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• The helicopter with special configuration will enter service in 2021 adding to one AW169 sold to Asahi Shimbun newspaper;
• This AW169 is the fourth ordered in Japan, adding to over 170 units sold worldwide;
• Nearly 120 helicopters by Leonardo are in service in Japan today.
Leonardo and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace (aerospace.mitsui.co.jp), the official distributor in Japan for the AW169 and AW139 helicopter models, announced today the signing of a contract with Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for one AW169 light intermediate helicopter. The aircraft, replacing an older model, will be used to perform electronic newsgathering (ENG) operations, with entry into service expected in 2021 following local mission equipment installation and customization. The aircraft will feature an ultra-HD gyrostabilized camera, microwave downlink for live broadcasting and a comprehensive TV mission console.
The order marks the fourth AW169 sale in Japan, the second for ENG tasks following contract from Asahi Shimbun newspaper testifying customer’s satisfaction with the type. The AW169 is perfectly suited to perform electronic newsgathering operations thanks to high performance, cabin space, latest safety standards and versatility. Leonardo has experience a growing presence in Japanese ENG market in recent years with the contracts for ten aircraft including seven AW139s (NHK, Kansai TV, Nippon TV, Chukyo TV), two AW169s and one GrandNew (Asahi Shimbun and ABC). Nearly 120 Leonardo helicopters of various models are in service in Japan today performing a range of missions including EMS, SAR, law enforcement, firefighting, disaster relief, VIP/corporate transport, electronic newsgathering, naval operations.
A versatile, new generation twin engine light intermediate category helicopter, the 4.6/4.8 tonne AW169 has been designed in response to the growing market demand for an aircraft that delivers high performance, meets all the latest safety standards and has multi-role capabilities. Orders for more than 170 AW169 helicopters have been signed by over 70 customers in nearly 30 countries around the world to date for a wide range of applications including air ambulance, law enforcement, executive/corporate transport, electronic newsgathering. Almost 50 units have been already delivered globally.
About Asahi Broadcasting Corporation
Established in 1951, the ABC (asahi.co.jp) is the third oldest commercial broadcaster in Japan. For the past sixty years, ABC has been broadcasting television and radio programs from Osaka, Japan's second largest city. This region in which ABC is located includes Kyoto and Nara, two historical cities full of cultural heritage sites. The area has flourished as the center of Japan's culture and history for more than 1,400 years. Making the best use of all this potential, ABC have and will continue to produce creative and informative programming for the world.
About Leonardo
Leonardo (leonardocompany.com) is among the top ten global players in Aerospace, Defence and Security and Italy’s main industrial company. As a single entity from January 2016, organised into seven business divisions (Helicopters; Aircraft; Aero-structures; Airborne & Space Systems; Land & Naval Defence Electronics; Defence Systems; Security & Information Systems), Leonardo operates in the most competitive international markets by leveraging its areas of technology and product leadership. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), at 31 December 2016 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of 12 billion Euros and has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the UK, the U.S. and Poland.
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