Jobs In Italy Would Be Affected, He Says

In a letter to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Italian Defense Minister Ignazio La Russa has asked that the Pentagon continue with the VH-71 program, which Gates says is late and over budget.

The helicopter would be the new version of "Marine 1", which transports the President. Prime contractor Lockheed Martin based the VH-71 on the AW101 helicopter built by Italian firm AgustaWestland in Italy and the United Kingdom.

Defense News reports that, in the letter to Gates, La Russa "expressed his concerns over the ongoing debate about the presidential helicopter, offered the assistance of the Italian government, and called for close cooperation by the manufacturer in order to find the most opportune way to successfully realize the program". 

"The cancellation of the VH-71 program would negatively impact jobs and the industrial base in Italy and the U.K. It is fundamental for all allied countries to maintain a strong, autonomous defense industrial capability, and this program is a key element in the pursuit of that strategy," La Russa wrote.

The Pentagon halted work on the program after AugustaWestland had delivered nine helicopters, four of which were test versions.

FMI: www.agustawestland.com