June 23, 2010 - Russian Helicopters a subsidiary of JSC UIC Oboronprom, part of Russian Technologies State Corporation and AgustaWestland a Finmeccanica company have announced that the set up of a joint civil AW139 medium twin helicopter final assembly plant started with a ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday.  

A time capsule was laid in the base of the foundation at the industrial area in Tomilino, near Moscow, during the official ceremony which was attended by representatives and dignitaries. The final assembly line is being built on a 131,233 square foot site.  

The projected capacity is in excess of 20 helicopters per year, with production expected to progressively increase, from 5 units in 2011 to a steady state regime in 2015.  

?This is an important event not only for the helicopter industry, but for Russian mechanical engineering as a whole. It is noteworthy that this is happening in difficult financial and economic conditions and proves that the crisis can and must be fought with joint efforts and using all opportunities.? Oboronprom Director General Andrey Reus said. 

?The start of the plant?s construction signifies a new stage of the growing mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and Italian helicopter manufacturers. Thanks to it we will gain access to new technical production solutions and high helicopter servicing quality standards. We will seek to broaden our cooperation, including by gradually localizing Italian helicopter manufacture in Russia.?  

?Russian Helicopters is increasing its presence in foreign markets, delivering Russian rotorcraft to foreign customers and opening service centers,? Russian Helicopters COO Andrei Shibitov said, ?In this respect we are greatly interested in the foreign experience of organizing, managing, planning, certificating production processes and know-how in managing the entire lifecycle of a product. We are set to gain maximum benefit from joint work with our Italian partners. Russian helicopters will strengthen Russia?s commercial positions in the international helicopter market.? 

Giuseppe Orsi, Chief Executive Officer of AgustaWestland added ?It gives us great pleasure to be here with our Russian partners, both concretely and symbolically, laying the foundations of what we are confident will be a bright future of industrial cooperation based on the world best selling AW139. This model has been identified and selected by Russian industry as the benchmark helicopter in its category to meet a variety of demanding requirements in the Russian and CIS civil markets.?