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DeliciousPuma life extension to go ahead
Monday, July 27, 2009Plans to upgrade 30 Puma helicopters will go ahead as originally planned, the MoD has confirmed.
The much criticised £220m deal with Eurocopter will see the lives of the 40 year old helicopters extended until at least 2022.
Each Puma will have twin Turbomeca Makila turboshafts installed along with new gearboxes and tail rotors, as well as new engine controls and a digitalised autopilot system.
The upgrade programme has come under intense scrutiny in recent months because according to critics, it does little to alleviate the current helicopter shortage, and the fact that its high cost will only give the Pumas an additional ten years of life. Some MPs and defence analysts have called for the £220m to be spent on other types of helicopters that are straight off the shelf.
Some defence industry officials have also been critical of the deal because the work will be conducted in France and Romania. They have called for helicopter life extension programmes for the Sea King fleet instead since it would guarantee work here in the UK.
Minister for defence equipment and support Quentin Davies hinted to MPs earlier this year that he was strongly considering an alternative to Puma life extension due to its low value for money.
HAVE YOUR SAY
2.2 MILLON A YEAR FOR EACH PUMA HELICOPTER, WHAT A WALLY, BUILT IN FRANCE AND ROMANIA, WHAT A JOKE CAN YOU SEE THE FRENCH SENDING HELICOPTER TO UK FOR UPGRADES, NOT A CHANCE.THE PUMA'S ARE TOO OLD AND NOT UP TO IT ,BIT LIKE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT
J FARAGHER - isle of man
I cant belive what im reading have any of these mp's ever been in a puma ? Know wonder the RAF cant get enough flight crew who would want to fly one ! how many black hawks would that buy ?
Sam
Wikipedia lists the unit cost of a Blackhawk at $6m (£4m). Therefore, this idiotic decision is really at the cost of 55 brand new machines, which by the way don't occasionally drop into the North Sea.
A Government composed of idiots, led by a fool, and a strategic policy adminstered by the Treasury, led by a man who missed the day they taught Economics at school.
Andy Bruguier - Dartford
The government's primary concern should be the welfare and safety of servicemen and civilians who have to fly in Pumas, followed by the overall economics of new build and upgrade programmes which bring work to UK companies large and small in difficult times for the aeronautical industry
Fred Gorrie - Inter-Tec, Dundonald, Ayrshire
You have to hand it to the Ministry of Dumbos for consistency. Those responsible are from the same 'Nimrod MRA4' school. Its time to re-allocate our hard-earned cash to another competent agency.
Chris - Essex
Checkout
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F2k-GWKW-w
Not an expert, though I thought the French choppers where a more modern spec anyway.
Chris - Yorkshire