AgustaWestland announces new orders from Farnborough

AgustaWestland has kicked off the Farnborough International Airshow with the signing of a number of new contracts with military and civil customers.

The Bangladesh Air Force has selected the AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopter for its maritime search and rescue (SAR) requirements. The contract, signed with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, will see AgustaWestland supply two AW139 aircraft, with delivery scheduled by the end of 2015.

The contract includes a comprehensive support and training package, and marks the establishment of the first dedicated maritime SAR helicopter fleet in Bangladesh. The aircraft, which will also be used for a range of utility missions, will be supplied with a mission configuration including a search/weather radar, FLIR, search light, rescue hoist, emergency floats and a 4-axis dual digital AFCS with hover and SAR modes.

AgustaWestland will also supply an AW139 to an unnamed customer in the UK under a contract signed on 14 July. The aircraft will be delivered in VIP/corporate configuration in the autumn of 2015. 

Two contracts were signed for the AW109; one for the AW109 Trekker, and one for the AW109 Power. Under the first - a preliminary sales contract with Elitaliana - AgustaWestland will supply two AW109 Trekker light twin engine helicopters in Emergency Medical Service (EMS) configuration. The aircraft, which will be delivered from 2016, will support Elitaliana’s expansion plans to allow the company to operate from new bases in Italy and abroad, in addition to the ones already located in the Lazio and Calabria regions of Italy.

The second contract, with Terna SpA of Italy, will see one AW109 Power light twin helicopter delivered in 2015 for electricity infrastructure monitoring missions in Italy.

One AW169 twin-engine light intermediate helicopter will be delivered to Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust under a contract signed on 15 July. This contract will see the Trust become the first helicopter EMS customer to introduce the AW169 into service in the UK in autumn 2015. It will be operated on behalf of the Trust by Specialist Aviation Services (SAS).

Finally, in a contract awarded to AgustaWestland company, PZL-Swidnik, one GrandNew light twin and one W-3A Sokol intermediate twin engine helicopter will be delivered to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uganda in 2015. The aircraft will be operated by the Uganda Police to perform law enforcement missions across the nation.

The GrandNew will be equipped with a cargo hook, search light and loud speaker system; while the W-3A Sokol will be equipped with a cargo hook, rescue hoist, search light, loudspeaker system, rappelling kit, FLIR and provisions for firefighting equipment and an emergency floatation system. The contract includes a comprehensive training and support package.

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

W-3A Sokól

GrandNew

AW169