The Rescue Department of the Ministry of Transport of China - PRC (MOT CRS) has signed a contract for six AW189 twin-engine helicopters which will be deployed on the Chinese coast for search and rescue tasks at sea. Deliveries will be completed by 2023.
The MOT CRS is the only national maritime search and rescue unit and carries out a wide range of missions including interventions in the event of accidents in Chinese waters, rescue and recovery of people, ships and other assets, management of environmental emergencies in the event of loss. of oil in the sea. Furthermore, the MOT CRS acts in accordance with the commitments defined by international conventions and bilateral agreements on transport and rescue at sea on behalf of the Chinese government. MOT CRS currently operates 20 helicopters distributed over eight bases along the coast. The six AW189s will arrive in 2023 to extend search and rescue capability to a range of 200 miles.
Gian Piero Cutillo, Leonardo Helicopters MD, said: “We are delighted to contribute to this vital rescue program of the Chinese Ministry of Transportation. The choice of the AW189 will confer extraordinary capabilities in long-range search and rescue in complex environmental and maritime conditions. We are committed to working together with the operator to bring the new fleet into service ”.
This order confirms Leonardo's position as a global leader in the 'super-medium' helicopter segment - characterized by the ideal combination of large load capacity, range and autonomy together with lower operating costs - and further strengthens the company. in Asia. Prior to the signing of this contract, the Beijing Police had acquired two AW189 helicopters in November 2021 to upgrade its air section for security, search and rescue and firefighting tasks in the metropolitan area of the Chinese capital. The two recent orders thus add the AW189 to the various other Leonardo helicopter models present in China. The growing success of the AW189 on the world market confirms its leadership in the reference category in terms of orders, deliveries, operational applications, operators and flight hours achieved.
Part of Leonardo's latest generation helicopter family, the 8,3 / 8,6 ton AW189 helicopter combines unmatched load capacity and range of advanced technologies to successfully perform a wide range of missions. Among the unique features of this model, the ability of the transmission to continue to operate regularly even in the absence of lubricant for 50 minutes and an auxiliary power unit type APU - Auxiliary Power Unit.
The AW189 is available with over 200 certified kits and comes with a complete support and training package, customized to meet specific operator requirements in order to maximize mission effectiveness and safety. Over 100 AW189s have been ordered worldwide for multiple applications.
Over 200 Leonardo helicopters of various models have been sold to Chinese operators to date for various commercial and public utility tasks.
