Fleet Air Arm
Association of Australia
MRH90 Helicopters
19 December 2008
The first-Australian assembled multi-role helicopter, the MRH90, has been formally accepted at the Australian Aerospace facility in Brisbane.
Under the project, 46 MRH90s are on order to replace the Navy's Sea King and the Army's Black Hawk fleets as well as to provide additional airmobile support to Army.
The hand-over aircraft was the fifth MRH90 to be accepted. The first four aircraft were manufactured in France and air transported to Australia.
Acceptance of the first Australian-assembled MRH90, in addition to recent acceptance of the fourth aircraft from France, is expected to lead to an increase in the training rate for aircrew in Navy and Army.
For the Fleet Air Arm, 817 Squadron started a replacement program with the first of the RAN's new helicopters in December 2007. The MRH90 is due to replace the Sea Kings by the year 2010.
The centre fuselage of the helicopter offers a spacious, unobstructed cabin with a sliding door on each side. The cabin allows the installation of up to 20 troop seats or alternatively the installation of up to 12 stretchers.
The MRH90 is the Australian version of the NH90 TTH (Tactical Transport Helicopter) and was selected to fulfill Project AIR9000 Phase 6 - Sea King replacement.
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