![Navy Squirrels and Army Kiowas will be replaced under the HATS program. (Paul Sadler)](http://thewofa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SquirrelN22-017_VP-Day_14AUG2005_CBR_PAUL-SADLER-1-300x181.jpg)
Following on from our story of January 13, Defence has confirmed that a Boeing Defence Australia led team has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the ADF’s AIR 9000 Phase 7 Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) project.
In a written statement to Australian Aviation’s sister publication, DIAR by ADBR, a Defence spokesman said “This work involves Defence engaging with Boeing Defence Australia in a series of contract negotiations over the coming months, which will inform Defence prior to seeking second pass approval from government in mid-2014.”
AIR 9000 Phase 7 will deliver a rotary-wing training system for Army and Navy at HMAS Albatross at Nowra, NSW. Boeing has teamed with Thales Australia, and intends to use the Eurocopter EC135 as the HATS training platform. Other bids by teams led by Australian Aerospace and Raytheon Australia were shortlisted to progress with the second phase of the HATS evaluation in May 2013.