Story ID: 
Super Puma Operator Lands Navy Contract
By: Mark Huber
Caption: Texas-based Air Center Helicopters has landed a vertical replenishment contract with the U.S. Navy to provide services.
Word Count: 194
One of the largest civil operators of Airbus H225 Super Puma helicopters has landed a vertical replenishment contract with the U.S. Navy that could be worth nearly $59 million. Air Center Helicopters of Burleson, Texas was awarded an $11,679,419 firm-fixed-price, C-type contract that will provide ship-based commercial helicopter and vertical replenishment services to Navy ships, partner nation’s ships, and theater facilities and operations worldwide.

The operator will be required to perform missions at any time, day or night, and be capable of executing all missions during a state of war, warlike operations, civil strife, piracy, natural disaster, or other hostilities. Contract option years run through 2026 and if exercised could bring its total value to $58,757,878. 

In addition to shipboard vertical replenishments for the Navy, Air Center currently operates 27 Super Pumas flying missions that include capsule/astronaut ocean recoveries for Boeing, NASA, and SpaceX; special missions in Africa that can run up to 600 nm unrefueled; and aerial firefighting. For firefighting, Air Center can equip its H225s with forward-looking infrared cameras, night vision goggles, and a Helitak FT4250 with a 1,000-gallon external tank that refills from a snorkel in 48 seconds.