Australian Aerospace chief Dr Jens Goennemann has welcomed the opportunity that the recently announced diagnostic review of the MRH-90 provides.
He has also confirmed that deliveries of the aircraft in 2011 will be paused until mid-year but no changes have been made to the current production schedule.
“Australian Aerospace believes that this review is a good opportunity to dismiss the misunderstandings and misinterpretations which have surrounded and typically does surround a defence project of this column and complexity,” Goennemann said.
“And it also is an opportunity to clarify the progress of the program.”
Dr Goennemann has addressed concerns with the floor, engine, windscreen, oil cooler fan and spares management.
He believes that solutions for each of these factors have been addressed in that:
• a floor solution has been found and agreed upon by the company and Defence, with the solution being retrofitted to delivered aircraft and incorporated on future builds;
• the engine venting/cool down process has been changed by the company but this change has yet to be agreed upon by Defence;
• cracking issues in the windscreen have been dealt with by changing the installation process; and
• there was a supplier assembly issue with the oil cooler fan with the new fan being retrofitted to delivered aircraft and incorporated on future builds.
Issues surrounding the timing and turnaround of spares and repairable items are also being addressed, Goennemann told media.
The company has formed a high-level management group from a range of Australian Aerospace and Eurocopter companies to deal with the matter.
“This is a long-term issue that needs a long-term solution,” Goennemann said when questioned on the timeline of the internal materiel management structure.
The company is also confident that despite the problems that both the ARH Tiger and MRH-90 helicopter programs have faced, the competition for the naval helicopter where they have offered the NFH-90 is still open to them given the good working relationship they have with the customer.