Finmeccanica – through its Operating Companies AgustaWestland, Alenia Aeronautica, DRS Technologies, SELEX Communications and SELEX Galileo – will take part in Aero India 2011, to be held in Bangalore from 9th to 13th of February, presenting products, platforms and technological solutions.
Finmeccanica’s presence in India dates back to more than 40 years: over this period it has been developed solid industrial partnerships in the defence and security sectors through participation in several successful programmes. For Finmeccanica, India is a country of strategic importance, with a large and sustainable defence market growth rate and volumes that offer significant opportunities in all business sectors. In the last five years, Finmeccanica received on average ca. 250 million euro of orders per year from India and the forecast for 2010-2014 is about 500 million euro per year.
Finmeccanica is present in India through a liaison office, which is responsible for monitoring India’s increasing needs in the defence and security. Finmeccanica and its Operating Companies aim to strengthen their presence in India, and above all, create new and consolidate existing industrial partnerships with key local companies to meet the country’s challenges and global ambitions in all the business covered by the Group (Aerospace and Defence, Homeland Security, Transportation and Energy). Finmeccanica is currently working on a number of specific projects with BHEL, BDL, BEL and HAL.
In the helicopter sector, AgustaWestland has been present in India since 1970. Today the Indian Navy operates a fleet of AgustaWestland Sea King helicopters and a growing number of AgustaWestland commercial helicopters are now performing corporate, VIP and offshore transport missions in India. In March 2010, AgustaWestland was awarded a contract by the Indian Air Force to supply 12 AW101 helicopters for government transport, thanks to the helicopter’s superior features in terms of performance in hot&high and all-weather capability, cabin space and comfort, dedicated technology and self-protection solutions, safety and low operating costs. In 2010 AgustaWestland and Tata Sons created a joint venture for the final assembly in India of the single-engine AW119 helicopters for India and worldwide markets. AgustaWestland has strong interests in the country, and a complete range of military helicopters that can meet the Indian Ministry of Defence’s helicopter requirements. These requirements include reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters for the Air Force and Army, helicopters for the Coast Guard, multi-role naval helicopters for the Navy and light combat helicopters for the Air Force. In addition, AgustaWestland is ideally placed to participate in the mid-life upgrade of the fleet of Sea King helicopters used by the Indian Navy. AgustaWestland will display models of: the AW119, the AW139 Coast Guard, the AW139 Utility, the NH90 and the AW101.
India’s aeronautics sector also offers good prospects for Alenia Aeronautica, which is currently promoting its own solutions. The C-27J tactical transport aircraft produced by Alenia Aeronautica presents special features (multi-functionality and take-off and landing capability on short and semiprepared runways) which make it a particularly good match for the requirements of the Indian Air Force. The C-27J is capable of performing many missions, such as transport of troops, goods and medicines, MEDEVAC, airdrop operations, paratrooper’ launches, search and rescue (SAR), logistical re-supply, humanitarian assistance and support in homeland security activities. Alenia Aeronautica has achieved remarkable success with the ATR, the regional aircraft produced by a joint venture between Alenia Aeronautica and EADS: around 100 of these aircraft are in service with the major national airlines of the country. Alenia Aeronautica has a strong interest in the Indian Navy’s requirement for a new medium-range aircraft for maritime patrol proposing the special versions of the turboprop developed by Alenia Aeronautica, the ATR72 ASW (for anti-submarine warfare) and the ATR42 MP (for maritime patrol) which are tailored to meet these specific client requirements. Through the Eurofighter consortium, Alenia Aeronautica is taking part in the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) programme for the supply of 126 combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force in which the Eurofighter Typhoon is competing, with EADS Germany leading the campaign. The Eurofighter Typhoon is a supersonic twin-engine multi-role aircraft for air defence, interdiction an air superiority, and with a production agreement for more than 700 aircraft, is Europe’s largest military aircraft programme.
Alenia Aeronautica also intends to promote in India the M-346 aircraft (produced by Alenia Aermacchi, a company controlled by Alenia Aeronautica) recently purchased by the Italian and Singaporean governments and selected by the UAE Government. This aircraft is the most Advanced/Lead-In Fighter Trainer optimized for the role and can be proposed in operational variants for both Air Defence and Ground Attack roles. The M-346 offers very high levels of performance and maneuvrability for the best cost-effective solutions. Alenia Aeronautica will display models of: the C-27J Spartan, the ATR 72 ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare), the new ATR-600 series and the M-346.
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