A Leonardo and the Directorate of Air Armaments and Airworthiness of the General Secretariat of Defense of Italy, through its National Directorate of Armaments, signed last Wednesday (18), an Acquisition Contract for the supply of 18 Light Utility Helicopters (LUH) AW169M additional charges for the Austrian Ministry of Defence.
The contract, valued at 304 million euros, was signed following the amendment of the Government-to-Government Agreement (G2G) signed by Italy and Austria in December 2022, through which Austria will exercise the option for these additional units, demonstrating once again your confidence in the selected platform.
This contract brings to 36 the total number of AW169M LUHs contracted by the Austrian Ministry of Defence. The first aircraft was delivered in December 2022 in an official ceremony and, in line with contractual obligations, begins a new era in national defense and emergency response capabilities.
For Leonardo, the event also represented an important milestone: the first export market delivery of the AW169M variant under a G2G program. Austrian aircrews are already taking advantage of the initial training provided at Leonardo's Training Academy in Sesto Calende (Italy) and will have access to all of the Italian Army's training expertise as operators of an AW169M LUH aircraft. Deliveries of all aircraft are expected to be completed by 2028.
The Italy-Austria G2G initiative aims to reinforce the bilateral collaboration between the two countries and establish a strategic partnership in the helicopter sector, with Austria looking to Italy and the AW169M LUH program as an example for its plan to modernize and replace its old Alouette III fleet aircraft, which have been in service since the 1960s.
The AW169M LUH features superior performance and unrivaled state-of-the-art features, as well as comprehensive and training services for true cross-functional operations. This aircraft is the most technologically advanced and cost-effective solution to meet operators' demanding needs. The AW169M LUHs have capabilities to carry out a wide range of missions in of Austrian defense requirements and the national community, including troop transport, combat operations, disaster and emergency relief, firefighting, mountain rescue and emergency evacuation. of wounded.
About the AW169M Helicopter
The AW169M model is the military variant of the AW169, a state-of-the-art helicopter developed by Leonardo and equipped with state-of-the-art technologies. Designed to the latest FAR/JAR/EASA requirements, the model meets military, homeland security and government standards.
The platform features excellent power, agility and maneuverability, offering excellent handling characteristics in a wide range of operating conditions, including high temperatures and high altitude. The unique transmission design powers the hydraulics, electrical and air conditioning systems with the rotors. (APU mode), optimizing response time and availability.
The cab is the most spacious in its class, featuring a constant height cross-section for quick reconfigurations and ease of access. Pilots benefit from a state-of-the-art open-architecture 2 avionics suite, including a fully digital glass cockpit and unprecedented external visibility, providing advanced tactical and situational awareness.
The global fleet of AW169s now numbers more than 150, delivered to operators in nearly 30 countries, and has logged more than 135.000 flight hours in all types of operations and conditions.
Customers around the world have placed orders and options for more than 320 AW169 helicopters to date, including military, law enforcement and utility operators. The aircraft are capable of performing a range of missions including utility, surveillance, special operations, maritime patrol, ground reconnaissance, training, rescue and firefighting.
In Italy, the adoption of the AW169M by operators among armed forces and government law enforcement agencies, replacing older models, offers unique logistical, operational and technical advantages, as well as certification and training similarities and synergies between the growing AW169 fleets. . This characteristic strengthens the possibility of carrying out effective and safe t operations with other s, representing a leap in quality in internal security, emergency response capacity and general effectiveness throughout the lifecycle of aircraft in the coming decades.
Street: Leonardo
