Bruce Erskine
The Chronicle Herald
September 9, 2004
Fly buys to catch airtime in show
Two competitors for a $1.3-bullion federal search and rescue
aircraft contract are displaying their wares at the Nova Scotia
InternationalAir Show this weekend.
EADS CASA, a Spanish aeronautics firm, will highlight its C-295
aircraft, while LMATTS, a partnership between U.S-based Lockheed
Martin and Alenia Aeronautica of Italy will showcase its C-27J
Spartan.
Both planes are vying to replace Canada's aging Hercules and
Buffalo search and rescue aircraft.
Ottawa allocated $300 million in this year's federal budget to
initiate the 15-aircraft program, with the first plane scheduled
for delivery by early 2006. Some of the new aircraft would be based
at Greenwood.
Antonio Rodriguez, vice-president of sales with EADS, said that
while the Spartan is "a very good effort," the C -295, which was
introduced in 2001, is more technologically advanced.
"We're betting on technology," He said, noting that the C295,
which won the 2004 European Tactical Airlift ??? is equipped with
the latest advanced SAR mission systems, including integrating
state-of-the-art infrared/TV and search radar sensors and
cutting-edge navigation and communication systems.
"We think it's probably the best aircraft value for dollar, for
search and rescue," he said.
The C-295 is used by - or is being bought by - the Swiss,
Sapnish, Brazilian, Polish and Jordanian air forces and the Irish
air corps.
Mr. Rodriquez said the twin turboprop C-295, which uses engines
made by Pratt and Whitney Canada and software from Telus Canada, is
more economical to operate than its competition, with a 40 per cent
saving in life-cycle costs over a 20-year period.
It's also more reliable, he said.
EADS is seeking out Canadian partners to help ensure the
contract bid includes regional industrial benefits, said Mr.
Rodriquez.
"We are finding grounds for possible collaboration." he said,
noting that he was impressed by the operations of IMP Aerospace of
Halifax, which does aircraft maintenance work for the Canadian and
U.S. militaries.
"We're exploring the possibilities of some business, not only in
Canada," he said, emphasizing that discussions are IMP are very
preliminary.
Mr. Rodriguez said EADS would have no trouble meeting the
Canadian government's delivery timelines.
"If they need fast delivery, we can arrange it."
The C-27J Spartan is a high-performance, multi-mission military
aircraft with the best search and rescue capabilities of any
twin-engine aircraft in the world, making it the right choice for
Canada's new SAR fleet, said Giuseppe Giordo, Alenia Aeronautica's
vice-president of marketing and North American operations.
"We are here in Halifax this week because we are confident that
the C-27J is the right fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft for
Canada's needs," he said.
The Spartan, which is powered by Rolls-Royce turboprop engines,
has a maximum cruise speed of 500 kilometres per hour, faster than
the C-295's maximum cruise speed of 474 km/h.
