Defence Turkey: The Sikorsky S-70i programme, model helicopter, is to be produced in Turkey under a licence as a production model . Could you please inform us about the production model?  How it will be processed and what are the details of the model?

It’s licenced production that we have with TUHP prime contractor, TAI; we signed our agreement with TAI to produce a baseline quantity, of 109 T70 aircraft, which is the Turkish Utility Helicopter, for procurement by SSM that will be utilised by six end users.  The 109 aircraft will be produced in two configurations;  89 aircraft in common utility configuration and 20 aircraft in a forestry  firefighting configuration.   Additionally, the licence enables TAI to manufacture optional aircraft which could take total count of T70s up to 300, representing the base line of 109 with options for 191. Under the licence, TAI is procuring a set of Sikorsky intellectual property, which includes  engineering data, to enable the production of the T70 aircraft. The production will start with TAI performing final assembly and flight tests of the helicopter with Sikorsky starting out providing TAI a kit of all the parts required to produce the Black Hawks.  Over time as TAI’s capabilities increase, through support which Sikorsky will be providing, TAI will increase their manufacturing content and Sikorsky will decrease the content provided in the parts kit. For example, In the first five T-70 aircraft, Sikorsky will provide the cabin and the cockpit portion of the fuselage.  However, by the sixth aircraft, TAI will manufacture their own cabin and cockpit.  Over time, TAI’s work share increases as they grow in capability and Sikorsky’s  work share decreases. That model follows through many components of the helicopter.