Dept of Defence drops large helicopter contract
The Department of Defence has conceded that buying large helicopters to carry Defence Forces vehicles and troops is “not an immediate priority”, after a €100 tender competition debacle ended in the programme being cancelled.
A proposal to buy medium lift helicopters, able to carry at least 18 soldiers or a jeep, and awarded to the US firm Sikorsky in 2002, was cancelled by Defence Minister Michael Smith as part of cutbacks.
It happened amid threats of legal action by losing competitors. There were also claims that investment proposals made by the US firm had played a part in the contract being awarded to them.
Yesterday a Department spokesman said the Irish Air Corps had submitted a list of priorities for equipment purchases but large helicopters were down the list.
Two of the five helicopters bought in 2002 were for carrying relatively large numbers of troops and vehicles and that requirement still exists. Irish troops operating in Liberia have used giant Ukrainian Army helicopters to move troops and armoured vehicles hundreds of kilometres for patrols.
However a new tender competition, for four utility and two light helicopters , worth at least €50m, is under way- and the same competitors, including Sikorsky, are also tendering for this new contract.
The utility helicopters will be mainly used by Army Rangers and will each be able to carry eight heavily armed soldiers. The aircraft will each be armed with two General Purpose machine guns plus a range of other weapons, and will be available for a variety of other tasks.
Defence Minister Michael Smith said a contract for the six new helicopters will be placed by the end of the year.
Don Lavery
