USA - Mega helikopterkontrakter ute

Former Rivals Team Up for VXX Round Two

Stakes are getting ever higher as government rotary wing contract awards often have far-reaching positives for American defense contractors. In the works are programs to replace the Army’s scout helicopter (Armed Arial Scout) and the Air Force’s combat search and rescue (C-SAR) helicopters (Combat Rescue Helicopter—CRH). The scout replacement is now in round three after the Sikorsky/Boeing RAH-66 Comanche and the Bell ARH-70 program cancellations. The CRH program is the second iteration of the C-SAR competition initially won by Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook.

EC145T2 er med i konkurransen som Aerial Scout

But when it comes to free publicity and prestige, no rotary wing program comes close to the exposure gained by flying “Marine One” and the President of the United States. Thus, a second round of competition for the Marine Corps’ new executive transport for the White House has officially begun with the Navy’s publication of a draft request for proposals (RFP) for a new “VXX program” on Nov. 23, 2012.

Competition and the dwindling number of large of defense contractors can create bedfellows that were once rivals for the same contract. Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin were pitted against each other only a few years ago while trying to capture the prize of the initial VXX competition. Sikorsky was offering a version of the S-92 Superhawk transport and Lockheed Martin teamed with AgustaWestland to submit an American variant of the AW101 Merlin.

Jeg må her føye til at AW vant kontrakten på 1,7 milliarder dollar. Spesifikasjonene ble endret undervesi slik at kostnadene etterhvert økte til 3. milliarder dollar. Da ble prosjektet kansellert.