I just did a quick round up of some helicopter sales made in the last six months to current announcements. I must admit I'm a little surprise that the United States didn't get any of these contracts. Are American made helicopters too costly, not as good, strings attached, or others reasons. I listed a few and I realized the US had little chance at the Indian contract. The two that troubled me was the Saudi's and South Korea contracts both long term and current US equipment uses now buying else where. It seems it's not only the Americans getting pasted over but the French as well, both countries aren't doing to well in this area. I put together some useful facts and different web sites and wanted to know if anybody knew why the market is shifting so much. Are new American designs and products needed right now in the market or will everybody be flying Hip-171Vs or Russian types by 2012?
Saudis To Buy 150 Russian Helos
$2.2B Deal Seen as Sales And Strategic Watershed
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3156004&C=airwar
Indo-Russian Copter Deal Includes Buys, Upgrades
NEW DELHI — The Indian Defence Ministry has approved a $450 million program to upgrade the avionics and sensors on 172 medium-lift helicopters and to purchase an additional 80 Russian Mi-17 copters.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3146464&C=airwar
New Zealand Chooses A109 Copter to Replace Sioux
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3152398&C=airwar
Brazil seeks new transport, attack helicopters
http://www.flightglobal.com/article...l-seeks-new-transport-attack-helicopters.html
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Eurocopter sign MOU for a Joint Venture company to commercialise the Korean Utility Helicopter
http://www.eads.net/1024/en/pressdb/pressdb/20071018_eurocopter_korean_utility_helicopter.html
The break-down of bookings according to Eurocopter’s business areas is as follows: serial helicopters 58 %, customer services 31% and Development & other activities 11%.
http://www.eads.net/1024/en/businet/eurocopter/eurocopter.html
Bookings related to product range
2006 orders were placed for production helicopters as follows:
Saudis To Buy 150 Russian Helos
$2.2B Deal Seen as Sales And Strategic Watershed
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3156004&C=airwar
Indo-Russian Copter Deal Includes Buys, Upgrades
NEW DELHI — The Indian Defence Ministry has approved a $450 million program to upgrade the avionics and sensors on 172 medium-lift helicopters and to purchase an additional 80 Russian Mi-17 copters.
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3146464&C=airwar
New Zealand Chooses A109 Copter to Replace Sioux
http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=3152398&C=airwar
Brazil seeks new transport, attack helicopters
http://www.flightglobal.com/article...l-seeks-new-transport-attack-helicopters.html
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Eurocopter sign MOU for a Joint Venture company to commercialise the Korean Utility Helicopter
http://www.eads.net/1024/en/pressdb/pressdb/20071018_eurocopter_korean_utility_helicopter.html
The break-down of bookings according to Eurocopter’s business areas is as follows: serial helicopters 58 %, customer services 31% and Development & other activities 11%.
http://www.eads.net/1024/en/businet/eurocopter/eurocopter.html
Bookings related to product range
2006 orders were placed for production helicopters as follows:
- 59 units of EC120 Colibri
- 257 aircraft of the Ecureuil/Fennec/EC130 family
- 107 units of EC135s
- 80 aircraft BK117/EC145 family
- 40 aircraft of the Dauphin/Panther/EC155 family
- 29 helicopters of the Super Puma/CougarEC225/EC725 family
- 43 NH90s.