HUNDREDS of jobs could be created at Airbus' Broughton plant if the company lands the contract to build helicopters for the RAF.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced plans to replace its Royal Air Force fleet of 23 Puma HC2 helicopters earlier this year.
A smaller number of helicopters operated by the British Army would also be replaced as part of the programme.
Airbus is hoping its H175M super-medium-twin helicopter will be selected to replace the fleet.
The aerospace firm has now said that Broughton will be the location of the final assembly line for the H175M should it land the deal.
Airbus’ H175 helicopters would be built at Broughton. Image: Airbus
Airbus said: "Airbus Helicopters in the UK is aware of the Government's intention to retire the Airbus Puma HC2 medium helicopter fleet, along with certain other types, in the middle of this decade and to seek a replacement known as the New Medium Helicopter (NMH).
"While we (Airbus Heli) await the issue by the Ministry of Defence of its formal specification, we firmly believe the Airbus H175M is fully capable of fulfilling the UK's NMH needs and of becoming a sustainable UK export product with the potential to resurrect the capacity and capability of the UK's helicopter industry, in part through the creation of a new helicopter plant at the existing Airbus commercial aircraft site in Broughton, North Wales.
"The civil variant of the H175 is by far the most capable super medium aircraft on the market, with 26 already in daily North Sea operation off the coast of the UK, and excellent export prospects for the proposed military variant.
"We look forward to taking part in the competition to provide the NMH and if successful we are ready to invest substantially in the UK to create an advanced new helicopter manufacturing/assembly facility directly employing many skilled Airbus workers and sustaining hundreds more jobs in the wider UK supply chain.
"This activity would support the government's levelling up agenda and create an attractive exportable product capable of serving military customers worldwide."
Airbus Broughton
The H175 is a record-setting helicopter, establishing a time-to-climb record of 6,000 metres in six minutes and 54 seconds, and a time-to-climb record of 3,000 metres in three min and10 seconds.
Airbus Helicopters faces competition from Leonardo Helicopters, which intends to build its AW149 helicopter in Yeovil, and potentially Sikorsky's UH-60/S-70i Black Hawk.
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