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Bristow Group 'to take over UK search and rescue' Bristow Group to take over UK search and rescue
(about 9 hours later)
A US-based company is to take over Britain's helicopter search and rescue operations, the BBC understands. A US-based company will take over the UK's helicopter search and rescue operations, the Department for Transport has announced.
A statement due before the London stock exchange opens on Tuesday is expected to confirm the Bristow Group has won the contract from 2015 to 2026. The Bristow Group, which is based in Texas, has won a 10-year contract to provide the service from 2015.
It is understood the firm is planning to replace ageing RAF and Royal Navy Sea King helicopters with modern Sikorsky S-92s and AgustaWestland 189s. The £1.6bn deal ends 70 years of search and rescue from the RAF and Royal Navy.
The contract will bring to an end 70 years of UK military search and rescue. Bristow will replace ageing RAF and Royal Navy Sea King helicopters with modern Sikorsky S-92s and AgustaWestland 189s.
After 2017, military involvement in search and rescue will cease and a new civilian contract will come into force. Under the new contract, 22 helicopters will operate from 10 locations around the UK.
Ten S-92s will be based, two per site, at Stornoway and Sumburgh, and at new bases at Newquay, Caernarfon and Humberside airports.
Ten AW189s will operate, two per site, from Lee-on-Solent and a new hangar at Prestwick airport, and new bases which will be established at St Athan, Inverness and Manston airports.
All bases will be operational 24 hours a day, and half of the new fleet will be built in Yeovil, Somerset.
Bristow has already been preparing crews for coastguard duties at Sumburgh in Shetland and Stornoway in the Western Isles.Bristow has already been preparing crews for coastguard duties at Sumburgh in Shetland and Stornoway in the Western Isles.
The UK's military and coastguard search and rescue helicopter service is also based at Culdrose, Wattisham, Valley, Boulmer, Portland, Lee-on-Solent, Chivenor, Leconfield, Lossiemouth and Prestwick. The other current search and rescue (SAR) bases are Culdrose, Wattisham, Valley, Boulmer, Portland, Lee-on-Solent, Chivenor, Leconfield, Lossiemouth and Prestwick.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "The department has been going through the procurement process and we're due to make an announcement soon." There will continue to be an RAF base at Valley, Anglesey, however the SAR unit will be in Caernarfon.
The department began the procurement process in November 2011 for providing search and rescue (SAR) helicopter services on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. 'Great confidence'
It wanted all-weather SAR helicopter service able to operate throughout the UK, including mountainous terrain and at sea. The Department for Transport began the procurement process in November 2011 for providing SAR helicopter services on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
According to Bristow's website, its helicopters and pilots have already rescued more than 7,000 people in the UK. It also operates in the Netherlands, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia, Russia, Brazil and Canada. It wanted an all-weather SAR helicopter service able to operate throughout the UK, including mountainous terrain and at sea.
Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "Our search and rescue helicopter service plays a crucial role, saving lives and providing assistance to people in distress on both land and on sea.
"With 24 years of experience providing search and rescue helicopter services in the UK, the public can have great confidence in Bristow and their ability to deliver a first class service with state-of-the-art helicopters."
The government says the new deal means helicopters "will be able reach a larger area of the UK search and rescue region within one hour of take off than is currently possible".
It also estimates, based on historic data, that there will be an overall improvement in flying times to incidents of around 20% - from 23 to 19 minutes.
Bristow's website says its helicopters and pilots have already rescued more than 7,000 people in the UK. It also operates in the Netherlands, Norway, Trinidad and Tobago, Australia, Russia, Brazil and Canada.