{"id":35793,"date":"2015-11-10T10:02:49","date_gmt":"2015-11-10T10:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2015\/11\/10\/uae-picks-aw609-for-tiltrotor-requirement\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:52:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:52:07","slug":"uae-picks-aw609-for-tiltrotor-requirement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/thought-leadership\/2015\/11\/10\/uae-picks-aw609-for-tiltrotor-requirement\/","title":{"rendered":"UAE Picks AW609 for Tiltrotor Requirement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>Correction: This story\u00a0originally\u00a0stated that the AW609 had defeated Bell Boeing&#8217;s V-22 in a competition. It has been updated to reflect new information about Bell\u00a0Boeing&#8217;s ongoing discussions with the UAE.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Originally published at\u00a07:49 a.m. on Nov. 10.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DUBAI \u2014 The United Arab Emirates has selected the AW609 design from AgustaWestland to fulfill its requirement for a tiltrotor search and rescue aircraft, the Armed Forces&#8217; Joint Aviation Command announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, a senior Boeing official told Defense News late Tuesday that the agreement should have no impact on ongoing discussions with the UAE about Bell Boeing&#8217;s V-22 design,\u00a0as the company is targeting a different mission for the Osprey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The selection of the AW609 gives a launch customer for the search and rescue design of the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The selection of the AW609, which was chosen over Bell Boeing&#8217;s\u00a0V-22 design, gives a launch customer for the SAR design of the aircraft \u2014 and appeared to catch the Bell Boeing team by surprise, with a Bell executive expressing hope for a deal with the UAE to Defense News just 15 minutes before the announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Delivery of the first three aircraft is expected to start in the &#8220;2019 timeframe,&#8221; AgustaWestland said in a news release, while the UAE holds options on three more aircraft. The systems will be operated by the UAE&#8217;s Joint Aviation Command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The UAE is about to sign a contract for buying three AgustaWestland\u00a0609s for the Joint Aviation Command,&#8221; announced Maj. Gen. Abdullah Al Hashimi, the executive director of Strategic Analysis at the UAE Ministry of Defense. &#8220;We have signed a memorandum of understanding with AgustaWestland and wanted to announce our interest in the aircrafts, [and] contracts will be signed soon.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al Hashimi later noted that &#8220;a contract amount has not been decided as we are still negotiating.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Added Brigadier pilot Saeed Al-Ali, from the UAE Armed Forces Joint Aviation Command, &#8220;the negotiations are still going on, the deal is almost closed, but we are negotiating small things and we are going over it and it will be done soon.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Big Win for AgustaWestland<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the AW609 has beaten the Bell Boeing V22 in the UAE, it would give some satisfaction to AgustaWestland, since the aircraft started life as a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Bell, only for the US firm to abandon the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The announcement is particularly notable given a catastrophic crash of a prototype aircraft just days ago.\u00a0A prototype AW609 crashed during a test flight in Italy on Oct.\u00a030, killing the two pilots on board. Witnesses reported the aircraft descending in flames as the pilots steered it away from houses to crash in a non-populated area. No reason for the incident has been given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The AW609 award comes at a key time for the AgustaWestland project, given a catastrophic crash of a prototype aircraft just days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A prototype AW609 crashed during a test flight in Italy on Oct.\u00a030, killing the two pilots. Witnesses reported the aircraft descended\u00a0in flames as the pilots steered away from houses to crash in a unpopulated area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The AW609 was selected due to its capabilities and flexibility, Al Hashimi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;This is a longer-range aircraft, which is slightly different to helicopter search-and-rescue aircraft,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The reason we bought this aircraft is because it gives a longer capacity of staying in the air, better ability of picking up the injured so the capability gives us flexibility between rotor and fixed wing.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The company claims a max speed of 275 knots and a range of 750 nautical miles for the AW609 design purchased by the UAE. However, it is possible the UAE could benefit from future system upgrades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AgustaWestland has been hard at work trying to add upgrades to the AW609. On March 3, the Italian firm said it was planning to increase maximum takeoff weight to 18,000 pounds thanks to engine upgrades, landing gear modifications and better flight control techniques. In short, the firm said then, the AW609 would be able to fly 500 nautical miles in two hours carrying nine passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The AW609 development is currently on track, an AgustaWestland official told Defense News after the contract was awarded.\u00a0However, the aircraft has been not been\u00a0designed to handle combat situations but to handle commercial and light operations for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The official added that short takeoff testing for the aircraft started last year and that the company aims to bring a maximum range of over 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) using under-wing fuel tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He added that there is interest from worldwide customers to buy 60 of the aircraft, while the UAE Joint Aviation Command is the launch SAR\u00a0variant\u00a0customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The two teams will be working together and the UAE team will tell us the specific requirements for the search and rescue on the 609,&#8221; said Daniele Romiti, chief executive officer for AgustaWestland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The equipment inside will be dedicated to rescue and medical materials and equipment and depending on the kind of accommodation internally we can bring two or four strechers,&#8221; Romiti added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Al Hashimi added that the choice of the AW609 was not driven by the UAE&#8217;s experiences in the Saudi-led Yemen operations, but instead is due to the &#8220;mission capability&#8221; provided by the tiltrotor design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Joint Aviation Command is familiar with AgustaWestland products, as it operates eleven AW139 helicopters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Italian Navy and Army have suggested they would be interested in acquiring the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>No V-22 Selection<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>V-22 Requirement Remains<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The loss is a setback for the Bell Boeing designed V-22, which had been on a hot streak recently. The design was selected by Japan in November, marking the first foreign military sale of the aircraft, and has strong interest from Israel&#8217;s military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A senior Boeing official told Defense News that the UAE is talking with the V-22 team about &#8220;a\u00a0different capability&#8221; than the search and rescue capability filled by the AW209 design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;That&#8217;s not what they&#8217;re\u00a0talking to us about,&#8221; the official said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve been talking in a different direction, much more than search and rescue.