Bell/Agusta Aerospace says it will unveil a mock-up military version of the AB139 medium twin helicopter at this summer's Farnborough airshow.
The military variant is aimed at the troop transport and med-evac markets, with a proposed in-service date of 2004. The commercial version of the aircraft is scheduled to be in operation a year earlier and has so far chalked up three sales.
"We're excited about the military opportunities," says Don Barbour, executive marketing director for Bell/Agusta. "The utility transport and EMS missions are the main focus for us but we also envisage a special operations role for the aircraft."
Missions
Barbour says the AB139's twin sliding doors and large cabin make it ideal for search and rescue missions, with the ability to accommodate two, four or six litters. He sees it competing for market share with the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Eurocopter Puma.
"The important thing is that we made the decision to build a military machine at a very early stage," explains Barbour. "That means it is being built specifically to meet mission requirements as opposed to an in-service modification."
Source: Flight Daily News
