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UK Sea King SAR
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The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) provide a 24-hour military and civil helicopter Search and Rescue (SAR) service for the UK and local regions from 12 bases, typically at 15 minutes notice. At present, this SAR helicopter service is provided by Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Mk 5 Sea Kings and civilian helicopters under contract to the MCA, though other British forces are equipped for these tasks in emergencies. They cover 11,000 km of coastline, and 3.6 million square km of ocean.

There has been a global trend toward public-private partnerships to perform some Coast Guard and SAR functions, including Australia’s billion-dollar Coastwatch program. Now Great Britain is jumping into the fray with a related approach.

Britain’s Joint Search and Rescue – Helicopter

In line with its extensive public/private partnering background and penchant for long term deals, The UK’s Ministry of Defence and Department for Transport are moving the Joint Search and Rescue – Helicopter (SAR-H) Project into its next stage as a GBP 1 billion ($1.89 billion at current conversion) joint MOD/MCA Private Finance Initiative competition in cooperation with the MCA.

Britain’s Mk 5 Sea Kings are 40-50 years old. They have been upgraded several times, and the Sea King is renowned for its extreme stability and precision (a recent TV feature had a SAR rescuer lowered down to a man holding a champagne glass in place, whereupon the rescuer successfully poured a glass of champagne while the helicopter hovered). Nevertheless, the MoD must replace the SAR helicopter fleet soon. Faced with these recapitalization costs, the decision to examine a public/ private partnership approach is understandable.

The Royal Air Force currently operates 6 of Britain’s 12 search and rescue bases (Chivenor, Wattisham, Valley, Boulmer, Leconfield and Lossiemouth), and the Royal Navy operates 2 more (771 Sqn at Culdrose and HMS Gannet at Prestwick). The year 2005 saw 441 callouts and 370 people rescued via the Royal Navy’s SAR groups alone. The MCA runs the remaining 4 bases (Lee-on Solent, Portland, Sumburgh and Stornoway), which Canadian-based CHC Helicopters will begin operating in July 2007 under a five-year contract worth GBP 20 million per year (CDN $42.1 million/ USD $37.7 million at current conversion).

A joint MCA and MOD Integrated Project Team (SAR-H IPT) based at DPA Abbey Wood, has been tasked with implementing this future UK SAR helicopter capability.

The service will continue to be managed jointly by the MOD and the MCA, and a detailed requirement specification has been developed. Decisions regarding helicopters, basing and contract duration have yet to be taken, and key performance indicators will be set as part of the contract agreement. All of this is being proposed as the UK government begins a debate about the proper role of the rescue services – including whether they should be given a direct role to help deal with inland emergencies when rescue workers need rapid access.

The contract is expected to run from 2012-2037, and will include support services per the MoD’s “future contracting for availability” approach. The UK MoD believes that it is important to retain military capabilities in search and rescue, and so a significant proportion of the SAR aircrew will continue to be provided by the armed forces.

The MCA’s key information page regarding this solicitation notes that Falkland Islands SAR capability remains a potential option for inclusion within the harmonized program, and adds that if this idea is taken forward, information will be provided separately.

Contracts & Key Events:

S-92, UKMCA
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Feb 22/10: Sikorsky announces a new set of upgrades for the S-92, including a Search and Rescue Automatic Flight Control System, and a load-sensing cargo hook that automatically updates aircraft weight and balance readings. Beginning in October, Sikorsky plans to introduce a strengthened main transmission housing developed for the military H-92, after it clears the certification process. The new housing is designed for longer life, and is intended to “reduce unscheduled maintenance by eliminating such possibilities as the foot-mount cracks recently experienced by some operators.”

Feb 9/10: Britain picks a preferred bidder to provide helicopter search-and-rescue (SAR) services. The Soteria Consortium of helicopter operator CHC, helicopter maker Sikorsky, sensor manufacturer Thales, and the Royal Bank of Scotland, will use S-92A Superhawk helicopters to replace the existing RAF and Navy Sea Kings. This maintains CHC of Vancouver, Canada’s place as the largest supplier of civilian SAR services in the world.

