AGUSTAWESTLAND, LOCKHEED MARTIN ANNOUNCE ALLIANCE TO PRODUCE
MEDIUM-LIFT HELICOPTERS FOR U.S. MARKET
1 November 2001
US101 Helicopter Will be Made in the USA
Officials from Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland, a
Finmeccanica and GKN company, announced today they are
initiating a joint effort focusing on the U.S. government
medium-lift helicopter market with immediate attention toward
combat search and rescue opportunities with the U.S. Air Force.
According to the agreement, AgustaWestland and Lockheed
Martin will jointly bring the US101 aircraft – an American
version of AgustaWestland’s extremely versatile and
mission-proven EH101 helicopter – to the U.S. market. The most
technologically advanced helicopter of its class in production
today, the three-engine EH101 has been ordered by customers in
the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, Denmark and Japan.
 "For
us, the agreement supports our company’s goal to become the
world’s leading helicopter systems supplier," said Giuseppe Orsi,
AgustaWestland’s Sales and Marketing director. "Teaming
AgustaWestland, the second largest helicopter producer in the
world, with Lockheed Martin, which has extensive experience in
helicopter integration, will deliver low-risk, best-value
solutions to U.S. customer requirements."
"We’re extremely proud to be the prime U.S. contractor in
this critical venture," said Frank C. Meyer, president of
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego, the New York-based
Lockheed Martin business segment working with AgustaWestland.
"This helicopter is robust, proven and highly reliable. Bringing
it to our military market is the right solution to replace aging
aircraft, such as the U.S. Air Force’s combat search and rescue
fleets."
This U.S. agreement builds on more than 10 years of
successful teamwork in the United Kingdom for Lockheed Martin
and AgustaWestland on the Merlin HM Mk1, a maritime version of
the EH101.now in service with the UK’s Royal Navy.
"Immediate plans include establishing core teams from both
companies to launch joint marketing campaigns directed toward
military markets such as the U.S. Air Force’s Combat Search and
Rescue (CSAR) effort," Orsi said. "Other government agencies
needing a helicopter with the range and payload capabilities of
the US101 are being explored."
The Lockheed Martin effort with AgustaWestland will be led by
Stephen D. Ramsey, vice president for Aerospace Systems. "By
working with Lockheed Martin, this agreement opens new markets
in the United States for AgustaWestland, but more importantly it
gives our country a proven, state of the art, all-weather
medium-lift helicopter that is manufactured in the United
States," Ramsey emphasized. "This is as important for our
country as it is for our companies."
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica and GKN Company with primary
operations in Cascina Costa, Italy, and Yeovil, United Kingdom,
is a commercial enterprise, offering an unrivaled range of
products designed to satisfy the most diverse requirements of
civil and military customers. Committed to delivering
outstanding products and services, AgustaWestland is capable of
supporting wide-ranging missions in globally competitive
markets. The American market is managed through AgustaWestland
Inc., in Arlington, Va., the U.S. subsidiary of AgustaWestland.
Stephen C. Moss, president of AgustaWestland Inc., is
responsible for the US101 program.
Lockheed Martin Systems Integration – Owego is a leader in
providing advanced technology products, services and systems
integration solutions for defense, civil and commercial
customers worldwide. Systems Integration – Owego employs more
than 4,200 persons at facilities in the United States, Canada
and the United Kingdom and is a business segment of Lockheed
Martin Corporation with headquarters in Bethesda, Md. Lockheed
Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the
research, design, development, manufacture and integration of
advanced-technology systems, products and services. The
Corporation’s core businesses are systems integration, space,
aeronautics, technology services and global telecommunications.
# # #
Media Contacts:
For additional information on Lockheed Martin Systems
Integration-Owego visit:
www.lmowego.com
For additional information on AgustaWestland visit:
www.agustawestlandinc.com
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