FIRST SERIES NH90s IN THE ASSEMBLY LINES

18 October 2002

The splicing of the two first serial production NH90 fuselages has just been performed by Agusta and Eurocopter Deutschland, for respectively the first Italian Army and the first German Army NH90 helicopter.

Eurocopter will activate the production on its assembly line at Marignane, by the end of this year, producing the fuselage for the first NH90 to be delivered to the Finnish Army. This will complete the starting of the three assembly lines based at the Partner Company facilities.

An additional assembly line will be set-up in 2003 at Patria dedicated to the production of the NH90s for the Nordic Countries. This demonstrates the capability of the industry to face-up the stringent commitment of the first deliveries scheduled in 2004.

Meanwhile the Partner Companies are strongly progressing in the development and the qualification of all the remaining aircraft and mission systems by means of the intensive use of the NH90 prototypes and the test rigs.

Up to now the NH90 orders total up to 377 units, including 253 firm orders and 55 options for the five NAHEMA Countries, and 52 units and 17 options for the three Nordic Countries.