Fri, Jun 19, 2009
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.
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