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Eurocopter could suffer from defence cuts - paper
PARIS, June 21 | Tue Jun 21, 2011 3:09am EDT
PARIS, June 21 (Reuters) - Eurocopter, part of aerospace group EADS , will meet the French defence ministry this autumn to discuss orders for Tiger and NH-90 military helicopters as France seeks to cut costs, a newspaper reported.
La Tribune, citing unidentified sources, said on Tuesday the French army was supposed to have a fleet of 80 Tiger helicopters between 2018/19 but the ministry could decide to hold off on about 20 helicopters.
Eurocopter, the world's largest civil helicopter maker, could also lose out on the NH-90.
The defence ministry had agreed to buy 133 of the military transport helicopters but has so far ordered 34 and Eurocopter expects a new similar order in 2014, La Tribune said.
Should the ministry fail to comply with the original agreement, Eurocopter could ask for damages as the unit price was based on the number of helicopters the French military had initially ordered, La Tribune said, citing an unidentified Eurocopter source. (Reporting by Caroline Jacobs; Editing by Dan Lalor)
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