AgustaWestland North America Awarded U.S. Navy Contract — Press Release
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Business Line, Companies, Contract Awards, Countries, Egypt, Events, Military Aviation, Press Releases, Services, U.S. Navy, logistics
AgustaWestland North America Awarded U.S. Navy Contract
RESTON, Va., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ — AgustaWestland North America (AWNA) is pleased to announce that it was recently awarded a $17.35M U.S. Navy contract to provide depot level maintenance on three Egyptian Mk-2 variant H-3 helicopters. The contract provides full funding for this effort, which began in November 2008, and calls for complete refurbishment of the aircraft structure and all aircraft components. AWNA will also complete all safety checks to ensure the aircraft are flight ready.
Work will be carried out at the company’s 88,000 square foot maintenance repair and overhaul facility in Hagerstown, Maryland. Up to 20 new employees are expected to be added to the existing staff of 26 at Hagerstown Airport. All work on the H-3 helicopters is estimated to be completed in December of 2010.
“AgustaWestland North America is honored to receive this contract from the U.S. Navy,” said AgustaWestland North America Chief Executive Officer, R. Scott Rettig. “I am proud of our team and our close working relationship with the U.S. Navy. I look forward to future growth and successes of our Hagerstown operations, as we continue to expand our U.S. footprint and meet the specific needs of the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense.”
AgustaWestland North America, a subsidiary of AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is FOCI mitigated and responsible for the company’s U.S. government programs. AgustaWestland is a global leader in designing, manufacturing and supporting the world’s most technologically advanced helicopters. With more than 100 years of experience in the aerospace industry, AgustaWestland provides a full range of rotorcraft for every commercial, government and military application, and an unrivalled capability in training and support solutions.
For further information please contact:
Michael Lugo
Office: 703.373.8019
Mobile: 571.435.4430
Email: mlugo@awnainc.com
Source: AgustaWestland North America
House Moves To Keep VH-71 Increment One Alive
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Business Line, Companies, Congress, Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Events, Federal Budget Process, Lockheed Martin, Military Aviation, Restructuring, Services, U.S. Navy, development program, production program
The various defense appropriations and authorization bills are working their way through the House and Senate. Many items have been included not requested by the Obama Administration or Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. This really is not surprising as Gates attempted to cut a lot very quickly. He spared no service cutting Air Force F-22 and C-17 aircraft, Navy VH-71 and destroyers, and Army vehicle and missile defense systems. Congress has pushed back on certain programs.
One that they are trying to keep alive is the VH-71 helicopter for use in transporting the President. This program has not only been unfunded in the President’s 2010 budget but Lockheed Martin has been told to stop work. The company and the Pentagon are negotiating termination costs.
The House Appropriation Defense sub-committee, though, included almost half a billion dollars to try and utilize the Increment One aircraft already procured. The program was structured with two increments of aircraft, the first being basic ones to be used to support testing and development. A larger buy in five or so years would have all the required equipment. To date the U.S. has invested about $3 billion in the program. The House wants to see if some use could be derived of the aircraft already delivered.
While the current fleet of VH-2 and VH-60 aircraft have served the President well they are somewhat dated. The VH-71 would have more modern survivability and communications equipment with greater range and lift. The strenuous requirements are what led to the programs cost and schedule growth. There will be more to come on this issue to say the least.
AugustaWestland Work Force Worried About VH-71 Contract
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Business Line, Companies, Congress, Contract Awards, Countries, Department of Defense, England, Events, Federal Budget Process, Italy, Lockheed Martin, Military Aviation, Restructuring, Services, U.S. Navy, development program, production program
While Finmeccanica has stated that they are not worried about the pending cancellation of the VH-71 new Presidential helicopter as proposed by Secretary Gates, there is concern at AugustaWestland’s facility in Yeovil, England. The local paper reports that if the program is ended there would be major cuts to the work force at that facility. AugustaWestland is not coming out and stating anything in this regard, but much of the work going on there supports the two phases of the program. As Finmeccanica has said Phase II has not yet started and that is why their earnings would not be effected in the next few years — no money has been spent on that part of the program. AugustaWestland makes the base helicopter which is then modified by Lockheed Martin in New York. The company would also provide support to the delivered aircraft. The contract while it is only for 23 aircraft is very large due to the cost of the individual platforms and the necessary modifications. The support contract would also be significant. The cancellation is just a recommendation right now and ultimately Congress will decide whether to end the program, restructure it, or just continue the current path.
