3,000 jobs at risk unless MoD confirms helicopter order, industry warns

"It's critical at the moment,"

"If this slips past March, the price and the bid itself may no longer be valid."

"new medium helicopter"

"cornerstone"

Up to 3,000 skilled manufacturing jobs at Leonardo Helicopters' Yeovil site could be at risk unless the Ministry of Defence places a long-delayed helicopter order promptly. Leonardo is the sole bidder for the £1bn "new medium helicopter" programme launched in February 2024. Industry insiders say the bid's "best and final offer" expires in March and that pricing depends on complex global supply-chain commitments. Leonardo warned that delays could lead to cancelled investments in UK electronics and cyber security operations and that any cancellation or further delay would trigger a "reevaluation" of its presence in Britain.

Read at Business Matters