'There's only one bidder - lets give Yeovil the new helicopter contract'
The town's MP is urging the Government to speed-up its decision
The Yeovil MP Adam Dance is urging the Ministry of Defence to speed-up its decision on the new 'medium-lift' helicopter contract.
Yesterday he unveiled a new £30 million ‘super hub’ at the town's Leonardo site and says the latest contract would be another boost to the site.
He said: "It would mean quite a lot of investment here in the Yeovil site and it would secure the future of Leonardo for many years to come.
"It's a similar size to the other helicopters but actually it's a new model - we're moving forwards, times are moving forward and we need to move forward with the times."
In February, Britain opened up bids for its New Medium Helicopter program - with a decision originally expected in 2025 and worth a reported £1.2 billion.
A Ministry of Defence Spokesperson said: “The New Medium Helicopter programme is an important initiative to acquire a modern medium-lift support helicopter.
“Progress is continuing, and we are reviewing a proposal from industry.
“We cannot comment further about this ongoing competition.”