Australian Aerospace signs ARH Tiger helicopter support contract with Thales Australia
26 August 2008
Two of Australia's leading defence and aerospace companies, Australian Aerospace and Thales Australia, have signed an important agreement to provide Through Life Support (TLS) for the Australian Army's new fleet of Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH).
It is one of several key subcontracts to be awarded by Australian Aerospace, the prime contractor for the Tiger program, in the establishment of a comprehensive TLS arrangement for the ARH Tiger fleet in Australia.
The first three (out of 22) ARH Tigers to enter service recently deployed to Darwin as the nucleus of two new squadrons - 161st and 162nd - of the Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Regiment.
Under the contract, Thales Australia will provide Australian Aerospace with technical, logistics and supply support services for a range of Thales equipment installed on the Tiger helicopters, specifically avionics, communications, electrical components and rocket subsystem, as well as the integrated TopOwl helmet-mounted sight and display system.
Thales Australia will also act as a local single point of contact for all global Thales OEMs, including the company's avionics, communications, electrical systems and military customer services businesses.
Said Australian Aerospace Chief Executive, Jens Goennemann: "This is another important milestone for Australian Aerospace, as this equipment is vital to the day-to-day support of the ARH Tiger helicopter".
Chris Jenkins, Thales Australia's managing director, said: "With this contract we are again demonstrating the benefits we can deliver by combining our extensive local capabilities with our wide-ranging global supply chain."
"Thales is proud to be associated with the Tiger program, and is looking forward to building on its close working relationship with Australian Aerospace."
The contracted services agreed to will be provided for a period of just under eleven years and, depending on the placement of orders for repairs, the provision of spare parts and the like, the contract price is expected to increase over this time.
About Australian Aerospace
Australian Aerospace Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurocopter which is, in turn, a part of the European Aeronautic Defence & Space Group (EADS). Created in 2003 through the merger of Eurocopter International Pacific Limited and Australian Aerospace Pty Ltd, the company has evolved into a major defence supplier to the Australian Government and a leader in the Asia-Pacific civil helicopter market. With financial strength and access to the expertise of Eurocopter and the EADS Group, the company is well placed to offer outstanding solutions to military and civil customer requirements. Some 860 staff at its facilities in Sydney, Richmond, Brisbane, Redcliffe, Oakey, Melbourne, Adelaide and Auckland are engaged in testing, supplying, maintaining, modifying and enhancing civil and military helicopters for the Australian and export markets, and support some 350 helicopters in the region.
About Thales
Thales is a leading international electronics and systems group, addressing defence, aerospace and security markets worldwide. Thales's leading-edge technology is supported by 22,000 R&D engineers who offer a capability unmatched in Europe to develop and deploy field-proven mission-critical information systems. To this end, the group's civil and military businesses develop in parallel and share a common base of technologies to serve a single objective: the security of people, property and nations. The group builds its growth on its unique multi-domestic strategy based on trusted partnerships with national customers and market players, while leveraging its global expertise to support local technology and industrial development. Thales employs 68,000 people in 50 countries with 2007 revenues of AUD19 billion.
Thales Australia is the leading defence systems and engineering company in Australia and is also present in civil sectors ranging from air traffic management to security systems and services. Employing 3,700 people in over 35 sites around the country, Thales Australia recorded revenues in 2007 amounting to over AUD1 billion.
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