Airbus and majority Romania’s IAR Brasov signed an agreement for exclusive cooperation on Romanian H215M multi-role helicopters, Airbus said April 13.
Under the general agreement, IAR will become the prime contractor for any Airbus-produced H215M helicopters that the Romania Minister of Defense may order to replace their maturing fleet.
Airbus inaugurated its Airbus Helicopters Industries factory in Brasov, Romania in 2016. The facility is set to house production of the H215 in Romania.
Neculai Banea, general director of IAR highlighted the agreement comes after decades of cooperation between the companies.
“IAR has built around 360 helicopters under license thanks to this successful partnership with Airbus Helicopters and we are looking forward to customizing and supporting the H215M,” he said in a statement.
“We are convinced that this relationship will last another 50 years and that the H215M will correspond perfectly to the needs of the Romanian armies” Olivier Michalon, Airbus Helicopter’s senior vice president and head of Europe region, added.
IAR Brasov is a majority state-owned Romania company that focuses on aeronautics and particularly helicopter manufacturing and maintenance.