RAN's RMI 2 programme gathers pace
Raytheon Australia has announced the beginning of acceptance activities of its first Bell 429 helicopters to be utilised under the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) Retention and Motivation Initiative 2 (RMI 2) programme.
The Retention and Motivation Initiative provides the RAN with supported aircraft to allow junior qualified aircrew to consolidate and enhance their skills prior to flying operational helicopters. Under a new $26 million four-year contract signed in September last year, Raytheon Australia will provide the RAN with three new Bell 429 helicopters for 1,500 tasking hours per annum.
According to the company, Raytheon Australia is on-track for an on-schedule commencement of the RMI 2 programme in late April 2012. The announcement follows a series of inspections conducted by the RAN and Raytheon Australia to ensure that the three helicopters were being built to conform to the contracted specifications.
The new Bell 429 helicopter was chosen by Raytheon Australia after an extensive trade study and will replace the current three A109E aircraft provided by the company under its original RMI contract.
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