The Engineer

Soteria to replace SAR helicopters

News

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Department of Transport (DfT) have awarded a contract for replacing the UK’s search-and-rescue (SAR) helicopters with a single fleet of aircraft.

A new fleet of Sikorsky S92 aircraft will be provided by winning bidder the Soteria Group, which consists of Sikorsky, Thales, CHC Helicopter Corporation and the Royal Bank of Scotland. The initial service provision will begin in 2012.

The 25-year contract for supply and services was awarded through the government’s Search and Rescue – Helicopter (SAR-H) programme, which has been designed to harmonise search and rescue in the UK and replace current helicopters in operation with a bespoke capability.

Following the announcement, David Rae, Soteria bid director, said: ‘SAR-H is a very important programme for the UK and this decision is a strong vote of confidence in Soteria and our ability to provide this vital public service.
 
‘Soteria will work in partnership with the MoD and the DfT and other SAR and civil resilience stakeholders to ensure that the UK’s history of providing a world-leading SAR service is assured and enhanced through the introduction of modern technology in the form of the Sikorsky S92.’

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address