MH-60R Multi-role Helicopter for Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is expected to announce in mid 2011 its choice of helicopter to fulfill the Royal Australian Navy’s need for a fleet of 24 new-generation multi-role naval combat aircraft.
The U.S. Navy has proposed its proven MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare helicopter for the Australian Defence Force’s AIR 9000 Phase 8 requirement.
The U.S. Navy developed the aircraft with Sikorsky Aircraft, mission systems integrator Lockheed Martin and other industry following a $1 billion U.S. Government test and development investment. Today, the U.S. Navy operates 100 MH-60R aircraft of a total 300 planned purchase by 2018.
Known colloquially as the ‘Romeo,’ the aircraft is the only new-generation maritime helicopter operational at sea.
High value, low risk
The Royal Australian Navy will benefit immediately from interoperability with U.S. forces, verified aircraft operational and support costs, an experienced global logistics H-60 support infrastructure, proven reliability earned from 2.5 million SEAHAWK flight hours, and airframe familiarity from Australia’s existing SEAHAWK helicopter fleet.
The Commonwealth also will derive value for money from the U.S. Navy’s ongoing technology insertion program that will ensure the airframe’s continued relevance and superior fighting capability over the next 30 years.
The U.S. Navy is supported in its proposal by Team Romeo, consisting of Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (airframe manufacturer), Lockheed Martin (mission systems integrator), General Electric (engines), Raytheon (sensors) and CAE (pilot training simulators).
These Team Romeo companies already employ more than 12,000 employees across Australia.
Team Romeo’s Australian Industry Capability
Following a contract award, Team Romeo companies will establish business opportunities with Australian companies valued at more than $1.5B over the next 10 years. These work opportunities are expected to generate more than 450 jobs with Australian companies.
A key component of the industrial plan is a Sikorsky Aircraft proposal valued at $1 billion over 10 years to establish an all-new export industry in Australia to remanufacture military helicopters (see Helicopter Remanufacturing below). The plan proposes as a first project to refurbish and find buyers for all 50 of the S-70 Blackhawk and Seahawk helicopters, which the Australian Defence Force intends to retire from service beginning in 2014.
An additional 120 to 150 skilled Australians are required to sustain a maintenance and repair facility at the Aviation Technology Park in Nowra, NSW. This Through-Life-Support requirement will remain in place for the 30-year life of the maritime helicopter fleet.
Team Romeo companies also are actively engaging with qualified Australian companies to bring small-and medium-sized enterprises into their supply chains. This opportunity will enable local industry to compete for contracts on a global level, and bring new jobs to these companies.
The long-term outcome of the through life support, supply chain, helicopter remanufacturing facility opportunities, and the augmentation of Team Romeo with local industry, will be to establish a sustained employment base that will remain in place for decades.
Helicopter Remanufacturing
Sikorsky’s proposed military helicopter remanufacturing facility will generate up to 150 high skilled jobs (both direct and indirect) from its Helitech business in Brisbane, establishing an export business that will make Australia a focal point across the Pacific Rim region for refurbishment and overhaul of aging military helicopters.,
The all-new export industry would remanufacture and resell on the global market the ADF’s 34 Army S-70A-9 BLACK HAWK and 16 Royal Australian Navy S-70B-2 SEAHAWK® aircraft when they become surplus to requirements starting in 2014.
Sikorsky would expand its Helitech maintenance facility in Brisbane, Queensland to remanufacture five ADF S-70 aircraft a year, find buyers on the global market, and then share the profits with the Commonwealth of Australia. Cash flow from aircraft sales on the global market would fund the operation.
Once established, the remanufacturing facility is expected to attract hundreds of other H-60 series aircraft from across the Asia-Pacific region — including a portion of U.S. excess defense articles — that will require overhaul or resale on the global market.