Eurocopter Chosen by Japan for Training Aircraft
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Business Line, Contract Awards, EADS, Events, Japan, Military Aviation, logistics, production program, training
SpaceDaily.com reports that the Japanese government has selected EC-135 helicopters to use for training naval pilots. The other company in the contest was Augusta Westland. EADS has sold civil aircraft for years in Japan but this is the first time Japan has bought one as part of a military contract.
Conservatives Charge UK Government to Cut Defense Spending
Filed under: Agusta Westland, BAE Systems, Contract Awards, England, General Dynamics, Military Aviation, Scotland, VT Group, development program, production program
Faced with the costs of operations in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the world’s economic crisis the UK government plans cuts to defense spending. Bloomberg.com: Europe reports that the Conservative opposition believes that the new aircraft carriers will be delayed and there will be cuts to a new vehicle and Lynx helicopter upgrades. The two large ships were due to begin construction in the near future as the contract had already been awarded to VT and BAE. The new armored vehicle is under development by General Dynamics and less then the currently planned 80 Lynx aircraft will be upgraded. The delay in the aircraft carriers would be a blow to Scotland as that part of the UK is relying on them for a significant number of jobs in the near future.
Italy to be punished for sole source aircraft contracts
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Contract Awards, Italy, Military Aviation, commercial aviation, production program
Earlier this year the European Union had judged that Italy violated contract laws by awarding helicopter contracts only to state owned Agusta. Now that Italy has failed to take any mitigating steps they are moving to punish the country. Italy had claimed national security reasons for only considering Agusta to provide the aircraft. This is part of an effort by the EU leadership to allow competition across at least the countries of the EU.
For more see Rueters.com.
KC-X haunts CSAR-X
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Boeing, Contract Awards, Department of Defense, GAO, Lockheed Martin, Military Aviation, Proposal, Protest, Sikorsky, U.S. Air Force, commercial aviation, production program
With the decision to punt on the KC-45 recompete by the current administration there are some worries that this might affect the CSAR-X contract as well. Last word was that the announcement of who won the new GAO ordered competition would come sometime this Fall. Now some of the competitors; Sikorsky, Augusta Westland and Boeing; are concerned that perhaps this decision will delay the announcement of the winner. Boeing had won a contract only to have a protest upheld by GAO for the USAF not applying their criteria correctly.
See this short AP article for more.
India goes with AW for new VIP aircraft
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Contract Awards, India, Military Aviation, Sikorsky, commercial aviation, production program
Like the US Navy, India awarded a contract to Augusta Westland for their new VIP transport helicopter. The contract is worth about $300 M. Sikorsky was one of the unsuccessful bidders with their S-92 aircraft. The EH-101 selected will offer a larger cabin, although it is a more expensive aircraft. US companies have been trying hard lately to break into the Indian market as that country has turned away from its traditional English and Russian suppliers. India has also made a great effort to begin developing a sophisticated, indigenous arm suppliers.
See The Hartford Courant article about this contract here.
US Air Force to award CSAR-X recompete soon
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Boeing, Contract Awards, GAO, Military Aviation, Northrop Grumman Corp., Proposal, Protest, Sikorsky, U.S. Air Force, UTC, commercial aviation, development program, production program
In a contract that has fallen to the back burner recently due to KC-45 events, the Air Force announced that they would complete the recompete for the CSAR-X by September. Contract award would be soon after. The CSAR-X contract to replace the HH-60 PaveHawk aircraft was originally awarded to Boeing with a variant of the CH-47. Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin protested and won with the GAO ruling that the Air Force did not apply the selection criteria properly. The whole contract was recompeted with Boeing, Sikorsky and Lockheed resubmitting bids.
For more see this article at www.pressconnects.com for the Binghamton area.
Finmeccanica follows through
Filed under: Acquisitions, Agusta Westland, Congress, DRS Technologies, Finemeccanica, IT, Italy, production program
Bump – Fresh off good financial reports for the quarter, EADS is now looking at DRS Technologies as well. See an article here. This makes it sound like DRS might be a good buy.
As rumored this weekend Finmeccanica bought DRS today. The deal is for around $5 B. See an article here. This is the biggest acquisition so far by an European company. DRS has been an attractive take over target for a few years, one of the reasons its stock was so high. If this deal can make it through the necessary regulatory and legal review it will be quite stunning. Prior to this BAE and EADS had been doing smaller acquisitions, under a $1B. In today’s political environment due to the KC-45 deal and it being an election year it should be interesting to see Congress’s reaction.



