The new AgustaWestland will be "an efficient single enterprise under a coordinated management committed to becoming a global leader in providing all vertical-lift aircraft solutions," says Amedeo Caporaletti.

The Agusta veteran will run the new entity as CEO with Kevin Smith as chairman and Richard Case, also from the GKN Westland side, as managing director.

The combined company boasts an order book pegged at about $8 billion, better than four times the two firms' combined revenue in l999. Annual turnover is about $2.1 billion.

Caporaletti said here that more than 150 orders have now been placed for the Agusta A109E Power helicopter, and that more than a year's planned production of the A119 Koala has now been sold. The A109 was the best-selling light twin last year and was recently chosen by the U.S. Coast Guard for interdiction of high-speed marine smuggling operations.

"Remember, too, that our order book contains our participation in the EH 101 Merlin and NH 90 programs, which account for almost 100 and 298 helicopters respectively," Caporaletti said.

By Bob Rodwell