Text Fwd: [ROK] Coast Guard Orders 3rd AW139 Helicopter

Korea Times
12-23-2009 22:31
Coast Guard Orders 3rd AW139 Helicopter
By Jung Sung-ki, Staff Reporter

AgustaWestland has signed a contract to deliver a third AW139 medium-twin helicopter to the Korea Coast Guard (KCG), the U.K.- and Italy-based company said Wednesday.

On Dec. 10, the first two AW139 maritime patrol helicopters were handed over to the KCG during a ceremony held at Gimpo Airport in Seoul.

The latest order represents the sixth AW139 helicopter to be sold to South Korea, the firm said in a news release.

Earlier this year, the first AW139 was delivered to the Gangwon Fire Department, and Samsung Corp. recently received its first of two AW139s to be used for VIP and corporate transport.

"The contract for a third AW139 helicopter not only demonstrates the expansion of the AW139 into the demanding and rigorous role of offshore search and rescue but indicates how the AW139 is highly regarded by organizations such as the Korea Coast Guard," Andrew Symonds, vice president of the Northeast Asia branch of AgustaWestland, said.

The KCG's AW139 will be used for maritime patrol, search-and-rescue (SAR) and emergency medical service (EMS) missions and will be equipped with Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR), search/weather radar, rescue hoist and emergency flotation systems, as well as a four-axis autopilot with SAR modes, it said.

Designed with multi-role capability and a flexibility of operation, the twin-turbine helicopter is capable of carrying up to 15 passengers or six cots with four medical attendants at its highest speed. It boasts the most spacious cabin and best power reserve among helicopters in the medium twin-engine class, according to the company.
The helicopter has a top cruising speed of 311 kilometers per hour and a maximum takeoff weight of 14,110 pounds. It has a maximum range of 1,250 kilometers and an endurance of nearly six hours.

The helicopter can perform in a wide range of roles, including maritime protection, SAR, law enforcement, EMS, offshore transportation and VIP transport. Orders for nearly 440 AW139s have been placed by around 120 customers globally, the release said.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr