Military

Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland Announce Long-term Agreement for US101 Helicopter

FARNBOROUGH, July 23rd, 2002 -- Officials from Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica and GKN company, announced today they have signed a 10-year definitive agreement to jointly market, produce and support a medium-lift helicopter in the United States.

The US101, an American version of AgustaWestland's extremely versatile EH101 helicopter, will be initially offered to three key markets where there are emerging opportunities: U.S. Air Force combat search and rescue, U.S. Coast Guard civilian search and rescue, and U.S. Marine Corps executive transport.

This agreement builds on more than a decade of successful teamwork in the United Kingdom where Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland have collaborated to produce the Merlin HM Mk1, a maritime version of the EH101. Lockheed Martin, as the prime systems integrator, is under contract to deliver 44 Merlin Weapons Systems to the UK Royal Navy with AgustaWestland providing the EH101 air vehicle.

"We have forged an effective partnership with AgustaWestland in the United Kingdom," said Stephen D. Ramsey, vice president, Aerospace Systems for Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY. "Building on that solid foundation, we are now extending that partnership to the United States. Under this agreement, Lockheed Martin will be the prime contractor responsible for building, delivering and supporting the US101 helicopter to U.S. customers."

"The American-built US101 will deliver a proven platform with a low-risk approach for the U.S. market," said Stephen C. Moss, president of AgustaWestland Inc. "An off-the-shelf solution with customized mission equipment, this medium-lift helicopter is a versatile, mission-ready aircraft selected by five NATO countries and Japan. Over the past several months we have been actively marketing the US101 in the United States, and we are very pleased with the positive responses from potential customers."

Lockheed Martin and AgustaWestland plan to hold a series of supplier conferences in the United States beginning in October, Moss and Ramsey added. These supplier conferences will help identify U.S. companies that will provide the more than 65 percent U.S. content for the US101 aircraft.

Lockheed Martin
Frans Jurgens
(607)751-4857
frans.jurgens@lmco.com

AgustaWestland, Inc.
Angelica Falchi
(703) 243-7733, Ext. 209
afalchi@agustawestlandinc.com