Kaman Announces Contract To Support Aircraft Upgrade For Peru

Kaman will remanufacture and upgrade four Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite aircraft and provide support for the operation of a fifth aircraft for the Peruvian Navy, with a program value expected to exceed $40 million.

BLOOMFIELD, Conn. — Kaman Corp. (NYSE:KAMN) announced Thursday that it has entered into a contract with General Dynamics Canada to remanufacture and upgrade four Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite aircraft and provide support for the operation of a fifth aircraft for the Peruvian Navy. The program value to Kaman is expected to exceed $40 million.

Gregory Steiner, President Kaman Aerospace Group said, “We are very pleased to support this effort to provide the Peruvian Navy with the advanced capabilities of the Super Seasprite. This is an important milestone for Kaman as it will extend the length of the SH-2 program and provide additional long-term service and support revenues. In fact, upon delivery of these five aircraft to Peru, the SH-2 flying fleet will have grown by more than 40 percent in less than three years. We are pleased that Peru will become the latest military to place its confidence in the SH-2 platform and Kaman.”

The aircraft are being transferred through a Memorandum of Understanding between, the Peruvian Ministry of National Defense and the Government of Canada’s international government-to-government contracting organization, the Canadian Commercial Corporation. General Dynamics Canada is under contract with the CCC to lead this program and provide the Integrated Mission System for the aircraft.

“We are pleased to be working with Kaman Corporation on this important program” said Brian Fava, Vice President General Dynamics Canada. “The successful delivery of this upgraded aircraft will greatly enhance the Peruvian Navy’s ability to conduct modern maritime missions.”

The SH-2G Super Seasprite is an advanced maritime weapon system and proven day/night/all-weather multi-mission helicopter. Originally designed to meet the exacting requirements of the U.S. Navy, the SH-2G Super Seasprite has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any maritime helicopter, assuring a safe return-to-ship capability even in single-engine flight conditions. Its robust design, outstanding stability, and excellent reliability have been proven through more than 1.5 million flight hours. The SH-2G is a multi-mission maritime weapon system designed to fulfill anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), over the horizon targeting, surveillance, troop transport, vertical replenishment, search and rescue, and utility missions. It is the largest, most powerful small ship helicopter in use today and is recognized for its mission effectiveness, support, and unmatched performance. The SH-2G Super Seasprite is currently operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Egyptian Air Force and the Polish Navy.

Kaman Corporation, founded in 1945 by aviation pioneer Charles H. Kaman, is a distributor of industrial parts, and operates more than 200 customer service centers and five distribution centers across North America. Kaman offers more than four million items including bearings, mechanical power transmission, electrical, material handling, motion control, fluid power, automation and MRO supplies to customers in virtually every industry. Additionally, Kaman provides engineering, design and support for automation, electrical, linear, hydraulic and pneumatic systems as well as belting and rubber fabrication, customized mechanical services, hose assemblies, repair, fluid analysis and motor management. More information is available at www.kaman.com.

Kaman is No. 20 on Industrial Distribution's 2014 Big 50 List.

More