Leonardo will now offer the next phase of the Wildcat Integrated Support and Training (WIST) agreement, which confirms the next five-year term of the 34-year agreement, originally signed in 2012.
The £ 360m deal, awarded last year, marks the continuation of support services for UK AW159 Wildcat helicopters to the British Armed Forces. The WIST agreement includes the provision of spare parts service, 3-year scheduled maintenance service, advanced technical support services including aviation safety management, as well as the provision of manual and ground training for staff and maintenance.
Defense Minister Jeremy Quinn said: “Wildcat helicopters play a vital role in supporting our armed forces through espionage, defense and transportation. I am pleased that they continue to receive high quality technical support and training from Leonardo UK.
Simon Jones, Vice President, Customer Support and Training, Leonardo Helicopters UK, commented, “The next installment of the Wildcat Integrated Support and Training (WIST) Agreement will ensure that the right equipment, training and support for the British Armed Forces continue your operations. Requirements. It is needed. Through collaboration and partnership, WIST maintains the UK’s Rotary Wing capabilities on land with state – of – the – art technologies and highly skilled staff at the Center.
Keith Bethel, director of DE&S Helicopters, said: “The third phase of WIST’s service will ensure that leading personnel in the Royal Navy and the British Army continue to train with expertise, support and armaments to keep our nation and allies safe around the world.”
The contract will support more than 340 industrial jobs, primarily in the southwest UK, where the project office is located in Leonardo, Yowl, where the RNAS Yeovilton, Wildcat Training Center and Frontline squadrons are located. Joint WIST Leonardo / Ministry of Defense.
The AW159 dual-engine helicopter is a modern, multi-role and agile platform used for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) worldwide. The site recently crossed 80,000 flight hours across its global fleet. To date, more than 70 AW159 helicopters in various roles have been delivered to battlefield and naval military operators around the world, including the British Army and the Royal Navy.
“Reader. Infuriatingly humble travel enthusiast. Extreme food scholar. Writer. Communicator.”
