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Leonardo set to deliver next stage of AW159 Wildcat support in UK
April 13, 2022 By Helicopters Staff
New Leonardo contract will contract will sustain more than 340 industry jobs in the South West of England. (Photo: Leonardo) Leonardo on April 6 announced it will now deliver the next stage of the Wildcat Integrated Support and Training (WIST) contract, which confirms the next five-year period of the 34-year contract originally signed in 2012.
This £360 million contract awarded last year marks the continued delivery of support services for the UK’s fleet of AW159 Wildcat helicopters to the British Armed Forces. The WIST contract includes a spares provisioning service, a 3-Year Scheduled Maintenance service, enhanced technical support services including aircraft safety management, as well as delivering synthetic and ground-based training for both aircrew and maintainers.
“Wildcat helicopters play a vital role in supporting our Armed Forces through reconnaissance, protection and transport,” said UK Defence Minister Jeremy Quin. “I am delighted they will continue to receive high-quality technical support and training from Leonardo UK.”
The contract will sustain over 340 industry jobs, mainly in the South West of England at RNAS Yeovilton where the Wildcat Training Centre and frontline squadrons are located and also at Leonardo in Yeovil where the joint Leonardo/Ministry of Defence WIST project office is located.
“The next tranche of the Wildcat Integrated Support and Training contract ensures the British Armed Forces have the right equipment, training and support to continue to meet their operational needs,” said Simon Jones, VP of Customer Support and Training at Leonardo Helicopters UK. “Through collaboration and partnerships, WIST maintains UK rotary wing capabilities onshore through the centre’s cutting-edge technologies and a highly-skilled workforce.”
The twin-engine AW159 helicopter described by Leonardo as a modern, multi-role and agile platform utilized for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) roles around the world. The platform recently surpassed 80,000 flight hours across its global fleet. To date more than 70 AW159s in a variety of roles have been delivered to battlefield and maritime military operators around the world.
