The Executive Yuan has approved a plan to upgrade the National Airborne Service Corps’ fleet of Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin helicopters, a source said on Sunday.
The corps mostly operates Dauphins and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
The Dauphins are 28 years old on average, with four of them already 30 years old.
Photo courtesy of the Coast Guard Administration
The helicopters’ age is becoming a problem, as fewer suppliers carry parts for repair, the source said, adding that the Executive Yuan approved a plan to upgrade nine helicopters for NT$3.48 billion (US$108.44 million).
The plan was meant to be implemented over a five-year period from next year to 2029, but since the Ministry of the Interior’s budget for the fiscal year does not include funds for the upgrades, the plan would likely be implemented beginning from 2026, the source said.
The corps procured the Dauphins in separate allotments — 1980, 1982 and 1988 — meaning the fleet comprises N1, N2 and N3 variants of the helicopters, they said.
“The different configurations of helicopters means they have different characteristics for operation, safety and training,” the source said.
Citing examples, the source said they have different GPS systems, automatic flight control systems, and cockpit configurations.
“In emergency and high-risk operating environments, these different configurations must be learned and memorized in a very short time,” they said.
The Dauphin is used by government agencies in 14 countries, and by militaries in 17 countries. It has a top speed of 306kph and a range of 650km.
It is often used by coast guard and rescue agencies as its equipment includes a search and rescue radar, night vision system, rescue hoist, searchlight, megaphone and GPS.
It is typically used to perform medium-to-low-altitude — less than 8,000 feet (2.4km) — and long-range maritime operations.
Manufacturers are phasing out production of replacement parts for Dauphin models.
A list provided by Airbus, one of Dauphin’s manufacturers, last year listed 59 components that are becoming increasingly scarce.
“The disappearance of these components would make the helicopters unsafe to operate, particularly as installed parts deteriorate over time,” the source said.
“Therefore, there is an urgent need to replace the oldest of the Dauphins in the corps’ fleet,” the sourse said.
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