AgustaWestland Features Best Value AW139 for the U.S. Air Force's CVLSP

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- AgustaWestland North America, Inc. is featuring its AW139 multi-role helicopter for the U.S. Air Force's Common Vertical Lift Support Program (CVLSP) at the Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in National Harbor, Md.

The militarized, multi-role AW139 is an off-the-shelf, FAA-certified, medium-twin helicopter in military and civil service worldwide since 2003. Used in multi-mission roles by more than 122 separate customers in 46 countries, AgustaWestland manages an active, highly-efficient AW139 production line in the company's Philadelphia, Pa. manufacturing facility.

"AgustaWestland is excited to offer the AW139 for the U.S. Air Force's CVLSP," said R. Scott Rettig, chief executive officer, AgustaWestland North America. "Designed as the modern replacement for the legacy CVLSP platform, the AW139 is the ideal size, at a fraction of the cost of the competition – offering the best value for the U.S. Air Force."

Currently, there are 490 orders for the AW139 for multi-mission roles that include military and law enforcement use; VIP executive transport; search and rescue missions; environmental and offshore utility monitoring; and emergency medical services.

The AW139 provides 30 percent more cabin volume and 50 percent more payload than the legacy CVLSP platform, while maintaining a similarly-sized external footprint. The AW139 offers the U.S. Air Force a CVLSP helicopter which accommodates a host of combat-equipped personnel in heavy-duty tactical seats or executive passengers in fixed civil-certified seats inside its spacious cabin. Large sliding cabin doors allow easy and rapid loading and unloading.

The baseline AW139 sets new standards of multi-mission performance with unrivaled range and speed for this mission. It features dedicated equipment to meet a range of general and special mission roles. The all-glass, integrated cockpit with state-of-the-art technology minimizes pilot workload, allowing the crew to concentrate on mission objectives.

Hundreds of AW139s are operational today, flying demanding missions in challenging environments, including government customers such as the Republic of Ireland and the United States Department of Homeland Security.

A cabin demonstrator of the AW139 CVLSP is on display at booth 901 at the Air Force Association's 2010 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition, Sept. 13-15, 2010.

AgustaWestland North America, a subsidiary of AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is FOCI mitigated and responsible for the company's U.S. government programs. AgustaWestland is a global leader in military and commercial vertical-lift. With more than 100 years of experience in the aerospace industry, AgustaWestland provides an unrivaled range of rotorcraft and vertical-lift products and services for every military, government and commercial application.

SOURCE Agustawestland North America