The competition to replace the aging Sea King helicopters was not a two-way race to the end, as Ottawa suggested, according to a report in The Globe and Mail.

According to The Globe, the federal government concealed that it was forced to buy Sikorsky helicopters after the only other competitor had been previously disqualified on technical grounds.

Defence Minister Bill Graham announced last week that Sikorsky had won a $3.2-billion contract to replace the Sea Kings.

"The Sikorsky H-92 represents the right helicopter for the Canadian forces at the best price for Canadians," Graham said.

What he didn't say is that Team Cormorant was thrown out of the competition earlier this year. A government official told The Globe that information wasn't made public because Ottawa thinks it will be pivotal if the company decided to launch a lawsuit over the outcome.

The reason for Team Cormorant's disqualification is not known.

The company had previously alleged the bidding process was rigged in favour of other competitors, and vowed to take the issue to court.

Team Cormorant won a competition to replace the Sea Kings in the early 1990s, under Brian Mulroney's Conservative government. The contract was cancelled in 1993 by former prime minister Jean Chretien. However, the company went on to win a smaller competition for search-and-rescue helicopters.

The auditor general is expected to review the contract.

The Sea Kings were purchased in the 1960s, making most of them older than the crews who fly them. Every one hour of flight now requires about 30 hours of maintenance.

Ten people have died in four fatal Sea King crashes over the years and mishaps have resulted in 13 aircraft being withdrawn from the original 41-helicopter fleet.

The military version of the Sikorsky S-92, called the H-92 Cyclone, will replace the aging Sea Kings. The first chopper is expected to delivered in 2008, the final one by early 2011.