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Publish Date : 31-Jan-2014

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the award of two contracts by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), together valued at Ł760 million (approximately €910 million), to convert 25 AW101 Merlin helicopters for maritime operations under the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP) and to provide the Apache AH Mk.1 Attack Helicopter fleet with comprehensive support and maintenance services for five years. The contracts were announced today by The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence, during a visit to AgustaWestland's facility in Yeovil, England.

Daniele Romiti, CEO of AgustaWestland, said "We are delighted to have been awarded these contracts by the UK Ministry of Defence to convert Merlin helicopters for the Royal Navy and to continue delivering the successful Apache Integrated Operational Support service for the UK's Attack Helicopter force. The Apache IOS contract will deliver further efficiencies over the next five years, demonstrating our commitment to service excellence while delivering the aircraft availability and capability the Army Air Corps require.
He added "The MLSP will ensure the Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force's capability will be enhanced as a result of the AW101 Merlin's greater payload, range, speed as well as benefitting from commonality with the Merlin Mk2 platform."

Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence, on a visit to AgustaWestland's facility in Yeovil, said: "Our Ł760m investment is vital in maintaining both the Apache Attack Helicopter and Merlin helicopter as a first class airpower assets for our Army and Navy for many years to come.

"This contract also demonstrates the strength and importance of the defence industry to the UK economy and how these programmes are supporting 1,000 highly skilled, UK based jobs whilst laying the foundations for long term growth throughout the sector via the supply chain."

Work on the Ł330 million (€400 million) MLSP design and manufacture contract will start immediately with seven interim "Phase 1" aircraft being delivered to the Royal Navy in 2015 and 2016 and all 25 "Phase 2" standard aircraft being delivered between 2017 and 2020. As part of the programme 25 Royal Air Force AW101 Merlin Mk.3 and Mk3A helicopters are being transferred to the Royal Navy to replace their fleet of Sea King Mk4 helicopters. The aircraft will undergo conversion at AgustaWestland's Yeovil facility in the UK and will be based at the nearby Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton. The seven "Phase 1" aircraft will provide the Royal Navy with an interim capability between the withdrawal of the Sea King Mk.4 in early 2016 and the Initial Operating Capability (IOC) of the full MLSP configured aircraft being achieved in mid-2018.

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