15 Feb 10. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. and Terma A/S announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to explore potential collaborations if the Danish government decides to procure Sikorsky MH-60R SEAHAWK® helicopters. The government is currently evaluating alternatives including the MH-60R aircraft for a replacement maritime helicopter. The MH-60R aircraft would be procured via the Foreign Military
Sale (FMS) channel with the U.S. government and supported by Sikorsky. “We see potentially strong synergies between our companies and the combined support they could bring to the Danish Maritime Helicopter Program,” said Leonard Wengler, Vice President, Navy Programs for Sikorsky. “The MH-60R helicopter, dubbed the ‘Romeo,’ is the most advanced multi-mission naval helicopter available today with demonstrated effectiveness during deployment with the U.S. Navy in 2009. Terma’s aerospace experience and expertise, including the production of advanced aerostructures and electronic warfare equipment, provide promising opportunities for collaboration. We identify a substantial match between the two companies and are happy and proud to announce the signing of an MOU,” said Jorn Henrik Levy Rasmussen, Vice President, Strategic Marketing, Terma. “We look forward to combining Sikorsky’s and our core capabilities in respect of the maritime helicopter program and to investigating a shared number of exciting business opportunities in the international market.” The multi-mission MH-60R helicopter is built by Sikorsky, with Lockheed Martin providing mission systems integration, and is designed to perform anti-submarine and surface warfare, search and rescue operations, vertical replenishment, medical evacuation, communications and data relay. The U.S. Navy plans to purchase a total of 300 MH-60R helicopters, and in July 2009 completed a highly successful six-month deployment of an MH-60R squadron with the U.S.S. John C.
Stennis carrier strike group in the western Pacific. (Source: Yahoo!)

16 Feb 10. AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, and Tata Sons have signed a Shareholders’ Agreement for the formation of an Indian joint venture company which will establish in India a final assembly line for the AW119 helicopter for the worldwide market. The agreement was signed in New Delhi today by Mr. Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland and Mr. Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons. 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.
17 Feb 10. Finmeccanica unit AgustaWestland and Tata Sons signed a joint venture (JV) to assemble AW119 helicopters in Hyderabad. According to the document signed by AgustaWestland CEO Giuseppe Orsi and Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata, the JV will assemble, complete and deliver the AW119s, while AgustaWestland will be responsible for worldwide marketing and sales.

18 Feb 10. A|D|S, the UK’s Aerospace, Defence and Security trade organisation today (Thursday) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) that recognises the benefit that increased co-operation between the two bodies can bring to both UK and Indian industry and that will also see an increase in joint activities between the two organisations. A|D|S has a history of working in India, through the former Defence Manufacturers Association office in New Delhi, and has also opened a Bangalore office in October 2009 that will be officially launched tomorrow (19 February 2010). Rees Ward, Chief Executive of A|D|S, said: “The UK is number one in Europe and number two in the world behind only the US in aerospace, defence and security. India is a major global player and a vital market in its own right. Together companies in both countries