Peru buys Dutch AB412 search and rescue helicopters

An agreement has been reached between the Dutch and Peruvian governments on the sale of three Agusta-Bell AB412 SP helicopters.
The helicopters were stationed at Leeuwarden Air Base and at Vlieland and were tasked for search-and-rescue SAR missions, often for the NATO air forces exercise area north of the Netherlands.
The aircraft doubled as air ambulances for islanders in the vicinity and as coastguard assets.
janes

Brazil Acquires Three C295 for SAR role

Brazil has signed a contract with Airbus Defence for the acquisition of three Airbus C295 search and rescue (SAR) aircraft.
The three aircraft will progressively be delivered to the Brazilian Air Force from the end of this year under the terms of an agreement which also includes a five-year Full In Service Support (FISS) contract.
In Brazilian service the SAR aircraft will join 12 transport-configured C295 aircraft, taking the total FAB C295 fleet to 15.
In addition to the aircraft fleet, the FAB is also using a Full Flight Simulator for the C295 at the Air Base of Manaus-Brasil (BAMN facility).
airbusgroup

Brazil to acquire C295s for search and rescue

Brazil is to acquire an additional three Airbus C295 transport aircraft to complement the 12 it has operated since 2006.
The aircraft will be configured as search and rescue (SAR) platforms.
The Brazilian Air Force is to equip its new aircraft with winglets, launched by Airbus DS in 2012, and combined with enhancements to the twin-engines, are expected to give the C295 an increase of 320 km in range and 30 minutes of additional time on station.
janes

Sikorsky finishes build of first UK Long SAR aircraft

Sikorsky has finished assembly of the first “baseline” S-92 to be delivered to Bristow Helicopters for the UK’s Long SAR requirement.
It will be handed over to the operator in July next year following fit-out with search and rescue mission equipment at the airframer’s facility in Coatsville, Pensylvania.
In all, Bristow will receive seven brand-new examples of the 11t type in the period to July 2015. Four additional airframes, based in Sumburgh and Stornoway, are already in use under the UK’s Gap SAR contract and will transfer across when the new regime begins in 2015.
Bristow won the 10-year SAR deal in March this year. It will see the company take over search and rescue operations from Royal Navy and Royal Air Force units, replacing aged Westland Sea Kings with the S-92s and AgustaWestland AW189s.
They will be equipped with FLIR Systems Star Safire 380-HD imaging equipment.
flightglobal

Engine shortage dogs Portuguese AW101 fleet

Portugal’s fleet of AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin helicopters for search and rescue (SAR), is being prevented from reaching higher levels of readiness due to problems with the support of the type’s Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 engines.
At present, five of the 12-aircraft fleet operated by the Portuguese air force’s 751 Sqn are out of service, either due to the unavailability of engines or spare parts for them, says AgustaWestland, who runs sustainment activities for the nation’s Merlin fleet from Montijo air base near Lisbon.
Availability of the five aircraft based at Montijo in 2012 was at 70%, with a similar figure achieved so far this year.
flightglobal

Draft RFP for Royal Canadian Air Force Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue aircraft replacement released

The RCAF announced that the project to replace Canada’s fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft has moved forward with a draft Request for Proposals (RFP). The draft is being shared with industry for final comments before the RFP phase is launched in early 2014.
airforce.forces.gc.ca

AgustaWestland prepares for Norwegian AW101 demonstration

AgustaWestland expects to soon begin the AW101 flight evaluation and bid refining phase for the Norwegian all-weather search and rescue helicopter (NAWSARH) programme, following Oslo's decision to narrow its Westland Sea King replacement contest to the Anglo-Italian type and Eurocopter's EC225.
flightglobal

AgustaWestland and Eurocopter to fight for Norway SAR deal

Norway's NAWSARH contest, to replace its ageing fleet of Westland Sea King search and rescue (SAR) helicopters with as many as 22 new rotorcraft, has moved a step closer to resolution with two bidders - AgustaWestland and Eurocopter - invited to engage in further negotiations.
AgustaWestland has pitched its AW101 and Eurocopter the EC225 for the requirement for 16 helicopters, with options for an additional six.
flightglobal

C-27J Being Offered for Canada’s Fixed-Wing SAR

Alenia Aermacchi, General Dynamics Canada, and DRS Technologies Canada Ltd. (TCL) have signed a comprehensive teaming agreement to compete for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) upcoming Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue Replacement Program.
The team will offer a market variant of the C-27J Spartan, Alenia Aermacchi’s best-selling medium tactical military aircraft. The offering will leverage Alenia Aermacchi’s international success with the C-27J, General Dynamics’ system integration experience, and DRS’ training expertise.
defencetalk

Bristow wins £1.6bn UK search and rescue deal

A long-running procurement programme to outsource and modernise the UK's search and rescue helicopter operations has finally ended with the award of a £1.6 billion contract to US-owned Bristow Helicopters.

