Race to win €50m contract to undergo scrutiny

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Race to win €50m contract with Air Corps to undergo scrutiny

THREE major companies are to scrutinise the basis for the selection of the winners of a €50m competition for six new helicopters for the Air Corps, which could be revealed next week.

With the outcome of many competitions for military contracts around the world increasingly heading towards the courts, the Department of Defence is only too aware it has to be seen to be scrupulously fair in its determination. Previously it cancelled a contract for medium lift helicopters, amid threats of High Court action, ostensibly as part of Defence cutbacks.

It remains to be seen whether the three current contenders, Agusta Westland, Sikorsky or Eurocopter will raise objections to the outcome of the latest competition.

Yesterday, however, one of the competitors, Agusta Westland, told the Irish Independent that the competition had been "watertight" and had been run in a very professional manner.

At stake is an order for four armed utility helicopters to be used for a variety of military tasks, including a primary role of operating and training with the Army Rangers, and two light utility aircraft, mainly for training.

Agusta Westland said they were confident that their products, the A109Power and the AB139 represented the best value for money, and had a large degree of commonality offering an integrated fleet between the training and operational helicopter.

These included similar cockpit controls and lay out; engines, wheeled landing gear, tail rotor and systems layout.

The new AB139 is able to carry eight soldiers, and can lift the Army's 105mm light artillery gun, a spokesman said.

It has been selected by the US Coast Guard and has over 90 orders.

However, Augusta Westland is facing tough competition from America's Sikorksy who are offering the helicopter widely used by the US military, the Blackhawk, and their S-76 model, and from Eurocopter with their EC-135, already used by the Gardai, and their EC-145.

Meanwhile the Department of Defence is still insisting a contract will be placed before the end of the year - even though a project team made up of Department officials, and officers from the Army, Air Corps and Rangers are still engaged in the evaluation process.


Don Lavery

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