- Finmeccanica has a well-established presence on the continent and is a partner of the Armed Forces of Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and Australia
- Business prospects for naval and antisubmarine helicopters, air defence and coastal monitoring radars and tactical transport aircraft
Today sees the opening in Malaysia of the fifteenth edition of Defence Services Asia (DSA) 2016, one of the most important security and defence technologies exhibitions, held every two years in the capital. Finmeccanica – whose Shareholders will vote to change the company’s name to Leonardo – is taking part in the event, building on a well-established presence in South East Asia, and with significant prospects in what is viewed as one of the most promising markets in the world.
Finmeccanica has had a presence for many years on board the Royal Malaysian Navy ships with its Defence Systems, including its 76/62mm guns and torpedoes on surface and submarine vessels, and the AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 helicopters, it has also has supplied AW109 twin-engine light helicopters to the Army. Radar and communication systems have, for several years, contributed to widening the air defence and land security and control capabilities of the Malaysian Armed Forces and to managing the air traffic control of a number of civilian airports, such as Kuala Lumpur international airport, which is one of the largest in the region.
For the rest of the continent, Finmeccanica boasts a presence across all its business areas, including aeronautics, with the tactical transport aircraft C-27J Spartan deployed by the Royal Australian Air Force, and the advanced Aermacchi M-346 trainer, for which the first export customer was the Singapore Air Force. In the field of helicopters, the armed forces of Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Philippines are long-standing customers of AgustaWestland helicopters, which are mainly used to fulfil naval roles. Finmeccanica's defence and security systems are aboard a large number of vessels, with 76/62mm turrets and radar and communication systems, and aboard a number of submarines, with Black Shark torpedoes and other underwater countermeasures.
Business prospects that may open for Finmeccanica, in the short and medium term, include more utility, naval and antisubmarine helicopters, as well as requirements for air defence and coastal control radars and tactical transport aircraft. System integration is the true challenge that all countries need to tackle in order to assure the defence and security of their citizens. The ability to develop, produce and manage systems through a single industrial entity, able to adapt the most advanced technological solutions to the needs of the individual market, is one of the strengths of Finmeccanica as one unified company.