UK Awards AgustaWestland Wildcat Integrated Support and Training Contract

AgustaWestland today announced that the AW159 Wildcat Integrated Support and Training (WIST) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence is now operational. It will provide life support and training for AW159 Wildcat helicopters that are being inducted by the Royal Navy and British Army. The WIST contract will deliver the required levels of aircraft availability at reduced through life costs compared to those of the legacy Lynx fleet and builds on the success of similar Integrated Operational Support (IOS) availability based contracts that AgustaWestland is delivering for the UK MOD AW101 Merlin, Sea King and Apache helicopter fleets. Ray Edwards, Managing Director, AgustaWestland Ltd said "Encompassing not just availability based support services but also aircrew, maintainer and ground crew training, the WIST contract provides a complete through life support and training package that will deliver cost savings and increased aircraft availability”. "The AW159 Wildcat’s equipment fit and performance will also provide an increased level of helicopter capability for both the British Army and Royal Navy. AgustaWestland and our industry partners are committed to delivering the best possible support and training solutions," he added. According to the company, the initial period of the contract will run to 2017 with a commercial framework in place that will enable the delivery of support and training services until the planned out of service date of the aircraft in 2044, subject to demonstrating continuing value for money. Work on contract started in early 2012 to ensure the support and training was in place for the commencement of deliveries of AW159 Wildcats in April 2012. The state-of-the-art Wildcat Training Centre will be at the centre of the training service to be delivered under the WIST contract. It will be fully equipped and networked to provide aircrew and maintainer training using a wide range of Synthetic Training Equipment. Aircrew Training Equipment will include two Full Mission Simulators, a Flight Training Device and a Cockpit Procedures Trainer.