Finnish Government, The Finnish defence minister, on Wednesday confirmed a report by regional daily Aamulehti saying the army would take delivery of the first of its new fleet of transport helicopters in the first half of next year.
Mr Häkämies added the government would sign an amended contract with the supplier, NHIndustries, on Friday.
“We have been engaged in talks for the best part of six months. We are now wrapping this up, and I am very pleased,” the minister said.
NHIndustries had agreed with Finland to deliver all 20 NATO Helicopter 90 (NH90) aircraft by this October. The army has yet to see a single machine.
Mr Häkämies was not drawn on the size of the contractual penalty on the 370-million-euro contract.
NHIndustries is a consortium made up of Franco-German Eurocopter, Italy's Agusta and Stork Fokker Aerospace of the Netherlands to build the NH90 series of aircraft.
The NH90s are to replace the Finnish army's ageing fleet of Russian-made Mil Mi-8 transports.
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