Tale of 2 helo markets

The rotorcraft industry is engulfed in “A Tale of Two Markets,” according to Raymond Jaworowski, senior aerospace analyst for Forecast International. The civil sector is growing; while the military market is likely to shrink. Light military helicopters’ production likely will be cut by about 50 percent through 2023. It will peak in 2016 with 208 buys; fall to 55 around 2028. In 2014, the two biggest potential competitions – Army’s Kiowa Warrior replacement, and India’s light utility helos – were cancelled. Manufacturers are going to have to “rethink their business strategy,” he said. They’re going to have to look hard to the civilian market to compensate for lost military sales and focus on customer support and sustainment. (Source: National Defense, 01/15) Central Mississippi Note: Airbus Helicopters Inc. of Columbus, Miss., is expected to manufacture 431 helicopters from 2014-28. Most are near-term sales of the Tiger attack helicopter - used by France, Germany, Australia and Spain - and the UH-72A Lakota, which the Army plans to buy to replace TH-67 training helicopters primarily used at Fort Rucker, Ala.