Three
tenderers have been selected to progress Project Air 9000 Phase 7, which will
provide a new helicopter aircrew training system to meet the future rotary wing
training needs of the ADF.
The three short-listed tenderers are the teams led by Australian Aerospace, Boeing
Defence Australia and Raytheon
Australia.
Air 9000 Phase 7
will deliver a new joint helicopter aircrew training system for Army and Navy
to be based at Nowra, New South Wales.
This
new joint training system will overcome the broadening gap in training systems
required for the advanced operational helicopters to be operated by the future
ADF, including 22 Tiger Armed
Reconnaissance Helicopters, 47 MRH90
Multi-role helicopters, 24 Seahawk
Romeo maritime combat helicopters, and 7 CH-47 (F) Chinook medium lift helicopters.
The
new joint training system will allow the retirement of 40 Kiowa helicopters
operated by Army and 13 Squirrel helicopters operated by Navy.
The
new training system will comprise a combination of light twin-engine
helicopters, with options for basic and advanced avionic systems; a mix of
Synthetic Training Devices (Simulators and Part-Task Trainers); new Training,
Administration and Warehousing facilities; and Integrated Through Life Support.
An Aviation Training Vessel will also be supplied as a component of the new
training system through existing Defence Maritime Support arrangements.
The
Request for Tender was issued in early 2012.
The three short-listed tenderers
will now enter the second phase of the evaluation, which will include the
development and evaluation of final proposals.
A
decision on the successful tenderer is expected by mid-2014, with training on
the new expected to commence in 2016/17.