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 ©New
Straits Times (Used by permission)
by 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 Malaysia'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.
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Circular No 297/2008
The promised incentive is an investment of RM250 million, if Malaysia replaces its fleet of Nuri helicopters with the Eurocopter Cougar EC725.
But how much will it cost to replace the fleet? Over what period of time? What are the alternatives? What are the reasons for the need of replacement?
A bit more information, and a little investigative journalism, would surely not hurt.
Yeo Yang Poh