Airbus Military signs cooperation agreements in Portugal

Airbus Military has signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Economy and various Portuguese industrial companies in fulfilment of the commitments arising from the sale of a fleet of twelve C295 aircraft for the Portuguese Air Force. These agreements, with a value of several hundred million euros, will boost the Portuguese aerospace industry and strengthen the commitment of Airbus Military to Portugal.

On 1 August an agreement was signed in Lisbon with the Portuguese Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Economy that specified the details of the cooperation framework with Portuguese industrial companies. The agreements confirm that the assembly and production of the central part of the fuselage of the C295 will remain with OGMA, and that technical publications and the development of an improved MITS will be subcontracted to EMPORDEF-TI. GMV Portugal will develop an integrated modular avionics demonstrator and provide training courses for the Brazilian Air Force.

At the same time a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the Portuguese company Salvador Caetano: it includes three work packages, tools, mechanisation and composite materials, with both parties sharing the investment, and will introduce the Portuguese company to the aeronautical sector.

"This agreement is of strategic importance for the company and will permit us to complement our traditional partner in Portugal, OGMA, with whom we share a long history of cooperation," emphasised the CEO of Airbus Military, Domingo Ureña-Raso.

The Portuguese Air Force is an outstanding client of Airbus Military. At present its fleet includes 12 C295, seven of which are the transport version, and the remaining five are for maritime patrols.