NZFF

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 11:32 am**

Jimmy Jillickers Politician Man

... Oh boy .. this is funny "Our Seasprites have had issues with corrosion and a lack of pilots to keep them in the air."

Navy looking to acquire Australian choppers
NewstalkZB | 07:12am Mon 14 May 2012

Our navy could be about to inherit reject Aussie helicopters.

The New Zealand Herald reports it's looking at replacing its trouble-plagued fleet of five Seasprite choppers with up to 11 refurbished older helicopters that were rejected by Australia in 2008 because they were considered unsafe and unsuitable.

Seven of the 11 were originally built in the 1960s and the other four in the mid '80s.

The Defence Minister says they've been modified with upgraded technology.

Jonathan Coleman says the airworthiness issues identified by the Australians have been corrected and there were plenty of escape clauses before the deal's done.

Our Seasprites have had issues with corrosion and a lack of pilots to keep them in the air.

................................................................................
................................................

Obviously won't happen .. so why press release it .. forgot the Herald

....

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 11:55 am**

The word is that it will happen

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 12:17 pm**

We only got our Seasprites in 2001 & their already rusty. The Aussie ones were built 1963 to 1965 & in the mid-1980s. Won't the Aussie ones be even rustier?

Posted: **Mon May 14, 2012 12:21 pm**

Some more tidbits from another NZH article...

We're in fine company by the looks...

QUOTE

Kaman had earlier said it was focusing on the three countries flying Seasprites: New Zealand, Egypt and Poland[/quote]

The technology sounds great, its just that you cant fly them in poor weather, the weathers always good out in the deep Pacific though right?

QUOTE

The first of Australia's Seasprites arrived in 2003 but within two years many deficiencies had been identified, including an inability to fly in bad weather and low light and a failure to meet Australian airworthiness certification standards. The Australian machines were grounded in 2006.[/quote]

see: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/royal-nz-navy/ne...jectid=10805700

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:22 pm

by Ian Warren

OH Gawd ! .. No aircrew , no airbases , two Frigates .. OH .. guess its a museum swap

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:28 pm

by andy190

From the NZH article:

QUOTE

A Ministry of Defence report had earlier indicated only one of the five helicopters was serviceable in October 2010 and earlier last year only two were flying.[/quote]

Why don't we get something a bit less problematic?

Maybe a Westland Wasp?

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:47 pm

by Ian Warren

Going to be amazing 8 years time with the heavy lift replacement - The debacles with the buying of LAV's , the scarping and selling of A4s and AM339s , this with the SH-2's ... now was the AW109 thought out properly as with the NH-90 .. Jimmy Jillickers Politician Man

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 1:05 pm

by Naki

They say the problems have been sorted but they should of bought Super Lynxes in the first place...now we have an orphan platform

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 1:53 pm

by Ian Warren

Naki wrote:
QUOTE (Naki @ May 14 2012,2:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
...now we have an orphan platform

same can be said for the decision makers

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 2:13 pm

by Kahu

Think of all the spare parts we will have.

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 2:34 pm

by Naki

To be fair, a maritime helicopter always have issues with corrosion with the enviroment its lives in.

They also need more helicopters as the Navy now has five ships that are Seasprite capable (the ANZACs, Canterbury and the OPVs) and the current 5 won't meet that need (only 3 ships were helicopter capable when the Seasprites were bought)....you probably need around 8-10 helicopters by the time you take in maintenance, training etc.

The ex RAN Seasprites are very capable as they have glass cockpits and lot more up to date avionics and weapons system....lets hope the problems have been ironed out and that the age of the airframe (presumably they have been refurbished) doesn't let them down so we get some decent use of them if this is what is decided on

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 2:43 pm

by Ian Warren

I recall , a somewhat displeased Graham Bethell say on TV3 news .. NZDF have become the .. quote "scabs of the pacific"

Naki wrote:
QUOTE (Naki @ May 14 2012,3:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
a maritime helicopter always have issues with corrosion with the enviroment its lives in.

and .. with saying that .. SECOND HAND .. hang on

and its airframe life further extended .... Hmmm

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 6:46 pm

by Grumble

We need helicopters, but an old airframe is an old airframe... and an old marine airframe at that. You have to wonder...

Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:58 pm

by HamiltonWest

Kaman SH-2G(I) Sales video

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 9:46 am

by Ian Warren

Ham , I'm sold - i'll take 5 new with the option off 11 second ones

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:28 am

by HamiltonWest

Ian Warren wrote:
QUOTE (Ian Warren @ May 15 2012,9:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Ham , I'm sold - i'll take 5 new with the option off 11 second ones

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 2:19 pm

by h290master

How about 10-11 MH60R? Tag in on the Aussie orders

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 2:42 pm

by Naki

h290master wrote:
QUOTE (h290master @ May 15 2012,2:19 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
How about 10-11 MH60R? Tag in on the Aussie orders

How you goung to pay for that? Very rough estimate is that 11 SH-2 wil cost $130m ....you probably looking at roughly $30m (US) for 1 MH-60 unit...say $40m NZ...x 11 = $400 to $500m against $130m. I would say any purchase of the SH-2 wil be a gap filler for 10 years as the priority at the moment is get new training and transport aircraft.

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 2:52 pm

by Splitpin

Ive got a wasp sitting around the hanger with not much to do, and a sprite ...... just needs some landing gear, otherwise she could be a runner

The way things are going, i can see them going out the door real soon....better get my a into g , and get the Andover cleaned up as well.

Sorry to detract from the serious nature, but i think the sooner we get merged into the Australian defense system the better......problem solved ?

Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 3:02 pm

by Ian Warren

Splitpin wrote:
QUOTE (Splitpin @ May 15 2012,3:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Wasp ... but i think the sooner we get merged into the Australian defense system the better......problem solved ?

Dang good solution , works both ways ... Independent but assured , just need to bring us back up to speed