Press Release - Ministry of Defence: Chinook Mk3
Helicopters
4 June 2008
The NAO has today reported on whether the Ministry of Defence
has taken appropriate steps to make its fleet of eight Chinook Mk3
helicopters operational. The helicopters were delivered in 2001 but
airworthiness concerns mean that they have been kept in storage and
not flown operationally.
According to today’s report to Parliament, the MoD’s progress in
fielding the Chinook Mk3 helicopters has been protracted. As a
result, the shortage of helicopters to support operations has been
exacerbated. Had the MOD been quicker to progress the ‘Fix to
Field’ project (the technical solution to make the Mk3 helicopters
operational), the subsequent ‘Reversion’ project (to convert them
to the Mk2 standard) would have been unnecessary.
The MOD’s decision to revert the Chinook Mk3 helicopters will make
them available for standard support helicopter operations two years
earlier than would have been the case under the ‘Fix to Field’
project and will improve operational flexibility. The interim
arrangement for special operations requirements has been achieved
by adapting Chinook Mk2/2a helicopters with the Night Enhancement
Package, though this has been an imperfect solution.
The operational requirement to make additional helicopters
available in Afghanistan meant that the March 2007 decision to
cancel ‘Fix to Field’ and revert (adapt for standard operations)
the Chinook Mk3 helicopters was made quickly and not based on the
level of detailed analysis that would usually be expected for an
investment of this magnitude. The project did, however,
subsequently pass through the Department’s regular approvals
process before the main contract was placed in December 2007.
The total costs associated with the Chinook Mk3s from their initial
procurement through to completion of the ‘Reversion’ project will
be some £422 million not including further expenditure required to
sustain the night enhancement package necessary to conduct
demanding very low light missions.
Tim Burr, head of the National Audit Office, said
today:
"Since 2001 the MOD has been trying to work out how to make the
Chinook Mk3 helicopters available for operations. Its original Fix
to Field project progressed very slowly. In 2007 changing
operational imperatives meant that the Department decided to start
a new reversion project to make the helicopters operational more
quickly, though with a lesser capability. The Chinook Mk3 story
reemphasises the importance of timely decision making, clearly
understanding requirements and proceeding purposefully to the
solution."
Notes for Editors:
- Eight Chinook Mk3 helicopters were ordered from Boeing in 1995
as part of a larger order of Chinook Mk2a helicopters. The
helicopters were delivered to the MoD in 2001. The Chinook Mk2a’s
have been in use since; the Mk3’s have not, however, flown on
operations, because their avionics software did not meet UK
military airworthiness standards. This is despite Boeing fulfilling
contractual obligations.
- The Ministry of Defence subsequently began a project, called
‘Fix to Field’, to make the Mk3 helicopters operational and enable
them to be used on special operations. In March 2007, the MoD
decided to make the eight Mk3 Chinooks available for operations in
Afghanistan as soon as possible. The Fix to Field project was
therefore cancelled in favour of the ‘Reversion’ project to convert
the Mk 3 helicopters to a standard similar to those in the Mk2/2a
Chinook fleet.
- The National Audit Office investigated the initial procurement
of the Mk3 helicopters as part of the 2004 Battlefield Helicopters
report. This report, and the accompanying press notice are
available on our website:
http://www.nao.org.uk/pn/03-04/0304486.htm
- The Committee of Public Accounts reported in 2005. Its report
is available at:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmpubacc/386/386.pdf
- The Night Enhancement Package was fitted to modified Chinook
Mk2a’s in 2002 as a short-term measure enabling them to fly in low
light conditions. The Package includes items such as navigational
units, thermal imagers, moving map displays and night vision
goggles.
- Press notices and reports are available from the date of
publication on the NAO website, which is at www.nao.org.uk. Hard
copies can be obtained from The Stationery Office on 0845 702
3474.
- The Comptroller and Auditor General, Tim Burr, is the head of
the National Audit Office which employs some 850 staff. He and the
NAO are totally independent of Government. He certifies the
accounts of all Government departments and a wide range of other
public sector bodies; and he has statutory authority to report to
Parliament on the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which
departments and other bodies have used their resources.
Press Notice 25/08
All enquiries to Phil Groves, NAO Press Office: Tel: 020 7798
5339
Mobile: 07770 678 477