The decades-long project to replace Canada's 50-year-old Sea King
helicopters has hit another snag, with the government now hiring an
independent expert to study whether helicopter-maker Sikorsky is even
capable of delivering a replacement as promised.
CBC News has learned that Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose has gone
outside government and hired a consultant to study Sikorsky's work, and
Canada's contract, to determine whether it's even possible for the U.S.
helicopter giant to deliver the aircraft Canada ordered.
The details of the hire — or the review — are not publicly available
and Ambrose's office has yet to provide more information, but Ambrose
herself offered the news after questions from the CBC about Sikorsky and
its contract.
"I have employed the services of an independent consultant and
contractor to undertake a review of the ability of this company to
deliver this to the government," Ambrose said.
The Defence Department's maritime helicopter project is the successor
to the failed procurement of 50 EH-101 helicopters promised in 1992 by
former prime minister Brian Mulroney. That program was cancelled in 1993
as part of an election promise made by Jean Chrétien.
For years, the program lay dormant as Canada's Sea King helicopters slowly gathered wear and tear.
In 2004, Sikorsky won a formal contract to provide 28 new CH-148 Cyclone helicopters to Canada.
The initial contract was worth $1.8 billion for aircraft, and an
additional $3.2 billion for 20 years of maintenance and support.
Missed deadlines
Delivery was to begin in November 2008, but it never did. The deadline slipped, and then slipped again.
In 2010, Canada agreed to accept six interim helicopters with lesser
capabilities than those ordered by DND, provided Sikorsky agree to
deliver "fully compliant" helicopters beginning in June 2012.
So
far, only four helicopters have been delivered — all of them interim,
and none of them meeting even those lower "interim" standards, said
Ambrose.
"I am very disappointed in Sikorsky," she told CBC News. "They have
not met their contractual obligations to date. They have missed every
deadline and every timeline in the delivery of even the interim maritime
helicopter, never mind the fully compliant maritime helicopter."
With the Sea Kings now about to enter their 50th year of service, and
maintenance costs soaring, the military is desperate for some form of
new maritime helicopter.
The Royal Canadian Air Force realizes the procurement process is
slow, and unless the military is able to begin training on some variant
of the Cyclone it won't be ready to fly the new helicopters when they
finally start arriving.
Now, CBC News has learned Public Works is refusing to allow the
military to accept delivery of those four interim helicopters, because
they allegedly aren't up to standards.
"The bottom line is that they have not met their contractual
obligation," Ambrose told the CBC. "The interim helicopter does not meet
the requirements of the air force, so we are not going to take delivery
of a helicopter that is not compliant."
Sikorsky seems to be sensitive to Ambrose's criticisms, though it's not clear what it intends to do about it.
"We appreciate the minister's concerns and, consistent with our past
practice, will not comment on any discussions we are having with the
Canadian government," Sikorsky spokesman Paul Jackson said by email.
"The program itself is among the most sophisticated ever conducted by
Sikorsky, and it continues to move forward."
Regardless, the 4½-year delay continues to have an effect on military plans.
The air force is already working on how to keep flying its Sea Kings
for years more. And that has consequences for the Royal Canadian Navy,
too, affecting the long-planned upgrade of its Halifax-class frigates.
The upgrade is necessary to extend the life of the vessels, and naval
planners had intended to use that lengthy work period to upgrade the
ships' helicopter facilities.
The Cyclone is larger and heavier than the Sea King, and the landing decks and hangars need to be upgraded.
But with no deadline in sight for delivery of the final version of
the Cyclones, the navy is planning to keep some of its frigates fitted
for Sea Kings. That will necessitate a further refit for the ships, once
the Cyclones actually arrive.
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