(Trinidad Guardian) The Government has awarded a contract worth more than TT$2.1 billion to a subsidiary of an Italian company to supply four helicopters for use by the country’s Air Guard, Web sites and wire services have reported. The contract to AgustaWestland, described as an Anglo-Italian helicopter company, is worth US$348 million (TT$2.1 billion) and will see the Air Guard receiving four AW139 helicopters, starting next year. The contract includes extensive training and logistical support service for five years, according to a Dow Jones news wire report on Friday. The T&T Guardian understands that an AW139 helicopter can retail for up to US$25 million each, according to the fittings and specifications. This means that the training and logistical support aspect of the contract could amount to as much as US$248 million. The Guardian was unable to determine what procurement process was used to acquire the helicopters.

The Air Guard (TTAG) will establish a dedicated unit to use these helicopters for search and rescue, surface surveillance, law enforcement, drug interdiction and disaster relief operations. The AW139 is reported to be the best selling medium twin-engined helicopter in the world.

To date, almost 440 orders for this helicopter have been placed by nearly 120 customers, in more than 40 countries, for a wide variety of applications, including EMS/SAR (Emergency Medical Service/ Search and Rescue), law enforcement, offshore transport, VIP/corporate transport, fire-fighting, utility and other commercial and government roles. The twin-engined helicopter was originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139.

But Bell withdrew from the project, which was then renamed the AW139. The helicopter can seat up to 15 passengers. AgustaWestland is a subsidiary of the Italian defence and aerospace company inmeccanica.

Acquisition of the four helicopters is part of a strategy, first outlined in the 2003 budget speech by Prime Minister Patrick Manning, to upgrade the country’s national security capacity. The upgrade consists of three offshore patrol vessels—being built in English shipyards, six Australian fast-patrol craft interceptors and four helicopters. The British shipbuilding firm, VT Group, was awarded a £150 million contract to build and maintain three offshore patrol boats for the Trinidad and Tobago Government. Acquisition of the military assets was aimed at stepping up the detection, deterrence and seizure of illegal drugs entering the region, to ensure the management of the Exclusive Economic Zone and to enforce maritime laws.