QinetiQ supports rapid MoD procurement of helicopters

Above: QinetiQ testing an Airbus H145 helicopter.
Courtesy QinetiQ

QinetiQ’s Air Engineering Services team have successfully completed ground and flight trials of Jupiter HC Mk2 (Airbus H145 D3) helicopters over a compressed timeframe to support the Ministry of Defence (MoD) procurement of six aircraft, which are soon to be deployed in support of British Forces in Brunei and Cyprus.

The trials and subsequent clearances will enable seven key capabilities including aerial firefighting, casualty evacuation (both day and night including winching of stretchers), trooping (including abseiling), material movement and surveillance.

Under the Engineering Delivery Partner Mode 3 contract with DE&S Multi Helicopter Platform Delivery Team, the Air Engineering Services team delivered an integrated package of work as part of a combined test team that included stakeholders from both military and civil organisations.

The team were able to complete the testing and evaluation work within a challenging timescale, which saw multiple ground trials and over 32 hours of flight testing completed in parallel over a four week period during May and early June, with just one aircraft.

They also utilised key T3E services delivered under the LTPA contract, including the MoD Boscombe Down Night Vision System Test House and our Aviation Engineering Centre which provided some vital design and manufacturing support.

This work illustrates how QinetiQ can coordinate and deliver complex test & evaluation under tight timescales utilising a unique blend of capabilities and facilities to help MoD deliver safe and capable aircraft to the front line.

Andy Hooper, Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) MHP Team Leader, said: “The QinetiQ team have been patient, highly flexible and very supportive, exhibiting a ‘can do’ approach that has enabled us to delivering T&E which only commenced on 12th May 25.

"The team demonstrated agility in catching up time, where possible, in the review of evidence to support the MPTF. Their assistance with the production of a Bambi bucket control connector at short notice was fantastic.

“Without their positive attitude and efforts to support, the target to meet a May T&E target would have extremely challenging, with knock effect to capability delivery.”

Sqn Ldr Jamie Gawler, Army HQ, Combat Aviation Programmes, said: “Without the QinetiQ team’s positive attitude and efforts to support us we would probably have failed to meet a May T&E target, which would have had serious knock on implications for the delivery of this new support helicopter capability.”