£46m Government Funding for AgustaWestland’s UK Civil
Rotorcraft Projects
19 October
2012 – AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to
announce that it has been selected to go forward to the contracting
phase for their bid of up to £46 million from Round 3 of the
Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF). The combined RGF and
AgustaWestland investment of more than £100 million will create a
brand new industry sector in the UK with the establishment of a
Civil Helicopter Hub. The projects will create and safeguard over
3,000 jobs across the UK and create hundreds of new opportunities
for the UK supply chain.
The funding will also support the design and
development in the UK of advanced technologies in the field of
tiltrotor systems integration and for increasing the performance of
tiltrotors, which combine the benefits of a helicopter and an
aeroplane in one aircraft.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Advanced
manufacturing is important to the future of our economy and the
Government is determined to get behind it through our industrial
strategy. Our work with industry through the Aerospace Growth
Partnership has identified boosting exports and growing high value
jobs as priorities – that is exactly what AgustaWestland’s exciting
projects can deliver.
"Targeted support through the Regional Growth Fund can really
help world leading companies like AgustaWestland to continue to
compete with the very best."
Ray Edwards, Managing Director, AgustaWestland
said: “Today’s announcement marks the start of a new era for
Britain’s rotorcraft industry. This funding and the investment
being made by AgustaWestland will enable the UK to become a key
player in the growing commercial rotorcraft sector.”
He added: “We welcome the support of the RGF
and Government as we are committed to helping develop further the
UK Civil Aerospace industry through the work undertaken by the
Aerospace Growth Partnership. It is this type of positive
collaboration of industry and the Government that will help create
a long term strategy and a shared vision for UK aerospace.”
The Civil Helicopter Facility will include a
commercial helicopter final assembly line, helicopter maintenance
facility, helicopter training academy in conjunction with the
Aerohub at Newquay Cornwall Airport, and a helicopter Research and
Development (R&D) Centre in conjunction with industry and
academia.
RGF funding will support design and
development work for the AW609 TiltRotor and future tiltrotor
designs. AgustaWestland will work with the National Composites
Centre, University of Liverpool and a number of key UK suppliers on
this programme. This project will allow UK industry and academia to
be involved in the most advanced and innovative aerospace programme
of today. The AW609 TiltRotor is set to revolutionise flying by
combining the benefits of a helicopter and an aeroplane and it will
be the world’s first high speed commercial rotorcraft to enter the
market following certification in 2016.
These projects will provide long term
sustainability and growth of highly skilled engineering and
manufacturing jobs across the UK and create hundreds of new
opportunities for the UK supply chain. It will also support a wide
range of research projects for future commercial rotorcraft
programmes, keeping the UK at the very forefront of rotorcraft
technology.