This is the official AW announcement – HeliHub.com broke this story 24 hours earlier

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust has signed a contract for two AW169 helicopters. The aircraft will be used to perform a wide range of emergency medical service and search and rescue missions in New Zealand. The aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in 2015.

The contract marks the entrance of the AW169 into the Australasian helicopter market and represents another success for the all new AW169 helicopter. A significant number of firm orders have already been logged worldwide for a range of commercial and public service applications, many of them for rescue duties. The AW169 helicopter programme, which was unveiled at the Farnborough International Air Show in July 2010, is progressing as planned with the first flight scheduled in 2012.

Emilio Dalmasso, Senior Vice President Commercial Business Unit, AgustaWestland said “It gives us great pleasure to receive an order for the state-of-the-art AW169 from the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust which has an excellent reputation for delivering EMS and SAR services in New Zealand. The AW169 will greatly enhance their operational capabilities and help deliver the best aero medical services to the communities they serve.”

A versatile, new generation twin engine light intermediate category helicopter, the AW169 has been designed in response to the growing market demand for an aircraft that delivers high performance, meets all the latest safety standards and has multi-role capabilities. The 4.5 tonne AW169 incorporates several new technology features to provide the highest levels of safety and operational benefits for its customers. New generation technologies are incorporated in the rotor system, engines, avionics, transmission and electric power generation and distribution systems. The AW169 is set to be the most advanced and cost effective helicopter in its class for EMS, SAR, law enforcement, passenger and offshore transport and utility missions.

With its origins dating back to the establishment of the Rescue Helicopter Service in 1970, the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust is staffed full-time by a highly experienced flight crew consisting of pilots, paramedics and crewmen, and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.