Aircraft

Eurocopter has delivered the first of 18 EC635 transport helicopters to Switzerland's Armasuisse procurement agency, with all deliveries under the 2006 sale scheduled to conclude in early 2010.

Pictured at the EADS subsidiary's Donauwörth facility near Munich, Germany, the light twin will replace the Swiss air force's SA316 Alouette III transports, and also be used to support some training activities.

The programme's second aircraft will also be completed by Eurocopter, but Swiss firm Ruag will perform final assembly on the remaining 16 airframes at its Alpnach site, and provide in-service maintenance support for the type. The Swiss army will also to receive two EC135 transports under the purchase.

Read more about the Swiss aerospace industry - including an update on Pilatus's PC-21 trainer programme - in Flight International's Switzerland special.