RM250m copter sweetenerBy : Alang Bendahara
KUALA LUMPUR: The world's number one helicopter manufacturer has proposed a RM250 million investment in Malaysia if the armed forces decide to replace their fleet of Nuri helicopters with the Eurocopter Cougar EC725. Eurocopter Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co, made the offer to the Malaysian government if it wins the bid for the helicopter deal.
The plan includes the upgrading of Eurocopter Malay-sia's maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capacity in its Subang facility, participation of local vendors in the manufacturing of components, establishing an aviation engineering training academy and opening Asia's first EC725 helicopter simulation centre.
Eurocopter Malaysia corporate strategy and marketing director Mohamed Raziff Abdul Hamid said the company was committed towards helping the Malaysian defence forces in the field of helicopters.
"We have the ability and technology to upgrade the country's MRO capacity. Our comprehensive plan will also benefit existing MRO companies."
Local vendor, Composite Technology Research Malay-sia Sdn Bhd, had signed a memorandum of understanding with Eurocopter to provide tail booms for the EC130 helicopter at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Show 2007.
Eurocopter has, so far, invested about RM45 million in Malaysia and plans to pump in RM20 million this year to expand its Subang facility as well as MRO facilities in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.
The Eurocopter Cougar EC725 is one of four helicopters shortlisted by the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) to replace the aging fleet of Sikorsky S61-A4 Sea Kings better known as the Nuri.
The others are the Sikorsky S92, AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin and the Russian-made Mil Mi-17 Hip.
The government is allocating US$600 million (RM1.93 billion) to purchase 12 helicopters for service until 2050.
Eight units are planned for the RMAF's Nuri replacement programme, while the rest will go to the army.
Eurocopter marketing manager Jerome Combe said the EC725 was a flexible machine used for long-distance tactical support, search and rescue, and combat search and rescue operations.
"In operations, 98 per cent of the EC725 variant are used in the oil and gas sector. In the French air force deployment in Lebanon and Afghanistan, more than 90 per cent of the helicopters used are EC725s," Combe said in Marignane, France recently.
The EC725 is the most recent addition to the Super Puma/Cougar family of 650 helicopters that have amassed more than 3.4 million flight hours and used in 46 countries.
Some 470 Cougars have been delivered worldwide to military operators in 33 countries.
Combe said the EC725's capabilities far exceeded that of the Nuri's and would suit the country's needs in terms of search and rescue, combat search and rescue operations, mass evacuation during disasters, supply delivery and VIP transportation.
"The EC725 is also able to meet RMAF demand with its top distance range of 1,282km and a top speed of 261.5kph.
"During crises or disasters, it can carry 22 men from Kuantan to Kuching over 510 nautical miles or 945km with a ferry tank. It can also fly from Kuantan to Kota Kinabalu which is about 950 nautical miles or 1,760km apart with five ferry tanks.
"It also has day and night-time search and rescue capabilities using a search radar and forward-looking infrared."
The EC725 is also the first helicopter in the world to be fitted with an auto-pilot function specifically designed for helicopters.
The helicopter has a five-blade composite main rotor incorporating a new airfoil shape to reduce vibration levels.
Its tail rotor and main rotor blades are the first to benefit from a multi-box structure which dramatically reduces the expansion of cracks on the blades to ensure higher safety and resistance in case of bullet impact.
It is powered by two Turbomeca Makila 1A4 turboshaft engines producing 1,800kWs of power fitted with a back-up system.
The EC725 can also be fitted with a removable four-tonne water tank, enabling it to assist fire-fighting missions.
Eurocopter provides four different configurations for the EC725. The troop transport version has seating arrangements for a maximum of 29 troops, in addition to the crew.
© Copyright 2008 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.
Source
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/2303565/Article/index_html
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