Eurocopter has selected a site in Mississippi for its new US final assembly plant for the Squirrel helicopter and component manufacturing. The move comes as the company steps up efforts to break into the US military market amid growing criticism of foreign competition from incumbent local manufacturer Sikorsky.
The EADS subsidiary plans to invest an initial $12 million in the new facility, which will be completed in late 2003. The plant will be able to complete up to 30 AS350 Squirrels/A Stars a year for the local market and provide a sole-source supply of components for the AS350/355 and EC130 worldwide.
American Eurocopter claims to have won more than a 50% share of the US civil and para-public market in the first nine months of the year and hopes to deliver 70 machines by year-end. It is also targeting defence.
"It is a top priority to increase our industrial presence and workforce in the USA, particularly in homeland security and defence," says Ralph Crosby, EADS chairman North America. But Sikorsky president Dean Borgman says: "Any move by the USA to open our defence market to Europeans would represent unilateral disarmament."
Source: Flight International
