Taiwan to make parts for new Bell military helicopters

Taiwan to make parts for new Bell military helicopters

(EXCERPT) TAIPEI (Reuters) - Two Taiwan companies have signed a US$10
million deal with the Bell Helicopter unit of Textron Inc to make
parts used in its latest generation of military helicopters, officials
said on Friday.

State-run Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) and private
chemical firm Topkey Corp have been awarded a contract to build tail
booms and engine cowlings for Bell's AH-1Z attack helicopter and UH-1Y
utility helicopter, an AIDC spokesman said.

"While the contract we signed today is for the manufacture of 53
tailbooms over four years we expect that additional orders in the
coming 10 years could generate sales of up to US$60 million," said
spokesman Mike Lee.

AIDC will make the tail booms while Topkey will manufacture the
cowlings, Lee said.

In a separate agreement, Bell also authorized AIDC to carry out
upgrades on an older generation of Bell's AH-1W Super Cobra attack
helicopters, said Lee.

Taiwan's military operates a fleet of around 60 S...

U.S. and friendly nation laws prohibit fully reproducing
copyrighted material. In abidance with our laws this report
cannot be provided in its entirety. However, you can read it
in full today, 27 Feb 2004, at the following URL. (COMBINE
the following lines into your web browser.) The
subject/content of this report is not necessarily the
viewpoint of the distributing Library. This report is provided
for your information and discussion.

http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsA...toryID=4454053

---------------------------
Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com