Philippine Navy To Buy Two Helicopters AW159 Wildcats

The AgustaWestland AW159

Finmeccanica announced the Philippine Navy acquires two AgustaWestland AW159 anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare helicopter under a contract valued at USD 114 million.

The helicopters will be delivered from Yeovil, UK manufacturer's site in 2018, with the contract including training and support. In addition to the anti-surface and anti-submarine duties, the helicopter could be used for search and rescue and maritime surveillance tasks, says Finmeccanica.

The bobcat is in service with the UK Royal Navy and the Army Air Corps, with eight more in order to export customer Armada launch of the Republic of Korea. A first installment latter is pending, after a 2015 schedule.

The total amount of orders for the type to 72, Finmeccanica said, and database fleet Flightglobal Analyzer shows a combined total of 48 Wildcats have been delivered to the British Army and RN. The latter deployed the new model aboard his Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster in early 2015.

The two join AW159s Manila modest naval helicopter fleet, which consists of five AgustaWestland AW109Es. "We will hand over to the Philippine Navy a product of the prior art, unparalleled in modern and customized to meet your specific needs operational scenarios," Mauro Moretti, CEO and CEO of Finmeccanica, said. "In addition, we will offer customer support and training solutions that allow them to maximize the capabilities of their new helicopters."

Finmeccanica is the leader in high-tech industrial group in Italy and one of the leading global players in aerospace, defense and security. It operates in five sectors: aeronautics, helicopters, electronics, defense systems and space. The company is partly owned by the Italian government through the Ministry of Economy and Finance.