이탈리아 핀메카니카의 미국 진출 전략, Finmeccanica seeks U.S. market..

 

이탈리아 Finmeccanica 그룹의 미국 시장 진출 관련 AW&ST 3월 15일자 기사입니다. 막대한 예산 문제로 취소되었던 미국 대통령

전용헬기사업의 (Marine one) 재추진이 조심스럽게 거론되고 있는 가운데, 계열사 AgustaWestland 의 VH-71 Kestrel (AW101) 을

다시 후보기종으로 참여할 것이라는 내용입니다.

 

또한 미 공군과 육군의 헬기도입사업에 대한 수주사업 추진과 동시에, 미국 Bell 社와 JV 형태로 추진하고 있는 민수용 Tiltrotor 개발

사업 역시 Bell 사의 지분을 사들여 개발에 속도를 낸다는 내용입니다.

 

무엇보다 이번 기사에서 관심이 가는 부분은, 미 공군의 고등훈련기 교체사업 관련이라 하겠습니다. 그동안 Alenia Aermacchi 는

미 공군 T-38 훈련기 대체 사업에 독자적으로 혹은 미국내 파트너를 통해 참가하겠다고 밝힌 바 있습니다. 그러나 이번 기사에서는

일단 단독 참가 방침은 배제하고, 현재 싱가포르 공군의 고등훈련기 도입사업에 미 보잉사와 함께 참여한 것처럼 미 공군 고등훈련기

도입사업에서도 보잉과 같이 참여할 뜻이 있음을 언급했다는 점 입니다. 당초 노스롭그루먼과 진행한 협상은 일단 결렬된 것으로 언

급하고 있습니다.

 

향후 미 공군 고등훈련기 도입사업이 본 궤도에 오르면, [대한민국 KAI + 미 Lockheed Martin 의 T-50 Golden Eagle] 과 [이탈리아

Alenia Aermacchi + Boeing 의 M-346 Master], 두 기종간의 치열한 경쟁이 예상될 것으로 보입니다. 물론 현재 보잉의 정확한 입장

은 알려진 바 없습니다. 보잉 역시 독자 모델로 승부를 할지 아니면 Aermacchi 와 공동참여를 할지 좀더 지켜봐야 할 부분입니다.

 

앞서 소개했던 미 대통령 전용헬기사업 재추진 소식을 링크 합니다.  --->  US Marine one VH-71

 

 

  VH-71 PP-1 (ⓒ Lockheed Martin Co.)

 

American Ambitions

Presidential helo, other competitions will test Finmeccanica’s U.S. strategy

Aviation Week & Space Technology    03/15/2010

Author : Andy Nativi

 

Finmeccanica is looking to further increase its business activity in the U.S., capitalizing on its acquisition of DRS Technologies.

 

The company has long eyed the U.S. and, through a growing industrial footprint, has tried to make it a “home market” in addition to Italy and the U.K. A round of upcoming helicopter competitions will prove a crucial test case for that business plan.

 

Most visible will be AgustaWestland’s effort to once more secure the contract to supply the White House with a presidential helicopter. Finmeccanica was part of a team led by Lockheed Martin selected in the original VXX competition to produce a version of the AW101 as the presidential helicopter, before the contracting agency, the U.S. Navy, terminated the deal after requirements changed. Recently, the Navy launched the Presidential Vertical Lift Platform Analysis of Alternatives which aims to replace the White House’s VH-3D/VH-60N in 2017-23.

 

Although the cancellation of the VXX was badly received in Italy, and termination liability negotiations are still underway, Finmeccanica Chairman and CEO Pier Francesco Guarguaglini says AgustaWestland will again make a run at the program. However, this time the industrial setup could be very different. Lockheed Martin has indicated it may not be interested in serving as prime contractor yet again, Guarguaglini says.

 

That has the Italian company weighing its options. one possibility is for DRS Technologies to play a bigger role and do much of the systems-integration activity that Lockheed Martin would have done. Other U.S. industrial partners are also in the mix, though. For instance, Finmeccanica already has strong ties with L-3 Communications through their partnership on the C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft, and relations with Boeing also are on the mend after a difficult period.

 

There is no rush to decide. Guarguaglini says strategic options will be considered for another 1.5-2 years, with the presidential helicopter project still in its early stage.

 

For now, after reviewing the tentative demands the U.S. Navy has spelled out, AgustaWestland officials are optimistic about their chances. They believe the range, speed and payload are a good match for the AW101. In particular, they say the requirements do not support a serious tiltrotor offering. Finmeccanica estimates the value of the presidential helicopter as $7-10 billion.

 

But AgustaWestland also has other targets in sight. It plans to offer the AW139 helicopter for the U.S. Air Force Common Vertical Lift Support Platform program, where it will face sjpeg competition not just from U.S. manufacturers but also Eurocopter. The program would be worth about $2 billion. The AW139, assembled in Philadelpha, could also find its way into the foreign military sales market.

 

Furthermore, the AW119 is slated to be proposed for the U.S. Army Armed Aerial Scout project. There, too, the company will be fighting against multiple rivals, with Eurocopter planning to bid the EC635 and Boeing and Bell also in the running.

 

By mid-year, Guarguaglini also hopes to have wrapped up discussions with Bell Helicopter over how to restructure their joint venture on the BA609 tiltrotor. The BA609 is one of the two programs (the other being the AW139) run by the Bell/Agusta Aerospace Co. joint venture. AgustaWestland has been gradually increasing its role, buying out Bell’s 25% share in the AW139 and raising its responsibility on the BA609 to 40% from 25%. Now it is discussing the acquisition of the remaining 60% of the BA609.

 

Facilitating the discussion is the fact that the BA609 needs another $1 billion to complete development and be readied for production. Bell would receive royalty payments on BA609 sales to help fund the buyout.

 

AgustaWestland considers the BA609 key to its U.S. and global strategy.

 

In addition to the rotorcraft activity, Finmeccanica is refining its plans to offer the M-346 advanced jet trainer for the U.S. T-X program to replace Northrop Grumman T-38s. The company has scrapped the notion of serving as a prime contractor, and instead is looking for a U.S. partner.

 

Finmeccanica has discussed the program with Northrop Grumman, but early enthusiasm appears to have cooled. on the other hand, Alenia Aermacchi and Boeing have jointly offered the M-346 to Singapore and could bid together again in other markets, such as Saudi Arabia, and possibly also the U.S.

 

Guarguaglini says his company’s strategy could lead to two types of M-346 being available for export, either the Italian system already on the market, or the U.S. system through foreign military sales. The approach mirrors effectively what is already taking place with the C-27J tactical transport.

 

The potential teaming with Boeing on the M-346 would be aided by improved relations between the two companies after difficulties involving their collaboration on the Boeing 787 commercial twin-widebody.

 

Boeing and Alenia Aeronautica have now resolved the payment structure for the first 200 airframe section shipsets, including the thorny question of who has to bear the financial burden stemming from the delayed production. A further agreement, covering industrial cooperation, investments, production and materiel costs, is still being finalized, says Finmeccanica Chief Financial Officer Alessandro Pansa. The hope was to close by the end of March, but a few more weeks could be needed to address financial and technical details.

 

  VH-71 PP-1 (ⓒ Lockheed Martin Co.)

 

  VH-71 TV-2 (ⓒ Lockheed Martin Co.)

 

  VH-71 PP-1 (ⓒ Lockheed Martin Co.)

 

  M-346 Master (ⓒ Alenia Aermacchi)