Will Outfit Six German CH53Gs With New Equipment

On Wednesday at the ILA International Aerospace Exhibition in Berlin, the German Federal Office for Defence Technology and Procurement (BWB) and Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH signed a contract for the retrofit of six more CH53G transport helicopters operated by the German Army to convert them to mission helicopters fitted with ballistic self protection and specific mission equipment.

The order is worth approximately €24 million, a large proportion of which will go to medium-sized German equipment manufacturers. The German Army will take delivery of the transport helicopters between May and November 2009.

The order aims to close some of the operational gaps that currently exist in part of the German Army’s fleet of CH53G helicopters, in particular to the defensive mission equipment for protecting the crews and helicopters while flying missions. The centerpiece of the retrofit is the integration of an EloKa (electronic warfare) defence system, the addition of an internal fuel tank system to extend the helicopter’s range and equipment to prepare the helicopter for flying night missions.

"With this project we are providing rapid response to the German Army's requirements for mission-capable transport helicopters to guarantee their national and international mission capability in the long-term," said Ralf Barnscheidt, Senior Vice President Helicopter Support Center German Armed Forces, of the new contract.

Eurocopter Deutschland was chosen as the main contractor for the work. The six helicopters will be upgraded and delivered over the next 16 months. At the same time, these helicopters will also be equipped with further improvements to ensure their continued mission capability, which will extend their service life by an additional 4,000 flight hours.

Eurocopter's German Army Helicopter Assistance Center in Donauwörth also has an order for the retrofit of a total of 82 medium-heavy CH53G transport helicopters to ensure continued mission capability. This involves fixing airframe fatigue caused by use and aging to increase the helicopters' design life from 6,000 to 10,000 flight hours. In addition to this, the retrofit will involve replacement of the entire electrical system, which is now about 35 years old.

FMI: www.eurocopter.com