Leonardo and the Algerian Ministry of National Defence announced today the establishment of a joint venture for the local assembly, sale and support of Leonardo helicopters for various applications. The joint venture (with a 51% share owned by the Ministry of National Defence and 49% owned by Leonardo) will be headquartered in a brand new industrial facility at Ain Arnat, in the Setif Province.

This latest milestone follows the industrial and trade partnership agreement signed in August 2016. The joint venture is planned to assemble, sell and support several helicopter models, primarily to meet Algeria's national requirements, but also for the export market. In addition, the joint venture will provide the end users with technical support, maintenance and training services and capabilities.

The establishment of the joint venture marks a major achievement in the solid collaboration with Algeria that Leonardo has strengthened in years. This result demonstrates the Company's reliability as a partner, and its capability to meet demanding requirements and deliver high quality, advanced products. Leonardo is now ready to support Algeria's plan to play a significant role in the industrial aeronautical sector.