Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today the signature of a letter of intent (LOI) with Strong Aviation for a Bell 525 Relentless super medium helicopter. Established in 1995, Strong Aviation is a private operator headquartered in Kuwait City. The aircraft will be used for corporate transport missions in the area.

“We are excited to be the first Bell 525 clients in Kuwait,” said Capt. Salem Safar, Aviation Manager, Strong Aviation. “The anticipated performance of the aircraft is a key decision point for us. We are eager to add the advanced Bell 525 to our fleet, and are confident it will provide unparalleled value and performance for our clients.”

“The Bell 525 is an outstanding aircraft,” said Steve Suttles, Bell Helicopter, Vice President Middle East and Africa. “Sales are ramping up in the Middle East since the successful first flight. The market is responding well to the game changing capabilities of the aircraft. It is designed to perform a diverse mission set more cost effectively than any aircraft available on the market today, and this is a key selling point for our customers.”

The Bell 525 is the world’s first fly-by-wire commercial helicopter, designed to operate safely and reliably in austere environments and with decreased pilot workload. The aircraft integrates critical systems data to be easily accessible at a glance with the Garmin G5000H® suite, the first fully-integrated touch screen flight deck designed for helicopters. Best-in-class payload, cabin, cargo volumes, comfort and egress complement the technological advancements on the aircraft. The first flight of the Bell 525 was achieved on 1 July 2015 and certification of the aircraft is anticipated in 2017.

Bell Helicopter has the largest support network in the industry with more than 100 authorized customer service facilities in 34 countries, and the company’s customer service has been ranked #1 by customers for 21 consecutive years. Bell Helicopter is committed to having resources where customers operate to speed up delivery of service and support, and give customers access to resources which are easy to reach, know the customer’s operating environment and understand their needs.

About Bell Helicopter

Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognized for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell’s global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.
 
About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna, Beechcraft, Hawker, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Textron Systems, and TRU Simulation + Training. For more information visit: www.textron.com.