mineman65
09-11-07, 16:07
The Finnish Defence Forces are making preparations in case the long-delayed acquisition of state-of-the art NH-90 transport helicopters ends up being cancelled.
Finnish authorities have sent an inquiry to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, asking whether UH-60M Black Hawk transport helicopters might be available at short notice, first on a rental basis and later purchased under the same Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program as the procurement of Hornet fighter jets was arranged in 2001.
Under the FMS program, the purchaser does not deal directly with the defence contractor. Instead, the manufacturer would sell the helicopters first to the US Department of Defence, and the Finnish Defence Forces would subsequently buy them from Pentagon.
Eero Lavonen of the Ministry of Defence who is the head of the Resource Policy Department, does not wish to comment on the inquiry sent to the USA. He says that the ministry is now focusing all its efforts on the negotiations with the manufacturer of the NH90 helicopters.
Results from these talks will be expected within a few weeks. Before that there is no need to explore other alternatives, according to Lavonen.
In the autumn of 2001, Finland ordered a total of 20 NH90 transport helicopters from NH Industries, part of the giant European aerospace consortium EADS.
The first helicopter was scheduled to come into service in October 2004, and the last one by 2008.
However, the Finnish military has not yet taken delivery of a single aircraft. Moreover, the NH90 has not received a type-certification green light from the Finnish military aviation authorities.
The manufacturer has paid the highest possible fines of EUR 16 million over the delay of the helicopter deliveries, and negotiations are under way, whether or not the entire deal should be cancelled.
However, the acquisition of Black Hawk transport helicopters is not entirely problem-free, either, because of the peak demand for this aircraft type resulting from the losses at the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
source here (http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finland+looking+into+alternatives+for+delayed+tran sport+helicopters/1135231688845)
Finnish authorities have sent an inquiry to Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, asking whether UH-60M Black Hawk transport helicopters might be available at short notice, first on a rental basis and later purchased under the same Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program as the procurement of Hornet fighter jets was arranged in 2001.
Under the FMS program, the purchaser does not deal directly with the defence contractor. Instead, the manufacturer would sell the helicopters first to the US Department of Defence, and the Finnish Defence Forces would subsequently buy them from Pentagon.
Eero Lavonen of the Ministry of Defence who is the head of the Resource Policy Department, does not wish to comment on the inquiry sent to the USA. He says that the ministry is now focusing all its efforts on the negotiations with the manufacturer of the NH90 helicopters.
Results from these talks will be expected within a few weeks. Before that there is no need to explore other alternatives, according to Lavonen.
In the autumn of 2001, Finland ordered a total of 20 NH90 transport helicopters from NH Industries, part of the giant European aerospace consortium EADS.
The first helicopter was scheduled to come into service in October 2004, and the last one by 2008.
However, the Finnish military has not yet taken delivery of a single aircraft. Moreover, the NH90 has not received a type-certification green light from the Finnish military aviation authorities.
The manufacturer has paid the highest possible fines of EUR 16 million over the delay of the helicopter deliveries, and negotiations are under way, whether or not the entire deal should be cancelled.
However, the acquisition of Black Hawk transport helicopters is not entirely problem-free, either, because of the peak demand for this aircraft type resulting from the losses at the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
source here (http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finland+looking+into+alternatives+for+delayed+tran sport+helicopters/1135231688845)