Yeovil: 340 jobs secured with £360m Wildcat helicopter deal

Helicopter manufacturer Leonardo has secured a multi-million pound military contract that will sustain 340 jobs  in the region.

Leonardo will now deliver the next stage of the Wildcat Integrated Support and Training (WIST) contract, which confirms the next five-year period of the 34-year contract originally signed in 2012.

The contract will sustain over 340 industry jobs, mainly in the South West of England at RNAS Yeovilton where the Wildcat Training Centre and frontline squadrons are located and also at Leonardo in Yeovil where the joint Leonardo/Ministry of Defence WIST project office is located.

Wildcat helicopters are twin-engine aircraft used in anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare. According to Leonardo, more than 70 of them have been delivered to battlefields and maritime military operators around the world, including the British Army and Royal Navy.

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.”

Simon Jones, VP of Customer Support and Training at Leonardo Helicopters UK, commented: “The next tranche of the Wildcat Integrated Support and Training (WIST) contract ensures the British Armed Forces have the right equipment, training and support to continue to meet their operational needs. Through collaboration and partnerships, WIST maintains UK rotary wing capabilities onshore through the centre’s cutting-edge technologies and a highly-skilled workforce.”