MRH90 Program Back on a Positive Footing

09 Mei 2013

MRH-90 helicopter (photo : Aus DoD)

MRH90 helicopter Project of Concern progress

Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Mike Kelly today announced that the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) has formally signed a Deed of undertaking with Australian Aerospace and their industry partners that will help put the MRH90 helicopter program back on a positive footing. 

The MRH90 program is three years late and has experienced a number of technical and commercial challenges and is currently on the Government’s Projects of Concern list. 

The agreement signed today will re-baseline the project’s schedule and settle a number of disputed program issues. 

As agreed last year, Australian Aerospace is already developing and implementing a range of technical fixes that will ensure the MRH90s being delivered to Army and Navy are reliable and effective. 

The agreement signed between the parties today also covers a number of commercial and contractual measures that will make the MRH90 more affordable and increase confidence in the revised delivery schedule. 

Included in today’s agreement is the delivery of a 47th aircraft, at no additional cost, to be used as a live training aid for Army and Navy aviation technicians who undergo MRH90 training at the Army’s Aviation Maintenance school at Oakey, Queensland. 

Overall, this is a good outcome for Defence and Australian Aerospace.  Both parties have worked collaboratively, within the Projects of Concern framework, to reach this positive outcome. 

With continued good progress, the MRH90 program will be considered for removal from the Projects of Concern list by the end of 2013.

(Aus DoD)