Australia’s Special Operations Forces are among the hardest worked troops in the defence force. From the mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq, they’ve spent the past two decades quietly doing their immensely difficult job.

Now they need some help.

Australia’s Defence Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) is looking for the best helicopter available to carry them into — and out of — harm’s way.

But the criteria is harsh.

It’s not a matter of the biggest and most expensive.

It’s all about offering the right stuff.

And the recent Avalon Air Show in Victoria has been a hotbed of discussion, lobbying — and marketing — for the pending deal.

JOB REQUIREMENT

Australia’s Defence Force already operates a variety of helicopters in its fleet. There’s the familiar, stocky S-70 Black Hawk. There’s the chunky, twin-rotored Chinook. And there’s the multi-role MRH-90 Taipan.

That’s before one considers the armed reconnaissance Eurocopter Tiger and the small but fast Kiowa scout.

All are of service to Special Operations.

But none precisely fit the bill.

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The 2016 Defence White Paper called for a new helicopter to “insert, extract and provide fire support for small teams of Special Forces undertaking tasks ranging from tactical observation through to counter-terrorism missions, or hostage recovery.”

So CASG late last year issued a Request for Information (RFI) to suitable manufacturers.

It wants a breakdown of what’s available, in what shape and size.

The chopper must be able of delivering an air-assault team to a desired landing zone.

It must have the power to act as a utility transport.

It must have the capacity to be armed.

It must be able to operate in a dense, urban environment.

And it must also have the option to carry surveillance and reconnaissance equipment.

That’s a whole lot of capability. And they’re all largely within the scope of the existing Black Hawks, Chinooks and Taipans.

But, Special Forces needs something … special. And that means a smaller, quieter, more responsive machine than the hulking Army line-up.

Specifically: it must be compact enough for several to be stowed aboard the RAAF’s Boeing C-17 strategic cargo aircraft, enabling them to be deployed alongside special forces troops anywhere around the world — at a moment’s notice.

RESUMES

Exactly how many new helicopters are needed has not yet been declared. But analysts place the number anywhere around 16 or 20 to meet projected needs.

What is known is that they must be proven, off-the-shelf, and capable of being delivered by 2022.

Defence has stated they will be used by the Australian Army’s 6th Aviation Regiment as four separate units. Two will be deployable teams. One will operate independently. The fourth will be stationed at Holsworthy Barracks in NSW, alongside rapid-response special forces troops.

“The project is currently in the exploratory phase, collecting information and proposals to inform concepts for capability realisation,” the defence letter to industry reads. “The project is considering a wide range of procurement options based around a light helicopter as the major system.”

Here are three of the main contenders:

AIRBUS H145M: A medium-sized multi-role helicopter, the H145M is already in service in police forces around the world, as well as the US and German armies. “A key feature of the H145M is the wide range of available optional mission equipment packages that can be rapidly installed and removed, based on the requirements of the mission,” An Airbus statement reads. “In service as the US Army’s light utility helicopter, the UH-72A Lakota version has demonstrated an availability rate of greater than 90 per cent”. It can carry two pilots and 10 passengers

BELL 407GT: The GT model of the commercial Bell 407GX utility helicopter is being sold as a light attack, multi-role, multi-mission vehicle. Bell says the single-engined machine is designed to be reconfigured between troop transport, medical evacuation, reconnaissance and command roles. Unveiled in 2013, it can carry six passengers and one crew member. “The helicopter can be equipped with flexible and configurable weapon systems to carry out tactical operations,” a Bell statement reads.

LEONARDO AW109 “Trekker”: This lightweight twin-engine design is a commercial aircraft already used in medical evacuation and rescue roles. Italian manufacturer Leonardo says it can carry six troops, has state-of-the-art digital avionics, and can be given cargo, infra-red, video and weapons capability. “(It) offers the highest power to weight ratio and payload in its class, making it a superior, immediately available solution capable of meeting the stringent demands of the Australian Army Special Forces,” Leonardo said in a statement.