O’Dea gives green light for acquisition of Heli's

[Frank]

PRESS RELEASE

O’DEA GIVES GREEN LIGHT FOR ACQUISITION OF NEW HELICOPTERS FOR AIR CORPS


The Minister for Defence, Mr. Willie O’Dea, has today authorised his Department to open negotiations for the acquisition of six new helicopters for the Irish Air Corps.

Two Light Utility EC 135 helicopters will be acquired from Eurocopter, France/ Germany and will be used mainly for pilot training.

Four Utility AB 139 Helicopters will be acquired from the Bell Agusta Aerospace Company, Italy and will be operated by the Air Corps in a general purpose military operational and training role.
The Minister has directed that contract negotiations be completed with both companies as a matter of urgency and he expects contracts to be in place by mid-December 2004.

Minister O’Dea said that the helicopters will provide a very significant boost to the Army and Air Corps. The purchase of the helicopters is another positive indication of the Government’s commitment to ensure that all branches of the Defence Forces are fully equipped to carry out their day-to-day roles.

ENDS. Date 26 November 2004

Issued by Jack McConnell, Press Officer, Department of Defence
(01) 8042108 or (087) 2340397


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The tender competition for helicopters was advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 29 May 2004. The closing date for the receipt of tenders was Tuesday, 3 August 2004. Valid tenders were received from three companies: Eurocopter, Sikorsky and AgustaWestland.

A comprehensive evaluation process was carried out on the tender proposals by an evaluation team comprising officials from the Department of Defence, the Air Corps and the Army and that process has now been completed.

The two light utility helicopters will be operated by the Air Corps primarily in the military pilot and aircrew-training roles. Primary taskings for the helicopters will include pilot training, instructor training and instrument flight training.

The four utility helicopters will be operated by the Air Corps in general purpose military operational and training roles. Primary taskings for the Utility helicopter will include training and operations with Special Forces, security and aid to the civil power, military exercises, infantry interoperability training and limited troop transport.

They will also be used to perform air ambulance, inland Search and Rescue, aid to the civil community and VIP transport tasks.

Details of delivery schedules, etc. will form part of the negotiation process and will be announced at a later date.

Ends.

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