Helicopter manufacturer

The sporadic nature of defense procurement is also unattractive to companies wishing to maintain a constant income stream.

However, helicopter manufacturing is seen as a strategic industry, and some governments have sought to protect their national champions from the marketplace.

In the United States, in addition to the concern of maintaining national champions, there is also the fear of a loss of competition in the domestic market, creating a situation where designs and prices become uncompetitive.

Harbin Aircraft Industry Group, a subsidiary of AVIC, is China's major helicopter manufacturer.

In Japan the three main manufacturers of helicopters are the aviation arms of the Japanese conglomerates Mitsubishi, Kawasaki and Subaru Corporation.

Though initially loose these partnerships settled down to the pairing of Mitsubishi with Sikorsky, Kawasaki with Boeing, and Subaru with Bell.

With the experience they have built up as licensees and sub-contractors the Japanese companies are beginning to produce and offer their own products.

After a winning design had been chosen it was assigned to large manufacturing complexes responsible only for production.

There was also a damaging conflict of interest between the manufacturing complexes and Rosoboronexport, with both Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant and Kazan Helicopter Plant competing to undercut official Rosoboronexport prices, by exporting helicopters destined for military users as civilian in purpose.