NAVY HELICOPTER CONTRACT CHALLENGED

France-based Airbus Helicopters is challenging the U.S. Navy’s contract award to Italian helicopter manufacturer Leonardo to replace the aging helicopter training fleet at Whiting Field. The helicopters would be used to train Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard pilots and would replace the current fleet of Bell Jet Rangers which have been in service for 35 years. Leonardo will be paid 176 million dollars for 130 new helicopters. In their challenge Airbus said certain technical aspects of their proposal were not accurately assessed. The Navy has 30 days to respond to the complaint.