A consortium has been chosen to provide helicopter search and rescue services in the UK.
The Soteria Consortium will provide the Search and Rescue Helicopter (SAR-H) service, under plans announced by the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport on Tuesday.
The MOD and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) currently provide a 24-hour military and civil helicopter SAR service for the UK SAR region from 12 bases around the UK.
This Search and Rescue helicopter service is provided by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Sea Kings and a civilian helicopter service under contract to the MCA.
This will now be replaced through a single contract with Soteria that will retain a proportion of military aircrew working alongside civilian air crew, using a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter.
The service will continue to be managed jointly by the MOD and the MCA.
The Soteria Consortium is made up of CHC, Thales, Sikorsky and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Aviation Journalist Jim Ferguson said it is not important who operates the service only that it is done properly.
He said: “There’s going to be no loss of experience. And we’ve already proved (in the north-east) that civilian crews are every bit as good as the military.
“Having said that, it doesn’t matter who flies Search and Rescue, so long as they have the right kit, they’re properly trained and properly funded and if need be they’re prepared to risk their own lives to save others.”
Quentin Davies, Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, said the new service will begin in 2012.
He said: "I am delighted to announce that the Soteria Consortium has been chosen as the Preferred Bidder for the Search and Rescue Helicopter project.
"The new service, which will begin with a phased introduction which is anticipated to begin in 2012, will bring together the current Search and Rescue helicopter provision into one highly effective and harmonised service under a single contract, providing the British taxpayer with an excellent service for many years to come.
"The future service will benefit from modern, fast, reliable helicopters and will continue to operate from 12 bases in order to ensure that it provides a fully effective SAR service."
The coastguard operates from Stornoway and Sumburgh, while the RAF and Navy have helicopters at Lossiemouth and Prestwick.
Paul Clark, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, welcomed the announcement.
He said: "The new harmonised service is an excellent opportunity to build upon the high regard that the UK SAR service is so rightly held in.
"The Maritime and Coastguard Agency manage a SAR service from their four bases that has already been successfully delivered by a contractor for over 20 years and the new service will build on this proven track record."
Following finalisation of the contract, the MOD and the Department for Transport expect to award the contract later this year.
