Airbus Helicopters bids to break into Philippines military helicopter market

[Zarvan]

An Airbus Helicopters H145M operated by the German military. Source: Airbus Helicopters/Christian D. Keller

Key Points

• Airbus Helicopters has positioned its H145M platform to meet a Philippine Air Force requirement for attack helicopters
• The company dominates the country’s civilian helicopter market but military sales have so far been limited

Airbus Helicopters is looking to break into the Philippines’ military market with its H145M light-utility/attack platform, Fabrice Rochereau, the company’s head of sales for Southeast Asia, has disclosed to Jane’s .

The company has positioned the H145M to meet a Philippine Air Force (PAF) requirement for a fleet of night-capable attack helicopters. Future opportunities for the platform may also emerge in the Philippine Navy (PN) and Philippines Coast Guard (PCG).

Rochereau explained that the PAF programme represents a major opportunity for the company to penetrate the Philippines’ military market after years of dominating the country’s civilian/paramilitary rotary-wing sectors.

These helicopters are currently supported by the company’s local subsidiary, Airbus Helicopters Philippines Incorporation (AHPI), and its joint venture partnership with the Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation (PADC). The partnership is based in Pasay, near Manila.

“We have more than a 50% share of the civilian and paramilitary market,” Rochereau said. “But we admit that we have been unable to break into the military market in the Philippines, which continues to operate many US-made, Vietnam War-era helicopters.

“Having said that, we now sense a real opportunity to supply our helicopters to the [PAF] to meet a requirement for night-attack helicopters, for which we are proposing the H145M helicopter … It’s a multirole helicopter with a significant weapon system.”

Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options:　ihs.com/contact




To read the full article, Client Login
(273 of 723 words)

http://www.janes.com/article/73564/...k-into-philippines-military-helicopter-market