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Australia confirms Army reluctance to accept MRH-90
Peter La Franchi / Canberra
Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation has confirmed that it is experiencing user push-back against the introduction of the Australian Aerospace-Eurocopter MRH-90 utility helicopter by the Australian Army.
The DMO’s head of helicopter acquisition Major General Tony Fraser says “we are yet to gain Army’s confidence with the aircraft.”
He says this reflects the longstanding experience of army aviators in the operation of the Sikorsky S-70A9 Black Hawk helicopter, which is being replaced by the MRH-90.
The changeover has parallels with personal motor vehicle preferences says Fraser.
“Let me use the analogy of either a Ford or a Holden driver. Once you have been brought up in that way it is difficult to change over to another aircraft or another type when it is brand new.”
The problem is compounded by continued problems in training aircrews.
“We require it to be performing to the best of its standard and it is not yet there. We will do that; we will gain their confidence by getting them some rate of effort.
“The outstanding features of the MRH90 will take it past the uses to which we are currently putting our aircraft, with weather radar and with a forward looking infrared system. It has available a large cabin and a ramp.
“We are yet to gain their confidence but we are working to do that and we need to prove that through the project, and working with the contractor to develop this rate of effort to the level that it should be.
Fraser has also confirmed that the introduction of the type into Australian Army service is still running behind schedule, with this again due to training shortfalls.
“The rate of effort has not been to the level that we would desire, in fact, not to the level that we require to meet the training requirements.
“We believe that we will still achieve Navy’s milestone in the middle of next year for its initial operational capability of first aircraft at sea. At this point in time the army training is behind. “
Fraser says that Australian Aerospace is closely cooperating with the DMO to try and overcome the delays, which are likely to add six months to service delivery for the Army.
The prime contractor “has some initiatives on offer that we will take to try to restore the rate of effort to what it should be in order to catch up. But at this point in time we are behind schedule for army.”
The first Army operational capability was scheduled to comprise a deployable troop of four aircraft by April 2011.
“At the moment we are looking at a September or October [2011] timeframe. We will take as much action as we can to recover that, but that is where it currently sits, due to the low rate of effort.”
Five MRH-90s have been delivered to the Australian Army with these undergoing work up at its Townsville, Queensland operational base. A sixth aircraft is to be delivered by mid 2009.
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