News Review: Raytheon, Bell team up for Air 9000 Ph.7 | ADM Oct 2010

Raytheon Australia has teamed with Bell Helicopter to bid for project Air 9000 Phase 7 - Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS), which will provide the future rotary wing training capability for Navy and Army.

The partners will offer an advanced Helicopter Aircrew Training System including aircraft, simulators and training devices as well as courseware certified and maintained to Defence standards.

The training solution will be centred on the Bell 429 lightweight twin-turbine helicopter, offering a substantial capability enhancement over the ADF’s current Bell 206 Kiowas and Eurocopter Squirrels for rotary wing flying training and light utility support.

Announcing the Teaming Agreement, the Managing Director of Raytheon Australia, Michael Ward, emphasised the importance of a systems engineering approach to increase the effectiveness of rotary wing flying training.

As part of this approach he said the Bell 429 would play an important role in delivering a capable, modern and cost effective system necessary to prepare rotary wing pilots for operational transition onto a wide range of advanced aircraft.

Ward also pointed to Raytheon’s strong pedigree in providing and supporting Australian helicopter programs such as the RAN’s Retention and Motivation Initiative and providing maintenance and engineering support under its Squirrel in service support contract for the Navy.

This is on top of the company’s extensive training pedigree including Hornet and Super Hornet training systems, electronic warfare training system and a range of similar training programs in the US and the UK.

“We at Raytheon Australia have drawn upon all of our experience and expertise gained through delivering helicopter support to the ADF to select Bell Helicopter as our partner for this program,” Ward said.

“Bell Helicopter has a well deserved reputation for delivering on their commitments and, as result, I believe that together we are well placed to become trusted partners of the ADF in this vital endeavour in force preparedness.”

Bell Helicopter has supported the ADF for over 50 years, through the sale and support of the Bell 47 Sioux, the Bell 206 Kiowa and Bell UH-1 family of helicopters.