HELICOPTERS CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / PARIS
Eurocopter is seeking a US partner to help it break into the country's crucial defence market and is watching the presidential helicopter competition as an indication as to whether it is likely to be successful.
EADS-owned Eurocopter has "excellent penetration" of the US civilian market with a 48% share, says chief executive Fabrice Brégier, but his long-term strategy is to break into the currently inaccessible US military market. "We are looking with a great deal of interest at the competition for the new US presidential helicopter," he says.
The AgustaWestland-designed US101 is one of two candidates for the 23-helicopter VXX requirement, the other being Sikorsky's H-92 Super Hawk (Flight International, 6-12 January). AgustaWestland is teamed with Bell Helicopter, which would perform final assembly, and Lockheed Martin, acting as prime contractor.
"We think we could partner with a US prime contractor who is very familiar with the market," Brégier says, ruling out a tie-up with Boeing due to product-overlap issues.
In 2003 Eurocopter secured contracts for 20 NH90s, plus 14 options and two AS332C1 Super Pumas and six AS365 Dauphins from Greece; two AS565SB Panthers and eight options from Mexico; and six EC635s and seven options from Jordan. Spain's order for 24 Tigers is not included in the 2003 figures as the final contract with the defence ministry has not yet been signed.
Brégier says the military sector represents 49% of Eurocopter's turnover, or about €1.2 billion ($1.5 billion). "We aim to increase this figure by €500 million," he says.
Source: Flight International
