The Ministry of Defense of Argentina has signed a purchase agreement with Bell Textron Canada Ltd, a Textron Inc. company, to acquire six Bell 407GXi helicopters.
The contract marks a milestone in the defence collaboration between Argentina and Canada. The Argentinean Air Force and Army will utilise the aircraft for search and rescue missions.
The Bell 407GXi helicopters are chosen for their capabilities in high-altitude environments, making them an ideal choice for Argentina's Military search and rescue operations. With Argentina's mountainous terrain, the utility configuration of these helicopters will play a role in ensuring successful rescue missions.
Textron Inc is the second-leading supplier in the military rotorcraft market in Latin America, with forecast revenue of $50m. With an investment share of 68.5%, Brazil is the largest market in Latin America's military rotorcraft market.
The remaining share is held by Argentina at 26.4%, according to GlobalData's "The Global Military Rotorcraft Market 2023-2033" report.
"The Bell 407GXi is a proven platform in high-altitude environments and will be pivotal to Argentina's Military Search and Rescue operations," said John Ramos, managing director of Latin America. "All six Bell 407GXis will be outfitted in a utility configuration critical to rescue missions in Argentina's mountainous terrain."
The Bell 407 helicopter has accumulated six million flight hours, actively participating in flight training, military operations, and para-public missions. Including Garmin G1000H™ NXi Flight Deck in the Bell 407GXi enhances situational awareness for pilots and reduces their workload by providing information.
Moreover, the new IFR capability of the Bell 407GXi ensures all-weather operations while maintaining its multi-mission capability. The contract for the helicopters is reportedly worth $32.4m.
"This announcement is a testament to the long-standing partnership of Bell and CCC to deliver Canadian-built helicopters to customers around the globe. The Argentinian MOD will be well-served by the unmatched reliability and performance of its new Bell 407GXi fleet, and our team is delighted to enable their search and rescue mission." – Steeve Lavoie, Bell Textron Canada Ltd.
The acquisition of the Bell 407GXi helicopters by the Ministry of Defense of Argentina is a step forward in enhancing the country's search and rescue capabilities.
The collaboration between Argentina and Canada, facilitated by Bell Textron Canada Ltd. and the Canadian Commercial Corporation, reinforces the commitment of both nations to delivering defence solutions.
