Louisville – Finmeccanica, through its Helicopters Division, announced during Heli-Expo 2016 (Louisville, Kentucky) the signing of a contracts for twenty-six helicopters dedicated search and rescue operations, designed to operate in China and Japan. The total value of the orders, which significantly increase the already important presence of Finmeccanica in the SAR and public utility market in Asia, is about €80 million. In China, Sino-US Intercontinental ordered 25 AgustaWestland AW119Kx helicopters and the relative support and training package, with expected delivery starting in June 2016. This order is part of a more ambitious framework agreement for 60 units of the same model to be acquired by 2017. The operator Kingwing General Aviation Co. Ltd will employ these aircrafts in support of the largest helicopter SAR plan ever implemented in China. In Japan, Shizuoka Air Commuter Corporation purchased an additional GrandNew helicopter with air ambulance configuration for the Niigata Prefecture, thus strengthening helicopter support to the SAR national program involving all Japanese prefectures. The entry into service is scheduled for the fall of 2016. (9Colonne)
