Agusta Opens Australian Office To Support Bid (Feb. 17)
Amedeo Caporaletti, Chairman and CEO of Agusta has opened the company's new Australian headquarters in Canberra last Wednesday, 16th February 2000.
The opening celebrations were attended by The Hon John Moore MP Minister for Defense, The Hon Bruce Scott MP Minister for Veterans' Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defense, The Hon John Fahey MP Minister for Finance and Administration, the Italian Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Giovanni Castellaneta and the Managing Director of the Tenix Group, Paul Salteri.
Agusta has established its new Australian headquarters in Canberra to support their tender bid for the Department of Defence Air 87 program. This competitive tender calls for the provision of 26 armed reconnaissance helicopters for the Australian Army.
Agusta is competing in the Air 87 tender with the A129 Scorpion, the company's latest technology reconnaissance/attack helicopter. The Scorpion is a multi-role, day/night and all weather helicopter that is an international benchmark for cost-effective force multiplication. It is an updated version of the reconnaissance/attack helicopter proven by the Italian Army in Somalia and Kosovo. The aircraft is designed for high intensity war operations against high technology and sophisticated threats as well as for support and deterrence in peacekeeping operations.
The Scorpion for Air 87 will be an Australian aircraft. In addition to assembling the helicopter and related systems, Australian Industry will be given the opportunity to participate in the development, maintenance and through life support of the Scorpion fleet.
Agusta has teamed with the Tenix Group, Australia's only wholly owned defense contractor, in its bid for the Air 87 tender. The Tenix Group is Australia's largest defense and high technology contractor, earning more than $1 billion per year and employing more than 4,000 people from across Australia
