Finmeccanica To Unveil Advanced Aircraft At Dubai Airshow

Finmeccanica will showcase its latest aircraft at the international event at the Dubai Airshow next week with AgustaWestland and Alenia Aermacchi participating, the company said in a statement.

"This year Finmeccanica and its companies Alenia Aermacchi, AgustaWestland and Selex ES will participate to this important event. For us, the biennial exhibition is firmly established as one of the key air shows on the international aerospace calendar," Finmeccanica said in a press release.

"As well as our corporate stand located in the central hall, we will have an external static area displaying the Aermacchi MC-27J Multi-Mission Aircraft in a gunship configuration and the new AW 189 in Offshore configuration, which is becoming the new reference helicopter for the Oil and Gas market for offshore transportation, with more than 70 orders placed in less than two years," it said.

Finmeccanica said it has a long term strategy for the region, adding that it is currently focused on increasing on-site presence and maintaining its advantage in the high technology field.

"In the U.A.E. for example, we are developing local collaborations, industrial partnerships and even tailored high education courses in partnership with Italian Universities, with the aim to fully support the U.A.E. vision, and future challenging programmes," it said.

"We are consequently increasing our presence in the country with the aim to better support the commercial agreements and joint ventures in the aeronautics, electronics and high-tech industries sectors, which would significantly enhance the local scientific and technological capabilities. However, we are very active in other Gulf countries too, like Kuwait and Qatar, where our controlled companies are working on important projects from Defence Electronics to Aerospace. In Qatar, we have just inaugurated the new AgustaWestland Office, considering that country as a strategic partner for us." The U.A.E.'s Al Fursan air display team are flying the Alenia Aermacchi MB.339, the same aircraft used by the Frecce Tricolori (Italy's own flying display team). "They were trained by Italian military pilots and even the spectacular gold and black aircraft's livery and equipment were designed by Italians, so we all feel that we are part of this important success," it said.

"The Italian Air Force and Alenia Aermacchi have made a huge effort to support the U.A.E. team since the very beginning, and we are very proud of their achievement. The Emirati pilots did an excellent job during the basic training period in Rivolto (Italy), the airbase of our Aerobatic team, and they deserve to be part of the unique club of states with their own aerobatic team," it added.