From the Irish Independent:
Helicopter firms to battle again for €50m contract
Don Lavery
THREE companies that battled it out to win a €100m helicopter contract - subsequently cancelled by Defence Minister Michael Smith - are to compete again to supply a new fleet of choppers to the Air Corps.
British-Italian firm Agusta-Westland said yesterday that they would be submitting their A-109 helicopter, which has recently been bought by South Africa, and their new, larger AB-139 chopper for the new contract, worth about €50m.
Thirty-five of the 139s have been bought by the US Coast Guard and it has been offered to New Zealand to replace their Vietnam War-era fleet of Huey helicopters.
It is expected that the US Blackhawk will be among the choppers to be offered to the State.
An initial multi-million euro order for two light training helicopters and for four utility choppers, has been sought by the Department of Defence.
US firm Sikorsky, which won the 2002 contract that was then cancelled amid threats of legal action, are to offer either their S-76 or their famous Blackhawk transport helicopter, featured in the film 'Blackhawk Down'.
Irish Army Rangers are familiar with the Blackhawk as they took part in air mobile operations in East Timor, where they were flown by the Australian Army.
Eurocopter are likely to propose their EC-135 and EC-145 helicopters for the new contract.
Manufacturers must provide details to the Air Corps in a certain order. Firstly by operational suitability and technical merit, secondly by maintenance, technical support, after sales service and, thirdly, by price.
The new fleet of utility helicopters would replace the small Alouette, Dauphin and Gazelle aircraft in the Air Corps.
There is still a requirement for at least two medium-lift helicopters, able to carry the armed reconnaisance jeeps used by the Army Ranger Wing.
In the current operations in Liberia, giant Ukrainian Army Mi-26 helicopters were used to fly Irish Army jeeps and armoured cars on missions hundreds of kilometres from their base in Monrovia.