Det er interessant å merke seg at AW189 er sterkt inne i bildet. Den er ikke vurdert av Justis- og beredskapsdepartementet.
AgustaWestland pins future hopes on civil helicopters
Helicopter maker AgustaWestland will find out next month whether it has won a crucial contract to provide around ten search and rescue helicopters which it hopes will be a springboard for £2bn of sales.
7:00AM GMT 07 Feb 2013
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The company, whose AW101 and AW159 Wildcat featured in the latest James Bond film Skyfall, is pinning its hopes on a £300m contract to provide AW189 aircraft to carry out search and rescue missions in Britain.
The Department for Transport has shortlisted two companies - Bond and Bristow - to operate the contracts, and they in turn will select helicopters to fulfil the requirement.
AgustaWestland’s chances of securing a contract are good: both Bond and Bristow have signalled they would buy around ten AW189 as part of the contract. Graham Cole, AgustaWestland's chairman, is careful not to be complacent however, with so much resting on the contract.
For the company is hoping it will be the catalyst for further search and rescue contracts abroad, and has identified potential for a further 200 orders or £2bn of export opportunity.
A successful AW189 progamme would represent the first major civil helicopter designed and built in the UK in more than 30 years.
It would also represent a major shift in ambition for the Anglo-Italian helicopter company, which is owned by defence giant Finmeccanica and has a past deeply tied to the military.
At a time of shrinking defence budgets however, it recognises success will depend on a lesser reliance on the Ministry of Defence, and a much greater slice of the commercial market.
Mr Cole says the Yeovil-based company is ready for the fight in what is a highly competitive market. “One of the messages we give to our employees is that we live in a lovely part of the world here in south Somerset, but when you come through the gates you’re in a tough world of helicopters, and there are people around the world fighting you, and looking for your business.”