LAWS SET TO MEET DEFENCE SECRETARY OVER HELICOPTER ORDER

The Defence Secretary announced on 15th December that the Government plans to order 22 new Chinook helicopters from the US firm, Boeing. David Laws has pressed for these to be built under licence by AgustaWestland, rather than being built in the USA.

 

David Laws MP said:

 

“I will be meeting the Defence Secretary to ask him to instruct his officials to look seriously at the option of ordering the Chinook helicopters through AgustaWestland under the existing licence with Boeing.

“This would help to secure key engineering jobs in Yeovil and in the AgustaWestland group, and it would ensure that we use Westland’s expertise in preparing helicopters for use by the UK armed forces.

 “Given that there is a Defence Industrial Partnership between the Ministry of Defence and Westland, I do not understand why the MOD has not already committed resources to investigate this option. It should be possible for Westland to meet the existing Ministry of Defence requirements in relation to costs and delivery timescales, and we fully accept how important this is.

“In the light of the recent cancellation of the Future Medium Helicopter, this contract is particularly important to Westland. I will also go on arguing the case for the existing ageing Puma helicopters to be replaced with new Westland Merlin helicopters, rather than being temporarily patched up, at high cost.”