UK extends Merlin support
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a £570 million support contract for its Merlin helicopter fleet with AgustaWestland.
On 17 January AgustaWestland announced the signing of the contract, which covers the second five year period of the 25-year Integrated Merlin Operational Support (IMOS) contract.
Awarded to AgustaWestland in March 2006, the IMOS contract provides an integrated comprehensive availability based support package for the MoD’s Royal Navy Mk 1, and Royal Air Force Mk 3 Merlin helicopters.
The contract was awarded to increase the availability of the Merlin to front line commands.
Graham Cole, Managing Director of AgustaWestland, said it took AgustaWestland's integrated operational support (IOS) to the full availability output level for the first time.
‘AgustaWestland and the Merlin Project Team have delivered major support cost savings while enhancing aircraft availability,’ he said.
The contract was awarded to meet the requirement of the MoD, while sustaining more than 1,000 jobs, and saving the MoD and the UK in the region of £500 million.
AgustaWestland said that as part of the IMOS contract, it has partnered with Total Support Services to support air vehicle avionics, and with Lockheed Martin to provide support for the Royal Navy's AW101 Merlin mission system and the Merlin training system at RNAS Culdrose.
The MoD’s Sea King and Apache helicopter fleets are also receiving IOS solutions from AgustaWestland, and the AW159 Lynx Wildcat is to be provided with an IOS and training solution.
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