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Aviation History
1992
1992 - 1215.PDF
BUSINESS Eurocopter fights to stay in the bidding BY GILBERT SEDBON IN PARIS Eurocopter, with credit guar antees from the French Gov ernment to match its US rivals, is now well-positioned to win a share of the Turkish army re quirement for 200 utility heli copters, according to the chairman of the Franco-German helicopter consortium, Jean- Francois Bigay. Despite strong US competition and heavy political pressures, Eurocopter also stands a good chance of winning with its bids for the UK army attack-heli copter and the US Army trainer, says Bigay. Eurocopter needs to win at least one of these three major military contracts — the Turkish deal alone is worth an estimated $2.5 billion — if it is to avoid stagnating sales over the next decade. Eurocopter's chances of win ning the order have been greatly improved after a major policy shift by the French export guar antee organisation, Coface. While its US counterpart, the Snecma buys into US engineering French engine builder Snecma aims to increase its US pres ence through the acquisition of a majority stake in Speco, an Ohio-based aerospace engineer ing company. Speco, with sales of $37 mil lion in 1991, designs and builds helicopter power transmission, accessory drive and flight con trol actuator systems. Involve ment with US Department of Defense programmes has in cluded' production of parts for the Rockwell B-l, Lockheed Gal axy, Sikorsky Black Hawk and Boeing CH-47. A co-operative agreement signed with Snecma subisidary Hispano-Suiza, which develops and produces mechanical power transmissions as well as engine nacelles and thrust reversers, is designed to open up new prod uct and market opportunities for both companies. • Eurocopter hopes the UK Army will wait for its Tiger Export-Import Bank, had backed rival Sikorsky and Bell bids with $1.37 billion in export guaran tees, Coface refused initially to insure payment for more than 20 of the 200 helicopters. After protests from Eurocopter, it has now provided the consortium with a credit package equal to the US bids. Eurocopter is offering the army two models: the 4.5t BK- 117 and the 532 U2 Cougar twin-engined combat and tacti cal transport helicopter — a version of the 9t Super Puma. Against these, Sikorsky is bid ding the Black Hawk, while an Agusta-Bell team is offering the 412 Griffon. Bigay is confident that part of the order will now go to the European consortium. He be lieves that the Turkish Gov ernment, which is keen to preserve military ties with the USA as well as further political links with the European Com munity, could split the contract between the US and European bids. A decision is expected in the near future. Politics could also favour Eu rocopter's bid for the UK army's attack-helicopter, following its alliance with British Aersopace. "The intention is to create a long-term co-operative structure that would not be limited to a single project," says Bigay, com menting that the alliance could lead on to future joint program mes with BAe Defence. "That perhaps is what is most appeal ing to the British Government", he adds. Eurocopter started as an out sider, teamed initially with Wes- tland Helicopters which has since partnered McDonnell Douglas on its AH-64 Apache bid. The British army has always favoured the Apache as an "off- the-shelf solution, proved in action during the Gulf war. By contrast, Eurocopter is offering the Tiger, which, although tech nically advanced, is still in pro totype form with serial produc tion not expected to get under way until 1999. There are signs however that the UK Ministry of Defence is prepared to put its preferred in-service date of 1997 back by up to three years in order to wait for the Tiger (Flight International 6-12 May). "The real choice is between European engineering and American subscontracting," says Bigay. He points out that the Tiger already has a 15-20% Brit ish content, through Rolls Royce participation in the MTR engine and BAe's share in Euromissile's Trigat anti-tank missile. Finally, Eurocopter believes that it also has an outside chance of supplying the US Army's under its new training helicopter programme. US sub sidiary, American Eurocopter, has entered the fiercely competi tive bidding with its AS 350 B Ecureuil/Asrar. • Astech looks to a civilian future As 'US industry feels the effects of dwindling de fence spending, Astech/MCI has begun an ambitious five- year programme aimed at more than doubling its commercial business, and taking its specail- ist aerostructures technology around the world. The Californian company, which became more widely known in 1991 when it was revealed as the manufacturer of the innovative nickel-alloy composite exhaust duct for the Lockheed F-117A attack air craft, aims to reduce reliance on military work from 75% to 35% by 1997. The key to this expansion will be competing for work on the engine exhaust systems areas of the Boeing 777. "Get ting those could help us launch our entire strategy," says presi dent, Edward Linhart. The aerostructures company, which turns over around $50 million, has already secured contracts for the Pratt & Whit ney PW4000 variants destined for the 777, and responded to a request for quotation GRFQ) on the mock-up of the General Electric GE90. It is also prepar ing to respond to an RFQ for the Rolls-Royce Trent. Although much of Astech/ MCFs current work on com mercial airliners is tied into Boeing aircraft, it hopes to strengthen existing ties with McDonnell Douglas (MDC). Astech/MCI expects to forge industrial alliances in Taiwan this year, which should help it win involvement in future MDC programmes, including the proposed MD-12. Meanwhile, in Europe, the company says that it is in advanced discussion with sev eral un-named aerospace com panies over potential industrial alliances, with the aim of win ning a close involvement with the Airbus programme. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 13-19 MAX 1992
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