The S-92A SAR-H has a fully equipped purpose-built paramedic station, including piped oxygen and an electrical power circuit within the cabin. A larger derivative of the popular H-60 helicopter series that uses more corrosion resistant composites and features a rear ramp, the S-92 is well known in the offshore oil and gas sector, and is already providing MCA SAR services around the difficult areas of Shetland and the Isle of Lewis in northern Scotland. It is 30% faster than the Sea Kings, and has 130 km more range. A pair of side-by-side high speed winches are used by its 4 aircrew to assist in rapid rescues, and the 1.7m high cabin can carry 6-10 seated persons and 1-2 stretchers.

The SAR service contract is expected to run for 25 years, and will be phased in over the next decade through a single contract placed with the Soteria consortium. Some military aircrew will work alongside civilian aircrew as part of the new service, which is expected to begin in 2012. SAR efforts will continue to be managed jointly by the UK Ministry of Defence and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The 4 MCA bases will transition first, to be followed by the 8 MOD bases. The detailed timetable will be finalized as part of concluding the contract, which the UK MoD and Department for Transport expect to be in a position to award later in 2010. UK MoD | CHC.

March 23/09: Sikorsky announces that it had furnished replacement studs and tools to all S-92 operators, and that 50 of 91 aircraft had been reworked already.

March 20/09: Canada’s Transportation Safety Board identifies a broken titanium stud as part of the downed S-92 helicopter’s gearbox oil filter assembly. Sikorsky had previously recommended be replaced with a steel stud within one year or 1,250 flight hours. CBC News.

March 11/09: An S-92 operated by Cougar Helicopters goes down in the sea with 18 people aboard, while ferrying workers to one of the offshore oil rigs off of Newfoundland, Canada. In the end, only 1 of the 18 passengers survived. Standard procedures give all passengers immersion suits, but winds were running between 25-35 knots, with a 3m/ 9-10 foot swell, and water temperatures near freezing. The Globe and Mail | See also CBC and Flight International report & photos. re: later Canadian TSB findings.

Nov 29/07: Another public-private partnership reaches into the SAR sphere, as the SKIOS through-life maintenance contract for the UK’s Sea Kings extends to search and rescue helicopters in Phase 2. See: “SKIOS for Sea Kings: Availability Contract Covers Through-Life Maintenance.”

Oct 14/07: The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency announces that the first of 4 brand-new Sikorsky S-92 helicopters (a civilian version of the H-92), configured entirely for search and rescue (SAR), completed its maiden mission today for Stornoway Coastguard. The new helicopter is being operated on behalf of the Agency by CHC Scotia, who won an interim contract that provides for commercial search and rescue helicopter services from 4 civilian-operated bases – Sumburgh, Stornoway, Lee-on-Solent and Portland – for a five-year period from July 1/07 – July 1/12. The service provides a 24 hour coverage at Stornoway, where the S-92 is based.

CHC Scotia’s helicopters are fitted with 2 internal auxiliary fuel tanks of 210 gallons each, improved AFCS with auto-hover capability, Forward looking infra red (FLIR), dual rescue hoist, bubble window, cargo hook, search-light and loud hailer. The cabin can be arranged for installing triple medical litter kits, 1-2 extra fuel tanks, folding utility seats, and/or storage. The designated operator console provides search data including FLIR. UK MCA release.

May 9/06: The UK MoD and UK MCA make the initial announcement concerning the SAR-H project. UK MoD | UK MCA.

Additional Readings:

• UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency – Search and Rescue Framework for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [PDF]

• Financial Times (May 10/06) – Talks To Begin Over £1bn Contract For Search And Rescue Helicopters

• DID (Feb 9/06) – Britain Prepares to Outsource Royal Marine Auxilliary Service