Airbus Helicopters says it has still not ruled out taking legal action against the Polish government over its 2016 cancellation of a 50-unit order for H225M Caracals.
That deal was axed by Warsaw last October on the grounds that offset requirements had not been met by the manufacturer.
Airbus Helicopters chief executive Guillaume Faury, addressing reporters as the manufacturer revealed its 2016 order and delivery figures on 27 January, said: “We reserve our rights and legal action is an option that we are contemplating, as we said before.”
However, Poland still needs new helicopters for all three branches of its armed forces. It appears to be moving to acquire new platforms under the auspices of an urgent operational requirement which will not require a tender.
Faury says Airbus is “monitoring” the ongoing procurement activities as “we want to play a role in those tenders”, but the 50-helicopter deal “will not replaced, as far as I know”.
Airbus Helicopters
Overall, 2016 was a better year for the Caracal, with Airbus Helicopters winning important contracts with Kuwait – for 30 aircraft – and Singapore, for an undisclosed number.
Although the €1.7 billion ($1.8 billion) order from the Gulf state has yet to be finalised, Faury is “confident it will happen over the next few weeks”.
He declines to detail the quantity of H225Ms to be acquired by Singapore, citing a non-disclosure agreement.
Overall sales of the Super Puma family – which includes the commercial H225 and smaller H215 – stood at 23 in 2016. No breakdown of the sales split is available, but Faury acknowledges that there “were H215s in the mix”, as well as two H225Ms for Thailand.
Estimates put Singapore’s requirement at between 12 and 14 helicopters.
In addition, the airframer has already secured 2017 sales success for the H215, with an “undisclosed customer” signing a contract for seven units.
Meanwhile, Airbus Helicopters has won its first customers for its HForce weapons system, although Faury did not detail the operators or the platforms involved.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
