Non-Subscriber Extract
Poor management blamed for failure of RAN helicopter project
By Jon Grevatt
19 June 2009
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) has attributed the failure of a project to procure SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite helicopters for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on poor management within the Department of Defence (DoD) and its procurement agency, the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO).
The government signed a USD1 billion contract with prime contractor Kaman in 1997 to procure 11 helicopters, but the project fell several years behind schedule due to software integration problems with the helicopter's Integrated Tactical Avionics System and technical difficulties with its digital flight control system. The project was eventually cancelled by the government in March 2008.
Notwithstanding the technical issues related to the programme, the ANAO's report - which was published on 17 June - said a range of management issues contributed to the failure of the project.