Article Posted on : - Mar 04, 2011

AVALON, AUSTRALIA (BNS): AgustaWestland and BAE Systems have announced plans to establish a world-leading helicopter transmission test facility in Australia.

The facility, better known as a Multi-Purpose Test Bench (MPTB), will be the first of its kind in the southern hemisphere. The MPTB is a state-of-the-art, high-tech repair and overhaul facility for helicopter transmission systems and flight critical dynamic components.

The Australian Defence Force has actively sought this capability and its establishment will deliver a critical in-country support capability to the ADF which in turn will guarantee a faster turn-around and a cost-effective sustainment solution.

The new facility will be built in regional Australia and is expected to be operational by 2014. It will be custom designed to meet the geo-seismic preconditions required to guarantee absolute stability during testing and analysis of gearboxes and transmission systems.

Under the agreement signed Thursday between the two companies, BAE Systems will provide maintenance, engineering, logistics support and administration.