Helicopter site to close unless deal signed - MP

The UK's last military helicopter factory could close unless the government commits to a £1bn contract for a new fleet, an MP has said.

Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil, Somerset, is the sole bidder for the government's New Medium Helicopters (NMH) contract but is waiting for it to be approved.

Adam Dance, Liberal Democrat MP for Yeovil, asked an urgent question in the House of Commons calling on the government to commit to the deal to secure more than 3,000 jobs at the site.

"The government will make a final decision on the award for NMH through the wider Defence Investment Plan (DIP) which will be announced shortly," Defence Minister Luke Pollard told MPs.

Dance called on the government to commit to the future of the site, which he said contributes £320m to the local economy.

"We [would] also lose our country's ability to produce our own helicopters end-to-end in the UK," he added.

Leonardo employs about 3,000 people at its Yeovil site, which has been operating for more than 80 years, originally as Westland Helicopters.

In September 2024 it was confirmed that Leonardo was the sole bidder for the NMH contract.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said then that a contract award was anticipated in 2025.

Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said: "Leonardo remains an important strategic partner for the MoD.

"We are working flat out to deliver the DIP which will be published as soon as possible, and is backed by the governments largest sustained increase in defence investment since the end of the Cold War".

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