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American Eurocopter Receives $124 Million Contract for the Re-engining of U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin Helicopters

Marignane, 20 October 2004

Eurocopter welcomes the $124 million contract signed in Washington DC by American Eurocopter to provide re-engining kits for 95 U.S. Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphins in a multi-year upgrade program that will significantly improve the maritime service’s operational capabilities.

The contract – signed with Integrated Coast Guard Systems (ICGS), a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman – includes American Eurocopter’s supply of the re-engining kits, spare parts and technical assistance/support. In addition, American Eurocopter has made a contractual commitment that the re-engined HH-65s will meet improved performance specifications established for the upgraded rotary-wing aircraft.

Eurocopter-built HH-65s are a mainstay of the U.S. Coast Guard helicopter fleet, and are flown from air stations across the U.S. on recovery missions, border patrols, drug interdiction operations and other service.

“The United States Coast Guard is one of our world most important customers and I’m proud of their long term confidence. Our strong links with the US Coast Guard Administration clearly demonstrates the Eurocopter willingness not only to be as close as possible to our customer, but also our common commitment to match the newest Homeland Security needs”, said Fabrice Brégier, Eurocopter’s President and CEO.

This new contract is a follow-on to ICGS’ order for an initial re-engining kit, which was delivered by American Eurocopter earlier this year. In compliance with the Coast Guard’s request for immediate re-engining action to ensure safe and reliable operations with its HH-65s, the retrofit was completed in only 109 days. The no. 1 re-engined helicopter is now back in full service with the Coast Guard.

The follow-on order calls for 84 more of the rotary-wing aircraft to be re-engined in 24 months, with the entire fleet completed by January 2007.

The re-engining work is carried out at the Coast Guard Aircraft and Supply Center in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, where an American Eurocopter technical team has been located for on-site support. American Eurocopter has made its new facility in Columbus, Mississippi available to the Coast Guard if a second site is desired for the HH-65 retrofit activity.

The re-engined HH-65s use new Turbomeca Arriel 2C2 turboshaft engines that offer increased power, and which are equipped with fully digital controls. A reconfigured cockpit and specialized avionics software also are part of the retrofit package to facilitate the HH-65’s use in shipboard operations.

These modernized helicopters will better fulfill the Coast Guard’s traditional maritime surveillance and search-and-rescue duties, and will be ready for new missions in support of America’s national defense and protection.

Eurocopter is a wholly-owned subsidiary of EADS. EADS is the second-largest aerospace and defence company in the world with revenues of € 30.1 billion in the year 2003 and a workforce of more than 100,000. It is a systems integrator and as such one of the few companies worldwide capable of combining various products and technologies to form complete systems. EADS is a market leader in civil aeronautics, defence and security technology, helicopters, launchers, satellites, military transport and combat aircraft and the associated services.

For further information, please contact:
Jean-Louis ESPES
Eurocopter
Aéroport International Marseille Provence
13725 Marignane Cedex – France
Tel.: + 33 (0) 4 42 85 95 55
Fax: + 33 (0) 4 42 85 95 64

Christina GOTZHEIN
Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH
D-81663 Munich - Germany
Tel.: + 49 (0) 89 60 00 64 88
Fax: + 49 (0) 89 60 00 44 37