AgustaWestland and CEIIA Sign R&D, Design and Engineering Contract

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that it has signed a six year contract with CEIIA of Portugal for the Research and Development, Design and Engineering Project (RDE) during an official ceremony held in Lisbon today and presided by the Minister of Economy and Innovation of Portugal, Manuel Pinho.>> Under this contract Portuguese companies and universities will be involved in diversified aerospace-related projects. The main aeronautical fields targeted include mechanical systems, interiors, structures and composites, electronic and software systems. This contract follows major achievements performed in August comprising the setting up of AgustaWestland Portugal subsidiary to provide complete helicopter support services, the contract with Locao de Equipamentos de Defesa SA (DEFLOC) for the long term provision of support for the Portuguese Air Force AW101 helicopters through the Full In Service Support (FISS) and the offset agreement amendment including aerospace manufacturing and engineering services.>> Giuseppe Orsi, CEO, AgustaWestland said "We are delighted to have signed this latest agreement which represents the initial step to meet the long term plans defined for AgustaWestland Portugal. The RDE project is clear evidence of AgustaWestland's commitment to bringing specific experience and knowledge into local industries and universities. We are committed to increasingly getting closer to our customers as well as to enabling local companies to play major roles as AgustaWestland Portugals subcontractors to exploit future business opportunities of mutual benefit.