Britain has opened up bids for its Latest Medium Helicopter program because the nation’s modernization program moves into a serious latest phase, the Defence Ministry announced Tuesday.
The U.K. expects to award a contract in 2025 to construct the brand new helicopters, the ministry said. In keeping with a March 2022 government document about major defense projects, the deal might be value nearly £1.2 billion (U.S. $1.5 billion).
“The Latest Medium Helicopter will provide essential support to our military operations, and we’re pleased to have reached this next essential stage of this system,” Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge said within the news release. “This system’s competition includes essential criteria which might be key to securing vital rotary wing operational independence, allowing us to reply swiftly to emerging threats in a highly contested world.”
This program is anticipated to deliver as much as 44 medium-lift support helicopters that may operate in all environments and perform as much as five different jobs that were previously covered by several types of aircraft, the ministry said, including carrying out each combat and humanitarian missions. This is anticipated to streamline the U.K.’s vertical lift capabilities, providing more efficiency and operational flexibility, the ministry added.
The U.K. branches of Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters and Lockheed Martin are expected to submit bids now that the British military has released its invitation to barter.
The potential to export these helicopters to other countries will likely be a crucial element the U.K. will consider because it evaluates bids, the ministry said. Other issues to undergo consideration include the helicopters’ design, production and manufacturing process.
“The Latest Medium Helicopter contract will secure the vital operational independence we require, in addition to investing in U.K. skills for the long run, and demonstrates the U.K. government’s commitment to the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy,” the ministry said in its release.
The winner of this contract will replace the Army’s Puma helicopters, in addition to the country’s aging Bell 412, Bell 212 and Airbus Dauphin helicopters.
Lockheed and its subsidiary Sikorsky plan to submit the Black Hawk helicopter for the Latest Medium Helicopter program. Sikorsky president Paul Lemmo said on the Paris Air Show in June 2023 that it was considering establishing a Black Hawk final assembly line within the U.K. to strengthen its bid for this system. A final assembly line on the European continent — likely Poland — can also be an option, Lemmo added.
Airbus has teamed up with Boeing to pitch the H175M for this system, which it might construct in Wales. The H175M can be a militarized version of Airbus’ industrial H175 helicopter.
Italian firm Leonardo is eyeing its AW149 helicopter for its own bid, saying the development style allows for the aircraft to higher survive small-arms fire.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.