To replace the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force AgustaWestland Sea King fleets, from 2015 Bristow will bring in new AgustaWestland AW189s and Sikorsky S-92s, says the UK Department for Transport (DfT) announcing the award on 26 March. The new operation will be fully active from 2017.
flightglobal

Bristow's first S-92s for Gap SAR arrive in UK

Two of the four Sikorsky S-92s that will be operated by Bristow Helicopters for the UK's Gap Search and Rescue requirement have arrived in Scotland ahead of their deployment later this year.

Training activities using the new rotorcraft (G-MCGA and G-MCGB) have commenced from Inverness airport, says the operator. Two helicopters will be based at Sumburgh in the Shetland Isles and the other pair will operate from Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

flightglobal

AgustaWestland nets Swedish SAR buy

The Swedish Maritime Administration has purchased seven AgustaWestland AW139 intermediate twin-engined helicopters for use on search and rescue (SAR) operations.

The first aircraft will be handed over in early 2013, with deliveries running until 2014. They will undertake missions over land and sea and be operated from five bases across the country.

flightglobal

ARRESTADO JEFE DE SAR DE MALLORCA POR USO INDEBIDO DE HELICÓPTEROS

El Ejército del Aire ha ordenado el arresto del teniente coronel Fernando Delgado, jefe de la base del Servicio de Búsqueda y Rescate (SAR) de Mallorca, y del piloto del helicóptero que transportó a parte de los invitados a la boda de un oficial del SAR en Formentera. Todo un ejemplo para la ciudadanía, que terminará apuntando a los más altos mandos de Sont Sant Joan. El helicóptero fue uno de los tres aparatos militares empleados, aunque también participaron en los traslados dos aviones. La investigación sigue abierta. El coste del despliegue de los dos aviones y el helicóptero puede superar los 23.000 euros.
El Estado Mayor del Aire considera acreditado que se emplearon «indebidamente» un helicóptero HD-19 Puma y un avión C-212 Aviocar, ambos del SAR, e investiga si lo mismo ocurrió con un CN-235.
Existen numerosos testimonios gráficos al respecto, surgidos por la presencia del helicóptero del SAR en Formentera.
aviaciondigitalglobal.com

Japón está buscando un nuevo helicóptero SAR/Japan to make request for military search and rescue helicopters

Japón emitirá un requerimiento de información para un nuevo helicóptero SAR en junio, para la sustitución de algunos de los UH-60J en servicio. El aparato elegido, deberá tener mas capacidad de carga y mayor alcance.
Los UH-60J que prestan actualmente servicio fueron fabricados por Mitsubishi Heavy Industries en Japón, bajo licencia de Sikorsky, con primeras entregas a principios de los 90.
www.flightglobal.com
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Japan is planning to issue a request for proposals in June for search and rescue helicopters to equip its air force and navy to replace some of the UH-60J.
It would be clear in the RFP that the new aircraft to have more capability in terms of range and payloads.
Japan's current UH-60Js were built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries under licence from Sikorsky. The helicopter is based on the US company's S-70 Seahawk and deliveries started in the early 1990s.
www.flightglobal.com

FUERZA AÉREA DE TAIWAN ADQUIERE EC225 PARA SAR/TAIWN AIR FORCE BUYS CIVIL EC225 FOR SEARCH AND RESCUE

Según Fligh International, Taiwan ha firmado un contrato por tres helicópteros Eurocopter EC225 para SAR para su Fuerza Aérea.. Los EC225 han sido utilizados en gran número de misiones humanitarias en catátrofes naturales. El EC225 es la versión civil del Eurocopter EC725 Super Cougar, helicóptero de transporte táctico y CSAR. La confirmación de la compra llega menos de dos semanas después de que se anunciaran los planes de Estados Unidos de vender a Taiwán 60 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk. Pekín ha amenazado con sanciones a las empresas norteamericanas si el congreso de Estados Unidos aprueba finalmente la transacción.
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According Fligh International Taiwan has signed a contract for three Eurocopter EC225 search and rescue helicopters, with sources confirming that the aircraft are intended for use by the state's air force.
Following an international tender, Eurocopter has been selected by Taiwan for the purchase of three EC225 civil helicopters, which will be used for search and rescue missions. Eurocopter has not specified which organisation will be using the new helicopters, but an official in Taiwan's defence ministry confirms that the aircraft will be flown by the island's air force. EC225 helicopters have been widely used for humanitarian operations where they have proven their worth in life-saving missions after natural catastrophes. The EC225 is the civil version of Eurocopter's EC725 Super Cougar, which is a military tactical transport and combat search-and-rescue helicopter. Confirmation of the deal comes less than two weeks after the US announced plans to sell to Taiwan 60 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters worth $3.1 billion. Beijing has threatened US companies with economic sanctions if the transaction is approved by US Congress.