
The Norwegian government intends to sign a contract with AugustaWestland this week for 16 search and rescue helicopters in a deal worth about $1 billion. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security is purchasing the AW101airframe helicopters to replace its aging fleet of Sea King helicopters, which were built by Sikorsky, a division of United Technologies [UTX]. The government and AugustaWestland, a unit of Italy’s Finmeccanica, plan to ink the deal in a signing ceremony Thursday, according to the ministry’s…