NH90 Helicopters
July 31st, 2006 at 8:12 pm by David FarrarI like the NH90 helcopters the Government has just purchased, even though the average cost (incl spare parts) is close to $100 million each.
The NH() has the following stats:
- 290 km/hr max speed
- 8.8 m/s max climb (that is pretty good)
- 3.14 km max hover height
- 910 km range
- 19.56 m rotor length
- 20 seat capacity
They can also be armed with anti-submarine and/or anti-surface missiles!
It’s nice to see the RNZAF getting some of the latest equipment. Now just need some planes to match them!
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July 31st, 2006 at 8:52 pm
NH-90 seems OK but typically it is another FUBAR of an acquisition process and a pathetic number to replace 14 airframes. Another example of corner-cutting that defines defence policy of all govts in this country.
They might be bigger and better than the UH-1s but one airframe can only do one thing at a time. Training and deployment is already a major issue – given how busy our helos are it is not going to take long to run out!
Only possibly justication for such a pathetically small purchase would be a major increase in LUHs to replace the Sioux. But no – suggestions are 6 airframes to replace the current 5 trainers. Undoubtedly the Sioux replacement will be a quantum leap (at least three generations) improvement but once again one airframe can only do one thing at a time – and assumably the airforce might want to use the trainers to train in – not just as a stop gap for operations and SAR.
Some things we just need to bite the bullet on and spend the money. Given the use our helos get this would seem an obvious place to spend the cash.
Vote:July 31st, 2006 at 10:12 pm
They are sitting ducks on the battlefield. They are slow lumbering beasts that can be shot out of the sky with a sky rocket. Unless they get you first of course.
Vote:August 1st, 2006 at 7:51 am
Itsnot what is purchased that is the problem, its the way it is done.
We had that employee of ours Goff trying to justify the increase in costs from 400-500m to 700-800m this morning on the radio.
He was trying to con us all into beleiveing that it was not just the cost of the aircraft, but that all the support costs, training costs, and exchange rate, made up the difference.
Pathetic – If any commercial company did not take into account all the associated costs at the outset, they would be toast. ! Their shareholders would crucify them !
Its the deceit and lies that gets me.
Vote:August 2nd, 2006 at 6:42 pm
Yeah but they don’t get here till 2010, must be slow bloody helicopters.
Vote:August 2nd, 2006 at 6:43 pm
Yeah but they don’t get here till 2010, must be slow bloody helicopters.
Vote:August 2nd, 2006 at 8:20 pm
Tim can’t agree more, on today’s market 1 x 40K hand held rocket = $100 million in smoking aluminium.
Vote:August 3rd, 2006 at 1:16 pm
I see that National Party supporters are also afflicted with memory loss diseases.
Vote:Is this the same party who in goverment for several terms at the same spent hardly a Brass Farthing on equipment.
And you lot are now moaning about Labours spend.
August 3rd, 2006 at 7:06 pm
Classic brain dead miltary waste of very limited NZ taxpayer resources.
Nothing NZ wants to do cannot be done by UH-1 refurbs at a minute percentage of the cost.
How easy it is to spend OPM for unecessary expensive toys.
Vote:August 3rd, 2006 at 7:14 pm
Given that they are mostly used for SAR and civil defense work, why not buy the airforce a bunch of the Huey II’s, instead of an inadequate number of the gold-plated option?
Vote:August 4th, 2006 at 2:00 am
JohnD:
And Labour Party supporters seem afflicted by porno-nomics: Never mind where the budget goes or how, just be impressed by how big it is.
Vote:April 17th, 2007 at 6:36 am
works
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