Curtiss-Wright awarded $18 million contract for helicopter ice-protection systems

Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. has awarded Curtiss-Wright Corporation (NYSE: CW) a contract to provide an electronics package that will provide protection against ice build-up on the engine air inlets, windshield and main and tail rotor blades on a new utility helicopter. The contract has a potential value in excess of $18 million over a 12-year period.

"Curtiss-Wright is very pleased to supply this vital technology to ensure safe helicopter flight during severe weather conditions," said Martin R. Benante, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Curtiss-Wright. "These products and systems provide industry-leading technology for enabling rotorcraft flight in known icy conditions."

Helicopters often need to be grounded to avoid ice build-up on rotor blades, which creates unstable flight operations. Curtiss-Wright's proven technology in electronic ice protection for rotorcraft includes the Rotor Ice Protection System (RIPS) as well as windshield and engine ice protection controllers. These products monitor and prevent ice from forming on all rotor blades, on the windshield and on the air intake to the engines.

Curtiss-Wright is a leading supplier of aircraft fire- and ice-protection systems. The company's Motion Control facility in City of Industry, CA will supply the products for this contract. Delivery will begin in early 2009 in support of qualification trials for the Korea Aerospace Industries aircraft. Korea Aerospace Industries is the prime contractor of Korean government-initiated aerospace programs and is funded by the Korean government as the largest stockholder.