New Maritime Helicopters Need More Engine Power

Canada's new maritime helicopters - already projected to be about 20 months behind schedule - need added engine horsepower because they're heavier than originally expected.

The engines being built for the Sikorsky Cyclone fleet are going to be "a variation" of an existing design it has worked on over the past few years., said Daniel Verrault, who represents General Electric, a subcontractor on the project.

He estimates that 200 to 250 additional horsepower will be needed for the engine, an increase of about nine per cent from the original specs for the turboprop.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay has said he expects delivery of the helicopters will begin in the middle of 2010, instead of the original delivery date of this November.

A spokesman for MacKay said the engine changes won't mean any further delay.

MacKay has blamed delays on the Liberals' 1993 decision to cancel the purchase of a fleet of Agusta Westland maritime helicopters ordered by the Tories.

A decade later, the previous Liberal government chose the Sikorsky (source: aol.ca).