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, Bell made it clear the AW609 deal should not impact a potential agreement with the UAE on the V-22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;There was not a competition for the search and rescue mission requirement for which the AW609 was selected,&#8221; Bell spokesperson Bridget Hall said in a statement. &#8220;The V-22 and the AW609 are simply not competitors in the market \u2013 one is a civil\/commercial aircraft that may eventually be certified for use and the other is a military platform that is currently in production and is in operation around the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;While we cannot disclose any specifics in the case of potential FMS sales, there are ongoing government-to-government discussions about the V-22 for other missions, as the V-22 has the unique capability to fulfill missions other platforms cannot.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The V-22 is used primarily by the US Marines, which has a standing requirement for 360 MV-22 units around the world. The US Air Force has a requirement for 52 of the CV-22 variant. The Navy recently selected the aircraft to replace the C-2 Greyhound for the carrier-onboard-delivery mission, and will buy 44 aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"rte rte-comment\">The decision seemed to take Bell Helicopter by surprise. <\/span>Before the AW609 announcement, Richard Harris, Bell&#8217;s vice president for international military business sales, told Defense News that the UAE has &#8220;a lot of interest right now&#8221; in the V-22. <img decoding=\"async\" align=\"left\" alternate=\"\" assetid=\"75501222\" assettype=\"oEmbed\" class=\"imgAsset middle\" credit=\"\" cutline=\"\" providername=\"{providername}\" src=\"\/Portals\/_default\/Skins\/PrestoLegacy\/CommonCss\/images\/smartembed.png\" style=\"float: left;\" title=\"Italian Military, Industry Eye Tilt rotors [ID=75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222] [oEmbed : 75501222]\" width=\"50px\"\/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, he said the company expects\u00a0to see interest from other countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;If you take a look at some of the other Gulf states and how they&#8217;ve been increasing their involvement in areas like Yemen and what&#8217;s happening with ISIS, everybody has a vested interest in personnel recovery, combat search and rescue.\u00a0I think there&#8217;s some special ops forces missions that this aircraft does very well,&#8221; Harris said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Harris added that he anticipates demand in the Pacific region in the coming years, particularly from South Korea, Singapore and Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Marine Corps was also unaware of the UAE&#8217;s decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span class=\"rte rte-comment\">&#8220;I was not aware of that,&#8221; <\/span>Col. Dan Robinson, V-22 program manager, told reporters during a news\u00a0conference an hour after the deal was announced<span class=\"rte rte-comment\">. He added<\/span> that he is &#8220;not that concerned&#8221; that the UAE chose a different tiltrotor platform for the search-and-rescue mission, because the V-22 has the unique capability to fulfill missions other platforms can\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Navy is in negotiations for the third multiyear contract for the aircraft. Bell-Boeing and the Navy are desperately seeking additional international and domestic customers to reduce the aircraft&#8217;s unit cost. The program office needs a commitment by June 2016 to include the additional customers in the base multiyear contract, Robinson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The quantities of the first three years from a production line, smooth flow perspective is not what we&#8217;re looking for or what Bell-Boeing is looking for,&#8221; Robinson said. &#8220;There is an opportunity with capacity there for foreign military sales to help us out there.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The multiyear strategy, which must be approved by Congress, could reduce unit cost of the aircraft by 10 percent, Robinson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the interview, Harris touted the V-22&#8217;s speed and versatility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;A helicopter sitting there cruising at 100, 125 miles an hour\u00a0just can&#8217;t keep up with a V-22, which can take off and &#8230; immediately transition to be an aircraft going 250, 260 miles per hour,&#8221; Harris said. &#8220;That dynamic alone \u2026 it kind of makes everything else before it obsolete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Tom Kington contributed to this report.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Email: <a href=\"mailto:amustafa@defensenews.com\">amustafa@defensenews.com<\/a> | <a href=\"mailto:amehta@defensenews.com\">amehta@defensenews.com<\/a> | <a href=\"mailto:lseligman@defensenews.com\">lseligman@defensenews.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Twitter: <a href=\"http:\/\/Twitter.com\/Awadz\">@Awadz<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/Twitter.com\/AaronMehta\">@AaronMehta<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/Twitter.com\/LaraSeligman\">@LaraSeligman<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The UAE will operate the AgustaWestland AW609 for search and rescue operations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":77579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[29,33,24],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3433],"class_list":["post-35793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-show-dailies","category-home","category-thought-leadership"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"VLCRGMPZLRCALKDORXHQNDF2NQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/thought-leadership\/digital-show-dailies\/dubai-air-show\/2015\/11\/10\/uae-picks-aw609-for-tiltrotor-requirement\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UAE Picks AW609 for Tiltrotor Requirement - Defense News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The UAE will operate the AgustaWestland AW609 for search and rescue operations.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"UAE Picks AW609 for Tiltrotor Requirement\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The UAE will operate the AgustaWestland AW609 for search and rescue operations.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/thought-leadership\/2015\/11\/10\/uae-picks-aw609-for-tiltrotor-requirement\/\" \/>\n<meta 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