AgustaWestland Debuts AW139M U.S. Military Helicopter

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- AgustaWestland North America, Inc. today introduced its AW139M military helicopter for the U.S. military market.  

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110217/PH49866 )

AgustaWestland customized the military version of the multi-role, off-the-shelf AW139 medium-twin helicopter, integrated with proven U.S. military technology for the U.S. Air Force's Common Vertical Lift Support Program. The AW139M is being featured at the AFA Air Warfare Symposium, Feb. 17-18, 2011.

"AgustaWestland meets every U.S. Air Force CVLSP mission requirement while offering substantial acquisition and operational savings," said R. Scott Rettig, chief executive officer, AgustaWestland North America. "The innovation and investment made by AgustaWestland ensures the lowest risk, most cost effective replacement for the CVLSP platform."

Manufactured in the company's Philadelphia, Pa. facility and tailored with U.S. military technology from suppliers across the nation, the AW139M includes a high-definition FLIR, self protection equipment including infrared detection and countermeasures, avionics and heavy duty landing gear. For military missions, the AW139M features a low thermal and acoustic signature and is available with a full ice protection system, allowing all-weather operation at the U.S. Air Force's northern-tier missile bases.

The AW139M CVLSP also includes dedicated equipment such as armored seats to improve crew protection; ballistically-tolerant, self-sealing fuel tanks; and an external stores system for carrying gun pods, missiles and air-to-ground rockets. With unrivaled range and the highest power-to-weight ratio in its class, the AW139M sets standards of multi-mission performance in hot and high conditions and with a cruise speed of 165 knots.  The AW139M provides 30 percent more cabin volume and 50 percent more payload than the legacy CVLSP platform, while maintaining a similarly-sized external footprint.

AgustaWestland manages an active, highly efficient AW139 production line in the company's Philadelphia, Pa. manufacturing facility. Used in multi-mission roles by 135 customers in 50 countries, more than 300 AW139s are operational today, flying demanding missions for government customers such as the United States Department of Homeland Security, the Republic of Ireland, the UAE Air Force and others.

AgustaWestland North America, a subsidiary of AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, operates as a U.S. company under a special security agreement, responsible for the company's U.S. government programs. AgustaWestland is a global leader in military and commercial vertical-lift. With more than 100 years of experience in the aerospace industry, AgustaWestland provides an unrivaled range of rotorcraft and vertical-lift products and services for every military, government and commercial application.

www.agustawestland.com

SOURCE AgustaWestland North America