NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.–Northrop Grumman [NOC] and AgustaWestland signed a teaming agreement to compete for both the Air Force’s Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) program and the Navy’s new Marine One presidential helicopter program, according to a Northrop Grumman statement.
Northrop Grumman will offer a helicopter based on the AW101 platform and built in the United States.
Earlier this year, Sikorsky [UTX] and Lockheed Martin [LMT] said they were planning to bid a modified UH-60M for Air Force’s CRH program. They also plan to bid the Sikorsky S-92 for the Marine One replacement.
The agreement announced recently at the Air Force Association symposium pairs Northrop Grumman’s management and systems integration expertise with AgustaWestland’s rotorcraft manufacturing and and advanced helicopter design and development. The AW101 system will offer both programs a mix of capability to successfully bring the best combat rescue helicopter to the Air Force and best possible presidential helicopter to the Navy-Marine Corps team.
“While Northrop Grumman has broad expertise in systems integration of large aircraft programs, AgustaWestland has world-leading expertise in global rotorcraft and vertical lift,” Paul Meyer, Northrop Grumman vice president and general manager of advanced programs and technology in the company’s aerospace systems sector. “We believe that this industry partnership will bring together the best experience, expertise and resources, ensuring that the customer receives the best solution.”
AgustaWestland is a division of Finmeccanica.