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http://www.romaniajournal.ro/romani...icopter-in-4-5-years-bell-helicopter-vp-says/
Home / SOCIETY & PEOPLE / SOCIAL /Romania could produce the Bell AH1 Viper helicopter in 4-5 years, Bell Helicopter VP says
Romania could produce the Bell AH1 Viper helicopter in 4-5 years, Bell Helicopter VP says
Posted by: Valeriu Lazarin SOCIAL, SOCIETY & PEOPLE, TOP NEWS7 hours ago 0
Richard Harris, Vice President, International Military Sales at Bell Helicopter, said on Wednesday that the AH1 Viper attack helicopter could be produced in Romania in four to five years.
He said during a press conference he was in March in Romania, as part of the economic talks between Romania and the US, to see the opportunities in the industry and that this week he will visit all aerospace companies to assess industry opportunities, ziare.com reports.
Harris added the company is looking for a sound international partner to have international production. “I believe this partner is Romania, in four to five years,” he said. Other countries are considered as well, he said, stressing that Romania has the highest potential in Europe. The Bell Helicopter representative said the employees need to be trained in the US.
He also presented an older project by Bell, which, together with Ghimbav Braşov, was to build the ‘Dracula’ helicopter in late 1990s, a project that was not completed due to the political context.
The evaluation will take place during the summer and, by October we will have a better view of the situation. The other Textron family companies, as well as the partners in the H1 programme, are also involved in the evaluation. Talks were held with several Romanian companies to bid for the production of components for this type of helicopter, such as the helicopter tail or other few components, Harris said.
Bell AH1 Viper, he explained, is a particularly modern attack helicopter that is currently produced by Bell Helicopter for the American Navy. It has projectile armour of up to 23 mm calibre, air-to-air missiles and a range, with two additional tanks, of 575 km.
Asked about the time needed to begin the helicopter construction in Romania, Richard Harris mentioned that it is a fairly slow process, about four to five years.
Currently, Bell helicopters are produced only in the United States. The company is looking for the first strong international partner to allow us to have international production, Richard Harris said.
A helicopter costs about USD 30 million, but the operating costs are 30% lower than for any other attack helicopter in the world.
The Bell Helicopter Vice President said Romania was not necessarily on the marketing map, but four years ago, someone approached him and said, ‘Look to Romania’ and that’s what the company did, in terms of aerospace industry, talks were held with the army and the company representatives were impressed.
Richard Harris added that, if looking to US President Donald Trump, at whom he meets, that he went to Saudi Arabia and met Romanian President, this means Romania is a strategic partner within NATO, as is has achieved 2% of GDP for defence. He stressed a new chapter could be opened for Romania in the region in a key position.
Home / SOCIETY & PEOPLE / SOCIAL /Romania could produce the Bell AH1 Viper helicopter in 4-5 years, Bell Helicopter VP says
Romania could produce the Bell AH1 Viper helicopter in 4-5 years, Bell Helicopter VP says
Posted by: Valeriu Lazarin SOCIAL, SOCIETY & PEOPLE, TOP NEWS7 hours ago 0
Richard Harris, Vice President, International Military Sales at Bell Helicopter, said on Wednesday that the AH1 Viper attack helicopter could be produced in Romania in four to five years.
He said during a press conference he was in March in Romania, as part of the economic talks between Romania and the US, to see the opportunities in the industry and that this week he will visit all aerospace companies to assess industry opportunities, ziare.com reports.
Harris added the company is looking for a sound international partner to have international production. “I believe this partner is Romania, in four to five years,” he said. Other countries are considered as well, he said, stressing that Romania has the highest potential in Europe. The Bell Helicopter representative said the employees need to be trained in the US.
He also presented an older project by Bell, which, together with Ghimbav Braşov, was to build the ‘Dracula’ helicopter in late 1990s, a project that was not completed due to the political context.
The evaluation will take place during the summer and, by October we will have a better view of the situation. The other Textron family companies, as well as the partners in the H1 programme, are also involved in the evaluation. Talks were held with several Romanian companies to bid for the production of components for this type of helicopter, such as the helicopter tail or other few components, Harris said.
Bell AH1 Viper, he explained, is a particularly modern attack helicopter that is currently produced by Bell Helicopter for the American Navy. It has projectile armour of up to 23 mm calibre, air-to-air missiles and a range, with two additional tanks, of 575 km.
Asked about the time needed to begin the helicopter construction in Romania, Richard Harris mentioned that it is a fairly slow process, about four to five years.
Currently, Bell helicopters are produced only in the United States. The company is looking for the first strong international partner to allow us to have international production, Richard Harris said.
A helicopter costs about USD 30 million, but the operating costs are 30% lower than for any other attack helicopter in the world.
The Bell Helicopter Vice President said Romania was not necessarily on the marketing map, but four years ago, someone approached him and said, ‘Look to Romania’ and that’s what the company did, in terms of aerospace industry, talks were held with the army and the company representatives were impressed.
Richard Harris added that, if looking to US President Donald Trump, at whom he meets, that he went to Saudi Arabia and met Romanian President, this means Romania is a strategic partner within NATO, as is has achieved 2% of GDP for defence. He stressed a new chapter could be opened for Romania in the region in a key position.
