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Lima 2011
Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition
Langkawi, Malaysia
6 - 10 December 2011
Eurocopter
at Lima 2011 press release
The Royal Malaysian Air Force's first EC725 helicopter is unveiled at
the Lima Air Show 2011.
The production
roll-out of Eurocopter’s no. 1 EC725 helicopter for the Royal Malaysian
Air Force was shown today with a live video broadcast from the company’s
Marignane, France facility, which was beamed to the Langkawi Maritime
& Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) for an audience that included Malaysian
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Defense Minister Dr. Ahmad
Zahid Hamidi.
EC725 Eurocopter
It
is the first of 12 EC725s to be acquired by Malaysia for search &
rescue and utility missions under terms of a contract signed in 2010.
Eurocopter remains on schedule for this important acquisition program,
with a total of eight helicopters already in production – and the
no. 1 aircraft soon to enter flight testing. The Malaysian EC725 deliveries
will begin next year and continue through early 2014.
“We wanted to share this on-time milestone with Malaysia, providing
attendees at LIMA 2011 with an initial look at the newest helicopter that
will serve the country in a variety of operations,” said Eurocopter
President & CEO Lutz Bertling. “The top priority at Eurocopter
is meeting its commitments to customers, and Malaysia can count on our
company’s dedication in delivering helicopters that fulfill the
nation’s mission requirements.”
In today’s roll-out broadcast from Eurocopter’s
Marignane headquarters and production site, the no. 1 EC725 was presented
by the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s on-site project team, led by
Col. Tuan Mustafa.
Expressing his appreciation to Eurocopter, Defense
Minister Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said, “This is a highly appreciated
gesture on the part of Eurocopter. We have full confidence that all 12
helicopters will be delivered on time. The EC725 fleet represents a significant
step towards strengthening the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s capability.
In addition, cooperation projects related to the supply of the EC725s
also are moving along smoothly, ensuring that Malaysia’s aviation
industry is developing with the right skills and knowledge.”
As part of the EC725 contract, an agreement for
13 strategic cooperation projects was signed – including the integration
of Malaysian industry into Eurocopter’s global supply chain, and
the development of joint ventures with local companies to establish an
in-country MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) facility, a regional
EC725/EC225 full-flight simulator center, and other capabilities. The
MRO and flight simulator installations are being created together with
the Boustead Group, and all 13 cooperative projects will be aligned with
Malaysia’s goals of enhancing its industrial capabilities and economic
strength through technology transfer and strategic partnerships.
To support the deliveries of Malaysia’s new
EC725s and enhance Eurocopter’s in-country support and services
activities, the company’s Eurocopter Malaysia subsidiary will be
moving in July 2012 from its main facility in Subang to a new, expanded
site within the Malaysian International Aerospace Center – doubling
its capacity.
The
Indian local made light combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas LSP-7, made its
maiden flight on Friday, March 10, 2012. The Limited Series Production-7
aircraft took off from the HAL airport at 4.27 pm and flew for 28 minutes.
