OREANDA-NEWS. June 22, 2011. Russian Helicopters (subsidiary of JSC UIC Oboronprom, part of Russian Technologies State Corporation) and AgustaWestland (a Finmeccanica company) are pleased to announce the signing of the final agreements for the firm establishment of HeliVert, a Russian Helicopters and AgustaWestland “equal” joint venture. HeliVert is intended to set up and run a final assembly line plant for the civil AW139 medium twin helicopter in Russia.

The assembly line is being built on a 40,000 m2 site within the industrial area in Tomilino, Moscow region, and is expected to be opened within summer with assembly activities to start in the 4th quarter this year. The plant is planned to assemble up to 15 AW139s per year. The assembly line will meet requirements of the civil markets in Russia and CIS countries. HeliVert’s management will be expressed equally by Russian Helicopters and AgustaWestland appointing the General Director and Deputy Director respectively. Total headcount at maximum capacity will exceed 100 employees.

This agreement is the latest achievement under the framework of the strategic cooperation between UIC Oboronprom and AgustaWestland which started in the summer of 2007 and follows the assembly line groundbreaking ceremony held in June 2010.

Dmitry Petrov, Chief Executive Officer, Russian Helicopters, JSC said “In this highly effective partnership we expect to gain mutual technological and market benefits exchanging production culture and experience to deliver one of the best helicopter products to Russia and CIS.”

Bruno Spagnolini, Chief Executive Officer, AgustaWestland said “We are happy to have come to this latest stage of our strategic partnership which paves the path for a bright future of industrial collaboration with Russian Helicopters through the best selling medium twin helicopter in the world market. We are confident the AW139 will prove capable to meet a range of requirements in the Russian and CIS civil markets for years to come.”

Paving the path to start building the plant in Russia a time capsule in the base of the foundation at the industrial area in Tomilino was placed during a ground-breaking ceremony on June 22th 2010.