At the ‘Home of British Helicopters’ in Yeovil, Leonardo began establishing its production line for the AW149, a state-of-the-art combat helicopter. This latest multi-million investment by the company in its facilities makes Leonardo’s bid for the UK’s new medium helicopter (NMH) even more competitive, ensuring the company is ready to offer AW149 service by 2025 if selected by the UK. Defense (MOD).
The Ministry of Defense aims to have the NMH in service by 2025. If Leonardo wins the bid, the helicopter design and engineering base at Yeovil will immediately have the infrastructure and capabilities to meet the deadline.
The NMH competition is progressing at a rapid pace, with Leonardo submitting his response to the UK MOD Defense Equipment & Support (DE&S) Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) in June. The company believes it delivers strong commercial and community value in competition with a platform that meets the needs of the UK Armed Forces.
Leonardo Helicopters director Gian Piero Cutillo said, “We have already trained engineers at Yeovil to specialize in the production of the AW149. We have also made the necessary infrastructure investments to be ready for local construction of the AW149, taking advantage of the similarities with the AW189 that we previously produced in Yeovil. The early renewal of these resources provides further evidence of our strong commitment to providing the best possible offering for the NMH program. If the AW149 is selected by the MOD, our availability will immediately guarantee an increase in productivity, risk and cost reductions, in addition to the aircraft’s delivery time.
Leonardo Helicopters UK managing director Adam Clarke said, “Since the opening of the tender, Leonardo has committed to establishing the AW149 production line at the Yeovil site. The investment is in line with the company’s ‘Production Statement’ to support the MOD to have the NMH in service by 2025. Additionally, this investment further de-risks our project and highlights our desire to support the United Kingdom. Now, if Leonardo succeeds in its offer”.
Leonardo in Yeovil currently supports AW149 service by manufacturing the dynamic and transmission components that are on the aircraft. The company will gain experience in developing the AW189, which shares a common fuselage baseline with the AW149.
Between 2014 and 2018, ten AW189 helicopters were built at Yeovil for the UK Search and Rescue Service operated by Bristow Helicopters.
The AW149 and AW189 share common engines, drivetrain, blades, digital automatic flight control systems and flight management system. So, as Leonardo begins work on the first UK-built AW149, it will leverage the existing engineering and manufacturing capabilities and knowledge base at the Yeovil plant.
Leonardo’s earlier preparations for its NMH offer included sharing capabilities between the company’s helicopter facilities in the UK and Italy. Teams in Italy welcomed their Yeovil colleagues to teach them the engineering techniques used to build the AW149, a state-of-the-art combat helicopter.
Source and photos: Leonardo
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