Den Haag, The Netherlands, August 7, 2008 – (NYSE: CGT; TSX: CAE) – Rotorsim, the consortium owned equally by CAE and AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, today announced it has signed contracts with the Netherlands Ministry of Defence to provide comprehensive NH90 helicopter training systems and services.  The total value of the contracts is approximately €50 million (C$80 million). As part of the Joint NH90 Training Program (JNTP), Rotorsim will have prime contractor responsibility for providing one NH90 full-mission flight trainer (FMFT) and an NH90 virtual sensor trainer for training rear crew sensor operators.  This will be the first NH90 FMFT for the naval variant (NFH – NATO Frigate Helicopter) of the NH90 helicopter, which is designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missions.  Following delivery of the NH90 training devices to the Rotorsim Training Centre in 2011, Rotorsim will then have a multi-year responsibility for operation and maintenance services of the NH90 training systems.

 
Rotorsim will subcontract the NH90 FMFT design and manufacture to Helicopter Training Media International (HTMI), a CAE and Thales joint venture established to develop synthetic training media for the NH90 helicopter.  The simulator will feature a roll-on/roll-off cockpit design, and the cockpit will also be reconfigurable between the NFH and Tactical Transport (TTH) variants of the NH90 helicopter. In addition, Rotorsim will offer third-party NH90 training to other military operators of the NH90 helicopter.  AgustaWestland, which has responsibility for the overall integration of the NH90 naval mission system for all NH90 naval helicopters, will provide the data package for the simulator.

“This is a key win for CAE and AgustaWestland through our Rotorsim consortium,” said Marc Parent, CAE’s Group President, Simulation Products and Military Training & Services.  “We’re pleased to be leading the development of the first NH90 training program for the naval variant of the helicopter, and look forward to Rotorsim being able to offer comprehensive third-party training services to militaries operating the NH90.”

John Ponsonby, Senior Vice President, Training, AgustaWestland said, ”This is an outstanding achievement for all involved in bringing this program to contract.  This is a major milestone for the Rotorsim consortium and reinforces the continuing development of Rotorsim’s capabilities firmly into the military marketplace.”

CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modelling technologies and integrated training solutions for the civil aviation industry and defence forces around the globe. With annual revenues exceeding C$1.4 billion, CAE employs approximately 7,000 people at more than 75 sites and training locations in 20 countries. We have the largest installed base of civil and military full-flight simulators and training devices. Through our global network of 27 civil aviation and military training centres, we train more than 75,000 crewmembers yearly. We also offer modelling and simulation software to various market segments and through CAE’s professional services division, we assist customers with a wide range of simulation-based needs.  www.cae.com

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is a technology leader in its markets and has an unrivalled range of rotorcraft products designed to satisfy the requirements of commercial and military customers. AgustaWestland has its main operations in Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Source: AGUSTAWESTLAND
For further information about AGUSTAWESTLAND, click here