"This is a significant step in the V-22 program," said Dick Millman, Bell Helicopter president and CEO. "This five-year contract will allow us to plan much further out as we order long-lead materials, invest for capacity growth, increase our production rate, and deliver these unique aircraft on time to a war-fighting customer who really needs them.

The contract calls for 141 MV-22 aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps and 26 CV-22 aircraft for the Air Force Special Operations Command. To date, the Bell Boeing alliance has delivered a total of 100 V-22 aircraft to the U.S. military. The Marines currently have 12 MV-22s deployed in combat at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq.

The world's first production tiltrotor, the V-22 combines the vertical performance of a helicopter with the high speed and range of a fixed wing aircraft. The V-22 offers twice the speed, three times the payload, five times the range of the older aircraft it will replace.

About Bell Helicopter
Bell Helicopter is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tilt rotor 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 $13.2 billion multi-industry company operating in 34 countries with approximately 44,000 employees. The company leverages its global network of aircraft, 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 Aircraft Company , Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, Fluid & Power, Textron Systems and Textron Financial Corporation. More information is available at www.textron.com.

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