Breaking news
Bhutan to purchase two Airbus H130 light helicopters for fire fighting and SAR missions.
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World Defense & Security News - Bhutan
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| Bhutan to purchase two Airbus H130 light helicopters for fire fighting and SAR missions | |||
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The Kingdom of Bhutan has selected the Airbus Helicopters H130 light utility helicopter to begin helicopter services in the country. The government will purchase two H130 helicopters at a total cost of around US $7.3M. The H130 will be used for fire fighting and search-and-rescue (SAR) missions besides transportation of passengers and cargo, said the Bhutanese online daily Kuensel Online.
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 Airbus Helicopters H130 light utility helicopter(Airbus Helicopters) |
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The decision to select the H130 was made yesterday, June 30, by the Bhutanese governmental cabinet following which a letter of intent or a commitment to purchase was also made to Airbus officials in Thimphu.
“After approval of the cabinet today, signed the Letter of Intent (LoI) with the vice president of customers of Airbus,” said Bhutanese Finance Minister Namgay Dorji on Facebook, yesterday. “Hopefully the government should be able to launch the much awaited helicopter service in Bhutan to commemorate the 60th Birth Anniversary of Drukgyal Zhipa ‘the great fourth’,” lyonpo added. The first H130 is expected to be delivered prior to November 11, when the government expects to launch helicopter services. The second one will be delivered mid next year, said a finance ministry official, who asked not be named. The official said that the H130, formerly known as the EC130, was found to be the most suitable for Bhutan. Three of four solicited companies had bid for the contract. The government selected the European manufacturer Airbus Helicopters from among American company Bell helicopter, Anglo-Italian company AgustaWestland, and US based Enstrom, which did not submit a bid, following a technical evaluation by a committee. With the national airline Drukair also using Airbus aircrafts, the association may have played a significant role in the company’s selection. The finance official said that the government is seeking a support package deal from Airbus and that the second phase will involve negotiations on this aspect. However, depending on costs, the Bhutanese government may also opt to look for operation and maintenance support elsewhere, said the official. It was also added that the hiring of expatriate pilots and engineers is an interim measure until Bhutanese are trained. The H130 is a lightweight single-engine utility helicopter tailored for passenger transportation, sightseeing and VIP duties, as well as medical airlift, law enforcement and surveillance missions. As a multi-role rotorcraft, the H130 has a spacious cabin for one pilot and up to seven passengers, depending on the configuration. The H130 is also equipped with a visual flight rules day-and-night navigation system that is associated with a global positioning system display. |
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