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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 12 — Going ‘Green’:
the Unexamined Option for Shipboard Helicopters
Since the aged Sea King fleet was going to be around for a
while longer, it was a savings grace that their ASW equipment was of more recent vintage than those CH-124
airframes. However, this also highlights a puzzling omission by the DND decision-makers. One very obvious
economy measure was never suggested – to delay the purchase of the NSA’s ASW equipment. Such a
postponement would have allowed DND to shift funds towards replacing worn-out helicopters instead of bundling
the new airframes together with low-priority but high-priced avionics.
‘Green’ airframes (as ‘empty’ helicopters are called in commercial aviation) are less
expensive than are purpose-built military helicopters tailored to a specific avionics suite. And, most of the
helicopters suited to replacing the CF Sea Kings (including the EH-101) were also available as
civilian utility models. Substituting such an aircraft for the “Cadillac” CH-148 would have slashed
the NSA budget without taking promised work away from EH Industries.
The lion’s share of available funds could have been put towards buying ‘green’ utility
helicopters [1] with the relatively new Sea King ASW gear installed as an interim measure. The CF would
have gained the reliability of brand new airframes, engines, and dynamics without the extra expense of new
avionics and ASW gear. DND could have had sufficient new helicopters for CF shipboard needs. Chrétien
could have claimed his political victory over the Tory “Cadillac” NSA/NSH. And, EH Industries could
chaulk up another successful (albeit modified) EH-101 order.
[1] Of course, this all assumes that EH Industries would be willing to re-negotiate the contract substituting
‘green’ airframes. Our definition of ‘utility helicopter’ is also very loose. It would be
far more accurate to describe our proposed aircraft as ‘empty’ naval helicopters since they would
still require long-stroke undercarriage, folding tail/rotor blades, and the other standard features of
shipboard helicopters.
< Part 11 — Out With the Old, Out With
the New: the 1993 Federal Election
> Part 13 — Simultaneously Running Out of
Time, Options, and Alternatives
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