Tatas, AgustaWestland form JV to make choppers

New Delhi: Top Indian company Tata Sons and leading Italian helicopter company AgustaWestland on Tuesday signed an agreement for formation of a joint venture company which will establish a final assembly line for AW-119 helicopters for the Indian and global market.
The agreement was signed in the Capital by Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata and AgustaWestland CEO Giuseppe Orsi.
The AW-119 has been offered to India by AgustaWestland for replacing ageing fleet of Cheetah and Chetak light helicopter fleet of the Indian Armed Forces. The Indian Army currently has around 300 Chetak and Cheetah in its chopper fleet and is looking at modernisation of the fleet with AW-119 helicopters.
The joint venture company will be a supplier for the current Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) programme of the Indian Armed Forces, for which AgustaWestland has already proposed the AW119 to be manufactured in India.
As per the agreement, the joint venture company will be responsible for AW119 final assembly, completion and delivery while AgustaWestland will retain responsibility for worldwide marketing and sales. The first aircraft is scheduled to be delivered from the new facility in 2011 with production forecast to rise to 30 aircraft per year to meet worldwide demand.
16/02/10 The Tribune

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Categories: Foreign Feb 2010, Indian Aviation- In General Feb 2010, New Feb 2010