Australia's first of 46 MRH90 transport helicopters made a 90min debut flight from Eurocopter's Marignane production facility in southern France on 28 March, one day after the fuselage for the first nationally assembled example was delivered to Australian Aerospace's Brisbane plant. The aircraft reached an altitude of 4,000ft (1,220m) during its debut sortie, Eurocopter says. Australia's first four MRH90s are on schedule for delivery by year-end, including the first two of 42 to be assembled in Australia. The nation's army will acquire 12 trooplift helicopters and its navy 34 shipborne examples under combined contracts worth A$4.2 billion ($3.4 billion). The aircraft are derivatives of the NH Industries NH90, in which Eurocopter holds a 62.5% stake.
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Source: Flight International