended by the Department of Defence's expert group, had begun a legal challenge in the High Court to prevent the contract being awarded.
Now both Sikorsky and Eurocopter, along with the Anglo-Italian Augusta Westland company, have sent in tenders for the new contract which is for six helicopters with an option for two more.
The Air Corps currently has 13 helicopters, including Alouette models which are up to 40 years old. Some of the helicopters may be sold off when the new models come into service next year.
Daniel McConnell
