Consultant Hired To Assess Sikorsky's Ability To Provide The Aircraft

Canada's Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose has hired an outside consultant to evaluate Sikorsky's ability to deliver new helicopters to the Canadian Defense Department.

Sikorsky won a contract to provide 28 CH-148 Cyclone helicopters to Canada in 2004 to replace the country's 50-year-old Sea King helos. But the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) recently raised new questions about the contract, prompting the hiring of the consultant who has not been publicly named by Ambrose.

The CBC reports that the consultant is charged with determining whether Sikorsky can actually fulfill the contract. Meanwhile the aging Sea Kings continue to accumulate hours.

The Canadian government first looked at replacing the Sea Kings in 1992 under the administration of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. The program was cancelled after the election of Jean Chretien, who had promised to do so during his campaign.

The contract is reportedly worth $1.8 billion to Sikorsky for the aircraft, and includes a 20-year maintenance and support clause worth $3.2 billion.

(Cyclone image provided by Sikorsky.)

FMI: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/comm/index-eng.html