Australia said Wednesday it canceled a contract to buy 11 navy Seasprite helicopters from U.S.-based Kaman Corp., claiming the aircraft are unsafe, AP reported. The cancellation came amid a review of defense contracts ordered since Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's new government came to power in elections last November. The contract was due to be completed by 2002 but has been plagued by technical problems and only nine helicopters have been delivered. The Australian navy grounded the Seasprites in April 2006 because of safety concerns during test flights. «The project had to be canceled on safety grounds alone,» Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon told reporters, despite Australia already investing 1.3 billion Australian dollars (US$1.2 billion; ¤792 million) in the deal. «The airworthiness and crash worthiness of the aircraft was not up to 21st century standards and it was pretty clear the capability was not likely to be delivered in full,» Fitzgibbon said.
