Rotor spins.

The main contender – Eurocopter EC725

NTR’s apparent choice of a European babe to eat french-fries with.

The rest of the competition were:

a) Sikorsky S92

aka da Blackhawk from the Hoonaited States of Yammerica.

b) Agusta-Westland EH.. AW101

The Brit-Italian make nobody wanted. Unless its Ferrari tuned and fitted with Lotus suspensions.

c) Mil – Kazan Mi172

Maaan, no wonder it’s the cheapest. That’s one ugly looking whirly compared to the rest.

The letter of intent (LOI) to buy the EC725 was announced by our new minister of defense, Yay Yay Bee – that’s AAB for the acronym challenged, without the benefit of a full evaluation. In other words, nobody from the RMAF test flighted any of these birdies, let alone the EC725. And only 14 of the EC725 are in active service with the French air force therefore its not battle-tested for Taliban-proofed rating.

Sooo.. tell me, folks. Do you think our 2009 budget is in trouble if these blokes can throw away our tax monies with such impunity?

(Click on the images to get da bigger picture. No, you don’t get more information by doing that. Yer just get.. errr.. da bigger picture, that’s all. Gettit?)