Commando transport
(click to view full)

H-3 Sea Kings are used in a variety of roles by the Royal Navy and RAF, from the transport of Royal Marines (Mk 4, Mk 6CR), to search & rescue (Mk 3/3A and Mk 5), Airborne Early Warning (Mk 7), and classic utility roles. These medium helicopters are known for their ability to float, for their ability to fly in icing conditions, and for stability and fine control – one interesting TV show had the helicopter maneuver its search and rescue member into position, then hover in place while he poured champagne into a glass that was held in a fixed position by the TV host on the ground. Britain’s Sea Kings have been updated with some frequency, and are projected to remain in service until 2018. Many will be replaced by Augusta-Westland’s Merlin helicopter, a variant of the EH101.

This program to support Sea King helicopters is part of the Partnering and Business Transformation Agreement, a long-term partnership deal between British defense ministry and AgustaWestland that was announced in March 2005. The partnerhsip ties into the UK’s Defence Industrial Strategy, and aims to implement full through-life, availability-based maintenance contracts.

As part of this process, Finmeccanica subsidiary Agusta-Westland created a consortium with BAE Systems and Thales UK. Vosper Thorneycroft Aerospace, Selex Galileo, and DARA Fleetlands are among the other sub-contractors that perform roles under the SKIOS arrangement, which has now moved on to a big new contract as part of a more comprehensive, availability-based Phase 2…

Contracts & Key Events

SAR mission
(click to view full)

March 17/08: Selex Galileo announces that AgustaWestland has selected the Total Support Services (TSS) alliance to provide avionic support to the Sea King Integrated Operational Support (SKIOS) programme for a further 5 years. The avionics component of the SKIOS program is valued at around GBP 70 million (currently $140.5 million). Rotorhub.

Nov 29/07: UK Minister of State for the Armed Forces Bob Ainsworth [Lab – Coventry NE] announces a 5-year GBP 470 million (about $968 milion) contract with AgustaWestland to implement Phase 2 of the Sea King Integrated Operational Support program (SKIOS IP2). The SKIOS contract is expected to cover the remainder of the Sea Kings’ operational lifespan, and will feature a price review after the initial 5-year period; AgustaWestland estimates its potential value at GBP 800 million over a 10-year period.

SKIOS Phase II introduces payment by the flying hour arrangements, emulating the successful IMOS contract for the UK MoD’s fleet of AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin helicopters. SKIOS Phase II also includes an aircraft availability output responsibility for UK military SAR aircraft that provide around the clock SAR cover for the UK and Falkland Islands.

Under the contract the UK MoD will transfer responsibility to AgustaWestland over the next 6 months for Sea King Depth Maintenance located at DARA Fleetlands and the Second Line Workshops activities located at RNAS Yeovilton. AgustaWestland will also become responsible for providing 1st Line Maintenance Services for the Search And Rescue Sea Kings at 8 bases comprising Wattisham Airfield, RAF Lossiemouth, DST Leconfield, RMB Chivenor, RAF Boulmer, RAF Valley, HMS Gannet and Mount Pleasant Airfield in the Falkland Islands. As part of those arrangements, SKIOS IP2 transfers to AgustaWestland approximately 300 military and civilian posts that currently provide flight line engineering and logistics support at these locations.

Expected savings to the MoD are about GBP 90 million over 12 years against current support arrangements, in addition to the savings already achieved under Implementation Phase 1 of the program, without any reductions in capability. Parliamentary announcement | MoD release | AW release.

Sea King Mk7
(click to view full)

June 15/05: The Avionics Alliance, comprising Finmeccanica’s Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems (Selex S&AS) and Thales UK, has signed a contract with Agusta Westland to provide long-term support for UK Royal Navy Sea Kings. The deal comes under the RAF’s Sea King Integrated Operational Support (SKIOS) program; Selex S&AS and Thales will provide Agusta Westland with a “reliable avionics arm to deliver total platform support capability”. Flight International.

April 6/05: Agusta-Westland of Cascina Costa di Samarate (near Varese, Italy) receives a 5-year, EUR 300 million euro order to service about 100 British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Sea King helicopters. The figure works out to over EUR 750,000 per helicopter per year. Agusta-Westland will be the prime contractor in the SKIOS (Sea King Integrated Operational Support) program. with the British defense ministry. BAE Systems Avionics and Thales UK have established an avionics alliance for all rotary aircraft, and will be responsible for that area within SKIOS.

The group takes responsibility for Sea King transmission, mechanical and avionics support, spares, repairs and technical advice. SKIOS replaces about 60 separate contracts with over 30 different suppliers. and has proved very successful, providing a fast and responsive support service with industry on-site teams at each Sea King main operating base. In the AgustaWestland corporate release, Westland Helicopters Managing Director Alan Johnston said:

“This represents a significant milestone in the provision of partnered support, with the Defence Logistics Organisation, Industry and the Armed Forces all benefiting from the new arrangement. SKIOS firmly places responsibility and shared risk with industry to provide services to assist the Front Line Operators in producing operational helicopters, fit for role, in a timely fashion. SKIOS is expected to become a benchmark for future support concepts, initiatives and policies.”

Additional Readings & Sources

• UK MoD – Joint Helicopter Command aircraft. Includes the Sea King Mk4.

• Royal Navy – Sea King Helos

• Naval-Technology.com: Sea King – ASW / Search And Rescue Helicopter, United Kingdom

• Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm: Merlin ASW Helicopter