Puma Life Extension Programme
Puma Life Extension Programme The Capability Puma currently provides one third of the Department's medium support helicopter fleet. The Out of Service Date for the Puma HC Mk1 Helicopter fleet is December 2012, driven by the obsolescence of components, safety issues and changed legislative requirements. The life extension programme will address these issues by the installation of a glass cockpit, modern avionics, including a digital automatic flight control system and new engines addressing obsolescence and safety issues. This will deliver a step-change in performance, particularly in hot and high environments (such as those seen in Afghanistan) and high and dusty conditions. It is also the only helicopter in our current fleet which allows Special Forces insertion/extraction in urban environments such as operations in Baghdad and potential support to the 2012 Olympics. The life extended platform will be known as the Puma HC Mk2 and sustain this capability up to 2025. |
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Overview of Cost, Time and Performance | ||||||
| Approved | Forecast/Actual | Variation | IY Variation | ||
Cost of Assessment Phase | £6m | £16m | +£10m | - | ||
Cost of Demonstration & Manufacture Phase | £339m | £326m | -£13m | -£13m | ||
Duration of Assessment Phase |
| 30 months |
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In-Service Date | November 2013 | November 2013 | 0 months | 0 months | ||
In-year Cost and Time Variation Detail | ||||||
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The programme remains on track and within budget. The delivery of the first aircraft into the Programme to become the Trial Installation Aircraft took place on 1 October 2009. The Ground Testing 'Power On' of the Trial Installation Aircraft started on 24 September 2010. The first production aircraft, fourth into the programme, was delivered to Brasov, Romania, on 14 January 2011. | The flight clearance of the Trial Installation Aircraft will be completed by 29 April 2011 to allow the first flight of the Puma HC Mk2 to take place. This will be followed by the issue of Letter of Qualification for the Puma HC Mk2 by 30 November 2011 and delivery of the Trial Installation Aircraft to Boscombe Down is contracted for January 2012. As part of the Department's 2011 Planning Round an Option was taken to reduce the number of aircraft within the Programme from 28 to 24. | |||||
Risk Assessment against Defence Lines of Development
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Equipment