Puma's?

[Buran]

FMolloy
the EC135s/145s probably came from me in another thread [see Definite Plans for the Aer Chor] where i said that Flight International published a story that the choice has been made for those and would be annouced in a couple of weeks.
Buran.

PS the only thing i believe less than Flight International is a Ministerial Press Release

[alpha foxtrot 07]

there will a tender for light utility and medium lift helo's this summer.

[VonTaunitz]

if true thats great news alpha  '>

let the speculation begin!

[pilatus]

alpha is this true about a tender for medium lift helis?if so wer did u hear about it?

[Turkey]

There was a yarn a few years ago that 10 Pumas were orderd by an ff/pd government, and were then cancelled by the so-called rainbow coalition. '>

[clan]

Fingers crossed it is true, though DF press release says LUH's. Would they not be better and use maximum buying power by adding the MLH's at the same time. It ould make the competition hotter and therefore the chance of better aircraft.

[FiannaFail]

A step in the right direction and a damn good decision by the Minister for Defence.  And this following the eight new PC-9Ms!
FiannaFail

[FiannaFail]

And thats not forgetting the new Lear Jet!! Things are beginning to look up around here!
FiannaFail :'>

[clan]

They would look a damn sight better if they doubled the helicopter tender and had 12 instead of six, and added Jets to the list. How can anyone get excited by a lear jet.

[alpha foxtrot 07]

sorry my reply is late. my info is pritty solid, i guess i beat frank by a little bit. blackhawks would be the preferred aircraft but that choice goes to the goverment and we all know what great choices they make.

[FMolloy]

Quote

Fmolloy, Chill out. EC135/EC145 are these not classed as LUH'S, when I mentioned 135/145. It was only because it has been mentioned before as the "Choice".

And my point is that there's no point in saying we're probably getting EC135/145's when there's scant evidence to support this.

Quote

My point was the Pumas to complement the 6 LUH's. But you must not have read that part.

This is irrelevant since a) we don't know what the AC will be getting and b) there's no tender for a heli to 'complement' the LUH.

[clan]

FMolloy, As mentioned in the Sunday independent
THE Irish Air Corps is to get six new helicopters in a mix of two types - including two able to carry a section of nine soldiers.

Helicopter manufacturers are eagerly awaiting tenders, expected to be published this week by the Department of Defence which is seeking four light utility and two larger utility helicopters.
Also mentioned in Flight International and on this site, Irish Aircorp to get 2 x EC135 and 4 X EX145. Which must mean someone somewhere has heard something. As I presume rightly or wrongly FI would have contacts within Eurocopter!!
No smoke without Fire.
Plus AF predicted the tender would be changed and he was correct also.

[Stinger]

given that the air corps have had previous experience with the puma surely the cougar would a smart choice for the corps, especially considering that they are already successfully in operation with other services.  Wouldnt buying a model fresh off the drawing board lead to the corps being left with the teething problems?

[alpha foxtrot 07]

blackhawks are ideal and they should be bought.
nuff said.

[FMolloy]

Clan,

In the past, the press has reported that the AC was getting Alpha Jets, Hawks & L-139's. Since we don't have any of those AC I think it's safe to assume that the press are not always right.

The tender hasn't been released yet, the article you qouted from says so. If the tender hasn't been released, how can anyone say it's been changed?

Also, everyone thought Eurocopter would get the MLH contract that Sikorsky won. That just goes to show that the DoD can surprise everyone.

Given the debacle of the last heli contract, I'm not going to name the winner until I see their heli sitting on the ramp in AC colours.