AIRBUS has recruited Boeing in its bid to win a prize Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to build a new fleet of helicopters at Broughton.

The MoD announced the competition in 2021 - which sees companies vying for the chance to cater for the UK's New Medium Helicopter requirement.

If Airbus is successful in winning the contract - worth an estimated £1.2 billion - the company will produce hundreds of its super-medium class H175M aircrafts.

It would be produced at a new helicopter production facility at the Broughton site. The West Factory, where the A380s were manufactured before production was ceased, would be the likely production site for the H175Ms.

Airbus has said this would create several hundred new jobs at the site, as well as sustaining thousands more throughout the UK supply chain including in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

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The company has announced that Boeing Defence UK would provide aircrew, groundcrew and maintenance training, if the super-medium class Airbus H175M is selected.

Boeing joins a UK-based industry team created to offer, supply and support the British-built H175M which includes some of the most respected players in international aerospace.

Lenny Brown, managing director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK, said: “Boeing Defence UK is rightly respected in this country for its long-standing support of the British Chinook and Apache fleets.

"As training services partner it completes a rock-solid line-up of UK-based first tier aerospace partners who bring a guarantee of world-class service provision to the UK Ministry of Defence for decades to come.”

Steve Burnell, managing director of Boeing Defence UK said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Airbus and join their innovative team of aerospace leaders to meet the UK’s New Medium Helicopter requirement. 

“Our local team has supported the British armed forces for decades, sustaining hundreds of jobs across the country in helicopter training. As a member of the H175M Task Force, we look forward to leveraging our current expertise to ensure availability and readiness for the UK’s future helicopter fleets.”

Launched at the UK’s RIAT 2022 airshow, the H175M Task Force also includes defence and helicopter specialist Babcock fulfilling the critical role of support partner for the H175M in UK service at military operating locations.

Martin Baker, at Denham, Middlesex, with more than 70 years of aerospace experience, is providing specialist troop seating and cabin integration services.

In Belfast, Northern Ireland and Prestwick, Scotland Spirit AeroSystems, already an Airbus partner on the CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft, has begun extensive detailed design and manufacturing activities on the H175M.

In addition, Pratt & Whitney Canada, is formally partnering in the team for which it supplies and supports the highly reputed PT6C-67E turboshaft engines from its market leading family of powerplants.