Germany to help maintain Belgian Seakings.

with the Belgian NH90 order now officially placed and signed, the next phase is to keep the seaking Mk.48 flying until the first NH90 arrives in 2011 and the last one delivered in 2013. on the defencedays in Koksijde, i overheared one of the seaking navigator/SARSO’s that the Belgian MoD is gonna sign an agreement with the German Navy on the delivery of spare parts and engines (as AgustaWestland does not produce them anymore). of the 5 seakings delivered, 4 are remaining airworthy at the moment (RS01/02/04/05) while an other one (RS03) is currently standing in the maintainence hall, stripped of all usable part to keep the other 4 flying.

if the need would arrise that certain parts are not available or the whole engine needs to be replaced, the Germans can deliver the parts within a short time. since 1999, there were plans to buy a secondhand seaking (to be serialed RS06), but due to cutbacks, the deal was never signed, and went for the cheaper option of getting spares.

now with the german parts deal imminent, the seaking might make it to 2013 (some of the seaking now fly beyond there estimated lifetime, 10000+ hours)