US Navy renews successful helicopter logistics programme
A $1.4 billion contract has been awarded by the US Navy to the Maritime Helicopter Support Company (MHSCo) to continue providing performance-based logistics (PBL) support for its H-60 Seahawk helicopters.
The four year contract covers the management of the supply chain and provision of as-needed repair of more than 1,250 aircraft components and subsystems on some 490 in-service H-60s, a statement announced on 20 January.
The MHSCo, a joint venture (JV) between Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin, says the JV provides the navy the ability to handle all of its wholesale logistics needs for the H-60 fleet in one place.
The requirements are part of the navy’s H-60 Tip-to-Tail PBL programme, and this contract is an extension of a five-year navy/MHSCo agreement initially awarded in January 2004.
RADM Raymond Berube, commander of Naval Inventory Control Point, Philadelphia, said the ‘H-60 Tip-to-Tail is recognised as one of the US Navy’s most successful PBL programmes’.
PBL programme models aim to reduce lifecycle costs, meet measurable performance goals as the basis for payment, and ‘do more with less’, according to MHSCo.
‘Defence Secretary Robert Gates asked industry to reduce lifecycle costs and improve performance,’ said Dan Schultz, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Ship and Aviation Systems.
Sikorsky reported that the delivery of replacement parts and assemblies to the fleet has been raised by 25% as a result of the programme.
By Shephard Staff
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