UK opens bidding for new helicopter, to award contract in 2025

Britain has opened up bids for its New Medium Helicopter program as the nation’s modernization program moves into a major new phase, the Defence Ministry announced Tuesday.

The U.K. expects to award a contract in 2025 to build the new helicopters, the ministry said. According to a March 2022 government document about major defense projects, the deal could be worth nearly £1.2 billion (U.S. $1.5 billion).

“The New Medium Helicopter will provide essential support to our military operations, and we’re pleased to have reached this next important stage of the program,” Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge said in the news release. “The program’s competition includes essential criteria that are key to securing vital rotary wing operational independence, allowing us to respond swiftly to emerging threats in a highly contested world.”

This program is expected to deliver up to 44 medium-lift support helicopters that can operate in all environments and perform up to five different jobs that were previously covered by different types of aircraft, the ministry said, including carrying out both combat and humanitarian missions. This is expected to streamline the U.K.’s vertical lift capabilities, providing more efficiency and operational flexibility, the ministry added.

The U.K. branches of Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters and Lockheed Martin are expected to submit bids now that the British military has released its invitation to negotiate.

The potential to export these helicopters to other countries will be an important element the U.K. will consider as it evaluates bids, the ministry said. Other issues to undergo consideration include the helicopters’ design, production and manufacturing process.

“The New Medium Helicopter contract will secure the vital operational independence we require, as well as investing in U.K. skills for the long term, and demonstrates the U.K. government’s commitment to the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy,” the ministry said in its release.

The winner of this contract will replace the Army’s Puma helicopters, as well as the country’s aging Bell 412, Bell 212 and Airbus Dauphin helicopters.

Lockheed and its subsidiary Sikorsky plan to submit the Black Hawk helicopter for the New Medium Helicopter program. Sikorsky president Paul Lemmo said at the Paris Air Show in June 2023 that it was considering setting up a Black Hawk final assembly line in the U.K. to strengthen its bid for the program. A final assembly line on the European continent — likely Poland — is also an option, Lemmo added.

Airbus has teamed up with Boeing to pitch the H175M for the program, which it would build in Wales. The H175M would be a militarized version of Airbus’ commercial H175 helicopter.

Italian firm Leonardo is eyeing its AW149 helicopter for its own bid, saying the construction style allows for the aircraft to better survive small-arms fire.

Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.

英国国防部周二宣布，随着英国现代化计划进入一个重要的全新阶段，英国已开始为其新型中型直升机项目进行招标。

英国国防部表示，预计将于2025年授予一份建造新型直升机的合同。根据2022年3月一份关于重大国防项目的政府文件，该合同价值可能接近12亿英镑（15亿美元）。

“新型中型直升机将为我们的军事行动提供至关重要的支持，我们很高兴该项目进入了下一个重要阶段，”国防采购部长詹姆斯·卡特里奇在新闻稿中表示。“该项目的竞标包含一些关键标准，这些标准对于确保旋翼机作战独立性至关重要，使我们能够在竞争激烈的世界中迅速应对不断涌现的威胁。”

英国国防部表示，该项目预计将交付多达44架中型运输支援直升机，这些直升机可在各种环境下运行，并执行此前由不同类型飞机承担的多达五种不同任务，包括作战和人道主义救援任务。国防部补充说，这有望简化英国的垂直起降能力，提高效率和作战灵活性。

鉴于英国军方已发出谈判邀请，预计空中客车直升机公司、莱昂纳多直升机公司和洛克希德·马丁公司的英国分公司将提交投标书。

英国国防部表示，将这些直升机出口到其他国家的潜力将是英国评估投标时考虑的重要因素。其他需要考虑的问题包括直升机的设计、生产和制造流程。

“新中型直升机合同将确保我们所需的至关重要的作战独立性，同时对英国技能进行长期投资，并表明英国政府对国防和安全产业战略的承诺，”该部在新闻稿中表示。

赢得这份合同的公司将替换陆军的“美洲狮”直升机，以及该国老旧的贝尔412、贝尔212和空客“海豚”直升机。

洛克希德·马丁公司及其子公司西科斯基计划提交黑鹰直升机参与新型中型直升机项目竞标。西科斯基总裁保罗·莱莫在2023年6月的巴黎航展上表示，公司正在考虑在英国设立黑鹰直升机总装线，以增强其竞标实力。莱莫补充说，在欧洲大陆（很可能是波兰）设立总装线也是一个备选方案。

空客已与波音合作，共同推介H175M直升机参与该项目，该机将在威尔士生产。H175M将是空客商用H175直升机的军用版本。

意大利公司莱昂纳多正考虑用其 AW149 直升机进行竞标，称其结构设计使飞机能够更好地抵御小型武器的射击。

斯蒂芬·洛西是《防务新闻》的空战记者。他此前曾在《空军时报》报道领导层和人事问题，并在Military.com网站报道五角大楼、特种作战和空战。他曾前往中东报道美国空军的行动。