Defence Business: Air 9000 Ph 7 - HATS contenders in the ring | ADM Apr 2011

Gregor Ferguson | Avalon

With a draft RFT only weeks (or possibly days) away, three rivals for the ADF’s Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) project – Air 9000 Ph 7 – declared themselves at Avalon last month. This project will establish the new training system for all ADF rotary wing aircrew at the RAN Air Station at Nowra and will include aircraft, classroom instruction and a range of synthetic trainers and simulators.

First to break cover were BAE Systems Australia, Agusta Westland and CAE Australia who promised a “complete, compliant, customer-oriented low-risk solution” based on the AW109 family of light twin-engined helicopters – the only contender which satisfies Defence’s stated preference for wheeled landing gear.

Under their agreement AgustaWestland will provide the aircraft, CAE will have primary responsibility for the design of a state of the art live and virtual synthetic training program, including the manufacture of training devices. BAE Systems would lead all maintenance and support services.

Two days later Boeing Defence Australia Ltd and Thales Australia announced their own teaming arrangement to pursue Air 900 Ph 7. However, the Boeing/Thales team hasn’t yet selected an aircraft and will hold a competitive tender for helicopter manufacturers over the coming months to select a suitable training aircraft.

“Boeing and Thales have been partners in defence flight training and simulation for more than 15 years,” according to John Duddy, Boeing Defence Australia vice president and managing director. “Both companies have proven track records in delivering training courses on time and producing mission-ready pilots.”

Thales’ parent company is a global simulation and synthetic training giant and Thales Ausralia has worked with Boeing on flight simulators and training for the F-111C and C-17A airlifter at Amberley and the Wedgetail AEW&C Operational Flight Trainer at Williamtown. The company also provides the flight simulators for the ADF’s Seahawk, Tiger, MRH90 helicopters and AP-3C Orion aircraft.

Boeing provides helicopter pilot, aircrew and technician training for the Australian Army under its Army Aviation Training and Training Support (AATTS) contract and since 2007 has completed 100 per cent of training courses and aircrew graduations on time. It has one of the largest military instructional aircrew teams in Australia.

Finally, Lockheed Martin Australia announced a teaming agreement with Bristow Helicopters Australia, a subsidiary of global helicopter operator Bristow Group.

Lockheed Martin annually trains more than 22,000 fixed and rotary wing aircrew, including Republic of Singapore Air Force fast jet pilots under its contract to provide fast jet training for the RSAF at RAAF Base Pearce in WA

Bristow Helicopters Australia is the largest provider of helicopter services to the Australian oil and gas industry, with a fleet of approximately 35 helicopters.

It also maintains the RSAF Puma helicopter fleet at Oakey Army Aviation Centre. More pertinently, says managing director Allan Blake, the US parent company operates the UK’s Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) through a joint venture with Cobham PLC, FB Heliservices, graduating nearly 200 aircrew each year for all three services.

Blake told ADM also that Bristow has spent over $1.2 billion in the past two years acquiring new aircraft and so has a good commercial relationship with all of the training helicopter OEMs.

Despite previously announced teaming arrangements none of the likely candidates are off-limits to Bristow and Lockheed Martin, he said; the partners are already evaluating short-listed contenders and he was confident they can source the right aircraft at the right price.

Raytheon Australia had earlier announced an exclusive teaming arrangement with Bell Helicopter Textron, offering the latter’s Bell 429 twin-turbine skid-equipped machine as a training platform. It’s not clear how Australian Aerospace, whose parent manufactures the EC135 helicopter, will tackle the project.

Defence was unable to confirm when the draft RFT for Air 9000 Ph 7 would be released, but this was expected shortly after the Avalon air show.