Hundreds of jobs secured at Yeovil helicopter-maker Leonardo

Hundreds of jobs have been secured in Yeovil at helicopter-maker Leonardo.

The company has confirmed a contract worth £360 million for equipment, support and training for the UK's fleet of Wildcat aircraft.

It means more than 340 jobs are safe at RNAS Yeovilton and Leonardo in South Somerset as well as many more jobs at second and third-tier suppliers.

  • Leonardo Helicopters managing director speaks to ITV News

The managing director of Leonardo Helicopters Nick Whitney told ITV News: "We are announcing the next five-year support period for the Wildcat helicopter. That's providing the repair and overhaul, spares, training and technical support to this helicopter for both the Royal Navy and the Army for the next five years.

"We are a major employer in the area and this contract secures and sustains employment across a number of technical disciplines.

"That allows us to maintain our capabilities to build and develop new products and sustain these products for the foreseeable future so it's hugely important to us."

The contract includes spares provisions, a three-year scheduled maintenance service, enhanced technical support including aircraft safety management, as well as delivering synthetic and ground-based training for aircrew and aircraft maintainers.

A Royal Navy Wildcat. Credit: LPhot Unaisi Luke

The aircraft is part of a line linking Yeovil, Somerset and its people to helicopter making going back through most of the last century. The AW159 Wildcat’s future being secure is great news for the next generation of workers.

Apprentice Hayley Manns said: "I finish my apprenticeship in a year and a half, so [it's good] knowing that there's more job stability here. Yeovil’s also got a huge heritage of building helicopters. It's really good to keep it in the area and know that we've got a future here."

Cameron Groves is also an apprentice, following in the footsteps of other members of his family. He said: "My whole family's worked here at some point!

"My mum worked here in quality, my granddad worked in the flight shed and my great great granddad, worked in transmissions, which is where I'm working today."

The AW159 is also in use in other countries, including South Korea

Defence Minister Jeremy Quin said: “Wildcat helicopters play a vital role in supporting our Armed Forces through reconnaissance, protection and transport.

"I am delighted they will continue to receive high-quality technical support and training from Leonardo UK.”

Leonardo Helicopters now hopes that the AW149 will be picked as the UK’s next military helicopter.