Bond Helicopters has won a £10 million ($16 million) contract from the UK Ministry of Defence to provide helicopter support to the Royal Navy, using two Eurocopter SA365s. The helicopters, based at Plymouth Roborough Airport, will be used in Fleet Operational Support Trials (FOST), and will be military registered, but operated and maintained by Bond staff. The three year contract begins in September. Bond has carried out the FOST task since 1994, when it took over the role from RN helicopter squadrons.
Source: Flight International