Thu, May 29, 2008
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.
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