Nichols Martin
Leonardo plans to establish a customer support center in Santa Rosa County, Fla., if the company wins a contract to provide the U.S. Navy with new helicopter training systems.
The company said Wednesday that if chosen by the Navy, Leonardo will establish the center at Whiting Aviation Park near Naval Air Station Whiting Field to support the Advanced Helicopter Training System TH-73 program.
Leonardo proposed its TH-119 single-engine helicopter as a replacement for the existing TH-57 trainers. The Navy will select the program’s production contractor by the end of this year.
If built, the potential 100K-square-foot support center will offer 24/7 technical, repair, parts supply and warranty management services. In addition, the facility will make 40 to 50 new jobs available in Northwest Florida.
“Santa Rosa County is honored to be working with Leonardo to continue to support the military mission at Whiting Field, bring quality jobs in aviation to Santa Rosa County and fulfil years of planning to make Whiting Aviation Park a reality,†said Don Salter, Santa Rosa County commissioner.
