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CASR

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Canadian
Defence Policy,
Foreign Policy,
& Canada-US
Relations

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In Detail
——
the
Maritime
Helicopter
Project

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by ST Priestley

 

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Canadian Defence Procurement  —  updated and revised January 2004

Politics, Procurement Practices, and Procrastination:
the Quarter-Century Sea King Helicopter Replacement Saga

Part 5  —  Open for Business:  the Contenders for the ‘NSA’ Requirement

Key contenders for the ‘New Shipboard Aircraft Project’ were the Sikorsky S-70 (called the SH-60 by the US Navy, right), Aérospatiale’s SA332 Super Puma, and EH Industries’ new EH-101. Of the three candidates, only the last was specifically designed to be a Sea King replacement.

Should Some Smaller S-70 Sea Hawk Succeed Sikorsky’s Stalwart Sea King?

The S-70 Sea Hawk is a navalized version of the famous US Army UH-60 Black Hawk. The US Navy operates two models of Sea Hawks – the SH-60F is a direct replacement for USN SH-3 Sea Kings. Yet another S-70 variant  (the HH-60J JayHawk) serves the US Coast Guard. Since being adopted by the US Navy, Sikorsky’s Sea Hawk has been widely exported –  including to Australia. [1]

Puss in Boots  —  Aérospatiale’s Revamped ‘Master Cat’ Gets Its Sea Legs

As the name suggests, Aérospatiale’s Super Puma was the nouvelle génération of an earlier design [2]. For the NSA, Aérospatiale submitted their maritime Super Puma, the AS332F (F for Frégate) with the usual naval features such as a folding tail, ‘beartrap’ winch- down equipment, search radar, etc. The result, like the SeaHawk, was a utility helicopter design adapted to shipboard duties. Critically, the AS 332F was smaller than a Sea King.

The third contender, EH Industries’ EH-101 will be reviewed on the next page.


[1] The RAAF had already bought S-70 Black Hawks to replace their Iroquois. Replacing RAN Westland Sea Kings with Sea Hawks increased commonality.

[2] This design, the SA330 Puma, had been devised for the French army by Sud Aviation.  Joint production was undertaken by Westland in Britain for the Royal Air Force.  Sud Aviation became a part of Aérospatiale in 1970 and their original 1965 army utility helicopter design was modernized and fitted with more powerful engines. The result was the AS332 Super Puma of 1977. The designation AS332 reflected new owners (AS for Aérospatiale) and the second major design change.

<  Part 4  —  the  New Shipboard Aircraft  (NSA)  Project

>  Part 6  —  Open for Business:  the Contenders for the ‘NSA’  (Continued)