UK Air Rescue pulls out of SAR-H project
UK Air Rescue, one of bidders in the controversial Search and Rescue Helicopter (SAR-H) programme, has withdrawn from the project.
The consortium, formed by Bristow, FBHeliservices, AgustaWestland and Serco officially announced their withdrawal on 19 September but refused to say why.
In a statement, Allan Blake, Bid Director for the UK Air Rescue consortium, said: “There is a wide range of commercial factors to consider in a programme as complex as this being delivered over 32 years. Having considered all of these factors the sponsor companies have agreed unanimously that UK Air Rescue should withdraw from the competition.”
Given that the SAR-H competition is ongoing, and for reasons of our commercial confidentiality, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.
The withdrawal of UK Air Rescue now leaves just two other bidders, AirKnight made up of Lockheed Martin UK, VT Aerospace and helicopter operator British International and Soteria, made up of CHC, Thales and Royal Bank of Scotland.
The MCA expects to receive final bids for the deal in mid-November.
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