Eurocopter, which is also the world’s largest civil helicopter maker, expects sales to rise 10-11 percent to just about 6 billion euros ($7.7 billion) this year thanks to a rebound in the U.S. market in the second half and demand from the oil and gas industry.

The company generates about 45 percent of its revenues with military contracts, while the rest is related to civil orders.

At the ILA Berlin, it signed a framework agreement to sell 130 million euros worth of EC145 T2 and EC135 helicopters to ADAC, Germany’s auto club.

Eurocopter has also been showcasing its X3 high-speed helicopter technology at ILA, which it says can fly and descend at 50 percent higher speeds than conventional helicopters.

The company recently completed a six-week U.S. demonstration tour with the technology, which it says could eventually be used on anything from passenger transport to offshore oil and gas transportation or border security.

Bertling said it will probably take another six or seven years until Eurocopter brings a finished product to market, though he said the feedback from potential customers in the United States was “overwhelming”.

($1 = 0.7785 euros) (Reporting by Maria Sheahan; Editing by Mark Potter)