Article Posted on : - Nov 09, 2010

ROME (BNS): AgustaWestland has received a $208.75 million contract from Turkey for the delivery of nine T129 combat helicopters.

Under the contract, the company will supply spare parts of the helicopter to the Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TAI), which is the prime contractor of the overall ATAK Programme.

The helicopters will be delivered by mid 2012 in a basic configuration. This contract increases the total number of T129 helicopters ordered by the Turkish Land Forces Command to 60.

“I am delighted that the order for nine additional T129 helicopters has been executed at SSM,” Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland said.

The T129 programme continues to the planned schedule with both the System Requirements Review and Preliminary Design Review completed in 2009.

According to the company, the critical design review of the programme will be completed shortly. Some specified sophisticated mission equipments is also added in the programme by the Turkish Land Force Command and SSM.

By January 2011, the flight test programme of the helicopters will be started.