GAO denies Airbus bid protest for Navy training helicopter program

(Editor's Note: This has been updated with a statement from an Airbus spokesman.)

The Government Accountability Office yesterday sided with the Navy in a bid protest decision regarding Airbus' submission for a $176 million contract to produce and deliver a new training helicopter.

The service in January awarded to AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Leonardo, a contract for 32 TH-73A helicopters, which will follow the Navy's legacy fleet of TH-57 Sea Rangers.

GAO decided yesterday to deny Airbus' bid protest, according to GAO's docket.

"Because it was clear that certain technical errors had affected the Navy’s assessment of our offering, we felt an obligation to our U.S. workforce and to the Navy to raise the concerns articulated in our protest," James Darcy, an Airbus spokesman, told Inside Defense in a statement today.

GAO has not yet published documents explaining the protest and the agency's decision, citing the need to redact certain information.

Inside Defense has requested a comment from the Navy about the bid protest.

Bell also submitted a bid for the aircraft program, dubbed the Advanced Helicopter Training System, but has not filed a protest with GAO.