Transport Helicopters To Get SAR Capability

Eurocopter Deutschland and the German Federal Agency for Defense Technology and Procurement (BWB) signed a contract at the Paris Air Show to retrofit 26 of the German Army’s CH53 GS/GE transport helicopters, with the capability to perform personnel recovery missions. The contract is worth around $34.4 million , with a large part going to the medium-sized German equipment industry. The project will begin with one proof-of-concept prototype, and be followed by an additional 25 aircraft.

The first retrofitted helicopter is scheduled for delivery in early 2010.

The contract was signed in the presence of the State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Defense Rüdiger Wolf, and Eurocopter CEO Lutz Bertling. “We thank the BWB, the BMVg and the Bundeswehr for the confidence they have once again placed in us with this assignment to convert the CH53, the workhorse of the German Army, for yet another demanding role,” stated Bertling. “This project will quickly meet the Bundeswehr’s need for a wider CH53 GS/GE deployment capability for national and international missions, and especially for personnel recovery in various scenarios"

The contract serves the purpose of giving the CH53 GS/GE weapon system the capability to locate personnel in various areas of deployment, fly to them tactically and pick them up. To this end, a mission-tactical workstation will be realized in the cargo bay which can be quickly installed and removed as role equipment. The workstation is equipped with controls for operating the additional sensor systems on the helicopter. These include a personnel locator system, a broadband radio unit, a forward-looking infrared system (FLIR) and connections to the internal and satellite communications systems. Information is provided on two workstation displays and a mobile display for the cockpit crew.

FMI: www.eruocopter.com