Smiths Aerospace awarded $20 million contract on Presidential helicopter

SMITHS Aerospace, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, today announces it has been awarded a contract to supply the new large area cockpit display system for the Lockheed Martin VH-71 Presidential helicopter. The contract is worth more than $20 million.

The first VH-71 is expected to be ready to transport the President in 2009, with the entire fleet of 23 delivered to the Marine One squadron by late 2014.

The displays will be manufactured by Smiths Aerospace in Michigan and United Kingdom, with deliveries beginning in 2006.

Dr John Ferrie, President of Smiths Aerospace, said: The VH-71 marks the first time a helicopter has flown with a five-screen,large area integrated cockpit display suite.

Smiths Aerospace is delighted to provide this technology for enhanced situational awareness and display of flight data on the Presidential helicopter.

Smiths is delivering other equipment for the VH-71 as part of the basic aircraft, including remote interface units, rotor ice protection units, automatic flight control systems and fuel probes. The programme has a potential total value of more than $30 million to Smiths Aerospace including the current cockpit display system contract and other systems already secured on this aircraft.

ENDS

About Team VH-71:
Team VH-71 is led by Lockheed Martin Systems Integration Owego, which serves as the prime contractor and systems integrator for the American-built US101 aircraft, an American variant of AgustaWestlands successful EH101 multi-mission helicopter. The US101 team collectively brings unmatched rotorcraft expertise and experience to this program: Lockheed Martin (prime contractor and systems integration), AgustaWestland (aircraft design) and Bell Helicopter (aircraft production), while General Electric will supply each helicopter with three, 2,500 shaft-horsepower CT7-8E engines.