Italy’s air industries giant Finmeccanica will be showcasing the latest aircraft models at the Dubai Airshow which kicks off tomorrow (November 17).

Many of its companies including Agusta Westland and Alenia Aermacchi, which have supported the event since 1991, will be present at the show.

In addition to this, other Finmeccanica’s joint ventures like MBDA, Eurofighter Consortium, ATR and Elettronica will be attending the exhibition while Finmeccanica’s top management and the CEOs of the controlled companies will be present.

The key models to be displayed include Aermacchi MC-27J Multi Mission Aircraft in a gunship configuration and the new AW 189 in Offshore configuration, that is becoming the new reference helicopter for the Oil & Gas market for offshore transportation, with more than 70 orders placed in less than two years, said the statement.

“The AW 189 in display will have the livery of a Qatari company, which is the launch customer in the Gulf region. Another Agusta Westland product displayed will be the 4 tonnes AW 169, in Law Enforcement / EMS (Emergency Medical Service) configuration, a new multi role and high performance advanced last generation helicopter.

Finmeccanica said it had readied a long-term strategy for the Gulf region, adding that it is currently focused on increasing on-site presence and maintaining its advantage in the high technology field.

“In the UAE for example, we are developing local collaborations, industrial partnerships and even tailored high education courses in partnership with Italian Universities, with the aim to fully support the UAE vision, and future challenging programs,” it said.

“We are also very active in other Gulf countries including Kuwait and Qatar where our controlled companies are working in important projects from Defense electronics to Aerospace. In Qatar we have just inaugurated the new Agusta Westland Office, considering that country as a strategic partner for us,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service