2013-01-16 The Republic of Korea has selected the AW159 helicopter to meet its Maritime Operational Helicopter requirement.
According to a Press Release from Augusta Westland:
This contract, which includes aircrew and maintainer training, initial spares and support services, will help sustain several hundred jobs at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil factory in the UK as well as many jobs within the extensive UK supply chain. The Company is already delivering AW159 Wildcats into service in the UK to fulfil the UK Ministry of Defense’s order for 62 AW159 helicopters for the Royal Navy and British Army. Deliveries of the AW159s for the Republic of Korea will start in 2015 and be completed in 2016…..
The AW159 has a semi-rigid rotor head, which gives it high agility and the same legendary ship operating capabilities of the Lynx helicopter. It is also fitted with composite rotor blades utilizing the same technology that enabled the Lynx to break the world helicopter speed record. The AW159 is powered by a pair of LHTEC CTS800-4N engines, each providing up to 1,361 shp, which gives the aircraft exceptional performance, even in hot and high environments. The engine installation also incorporates exhausts with built in IR suppression to provide increased survivability.