( dpa ) - The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and Singapore Air Force have agreed to a research programme aimed at developing new technologies and reduce costs for the military's helicopter fleet, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
Conducted over three years, the project also includes enhancing aircraft safety and maintainability.
"This collaboration is a concrete example of how industry and a military organization can partner effectively to translate a promising research concept into state-of-the-art helicopter maintenance practices," said Gerard Maitrepierre, president of Eurocopter South East Asia.
A state-of-the-art diagnostic maintenance system, supported by advanced sensors, is the goal of the research programme, said Colonel Francis Cheong Han Kwok, the air force's deputy head of logistics.
It is "part of our continuing effort to leverage on the industry through joint collaboration," he said.