| Agusta | |
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HW100 - 45000
UAW55 - 105000 RRW100 - 175000 PKRR - 7500 |
Agusta Agusta Type - Private Industry - Aircraft Founded - 1923 Founder - Count Giovanni Agusta Defunct - July 2000 Fate - Merged with Westland Helicopters Successor - AgustaWestland Headquarters - Samarate, Italy Key people - Domenico Agusta Agusta was an Italian helicopter manufacturer. It was based in Samarate, Northern Italy. The company was founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in 1923, who flew his first airplane in 1907. The MV Agusta motorcycle manufacturer began as an offshoot of the Agusta aviation company at the end of the Second World War, as a means to save the jobs of employees of the Agusta firm. In July 2000, Agusta merged with Westland Helicopters to form AgustaWestland S.p.A., a multinational helicopter design and manufacturing company, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica. History From 1952, the company became involved in helicopter manufacturing, first building Bell helicopters under licence, but later Sikorsky, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas products as well. The company also had ambitions to design and build its own helicopters. The Agusta A.101 and the Agusta A.106 can be considered the best of its earlier attempts. Others included the AB.102, A.103, A.104, and A.115. It also produced a small line of aero engines such as the GA.70 and GA.140. Developed in the 1970s, the Agusta A109 is a commercial and military twin turbine helicopter, of which the latest variants are still in production. In 1983, the Agusta A129 Mangusta anti-tank helicopter partook in its first official flight engagement. It was the first attack helicopter to be designed and produced in Western Europe. However, this helicopter has been a limited commercial success so far, seeing service with the Italian Army, and has also been a modernized variant being developed for the Turkish Army. The 1980s saw the start of several collaborative projects for Agusta. In 1981 Agusta and Westland of Britain started the EH101 medium-lift naval helicopter project in order to satisfy the requirements of the Royal Navy and the Italian Navy. In 1985 the company started a collaborative programme with the aeronautic industries of France, Germany and the Netherlands in order to develop and produce the NHIndustries NH90, a nine-ton twin engine multi-role medium helicopter in order to satisfy the requirements of their respective countries’ armed forces. 1990s projects include the Agusta A109 Power, an improved version of the A109C series (1994) and the Agusta A119 Koala (1997), a single-engine design based on the A109. Agusta became involved in the Belgian bribery scandal when it was revealed that the company had paid the two Belgian socialist parties who were then (1988/1989) in the government to assist the company in getting the contract for attack helicopters for the Belgian Army. In 1998, Agusta formed a joint venture with Bell Helicopter Textron called the Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company. Its aim was to develop the Bell/Agusta AB139 helicopter and the Bell/Agusta BA609 tiltrotor aircraft. Bell later withdrew from the BA609 project, which is now known as the AgustaWestland AW609. In July 2000, Finmeccanica and GKN plc agreed to merge their respective helicopter subsidiaries (Agusta and GKN-Westland Helicopters), forming AgustaWestland. It was reported on 12 February 2013 that the chief executive, Giuseppe Orsi, was arrested on corruption charges. Prosecutors allege he paid bribes to ensure the sale of 12 helicopters to the Indian government, when he was head of the group's AgustaWestland unit. On 13 February 2013, Finmeccanica's Board of Directors named Alessandro Pansa as chief executive officer and resolved to confer the role of vice chairman to Admiral Guido Venturoni. Shortly after Pansa's appointment, Italian investigators discovered a case of bribery by Finmeccanica in its deal with India following which the government of India issued a show cause notice to the company. A complaint was filed seeking an investigation into the sale of 21 civil helicopters worth over Rs 7,000 crore (US$1.6 billion) by AgustaWestland between 2005 and 2013 in India. As per the complaint Agusta Westland has been selling civil helicopters in India through. Tax authorities in India have been asked to probe the possibility of tax evasion by Sharp Ocean on the commission received for the sale of helicopters and foreign exchange deprivation to the country by off-shoring payments for the sale of helicopters in India. Separately, the comptroller and auditor general, in its latest report, has indicted the Chhattisgarh government for overpaying Rs.65 lakh (US$120,000) for the purchase of a VVIP helicopter -an Agusta A-109 Power helicopter. Both companies are promoted by twin brothers Nayan Jagjivan and Nakul Jagjivan. Products Aircraft A.101 prototype transport helicopter A.103 prototype single-seat light helicopter A.104 Helicar prototype light helicopter A.105 prototype light helicopter A.106 light ASW helicopter A109/AW109 multi-purpose helicopter A.115 prototype light helicopter AW119 Koala utility helicopter A129 Mangusta attack helicopter AZ8-L prototype propliner/airliner EMA 124 prototype light utility helicopter CP-110 prototype light propeller aircraft Joint ventures AgustaBell AB139 Bell/Agusta BA609 (50% share) EHI Industries EH101 NH90 (32% share) Licensed production AB 47 AB102 AB204 AB205 AB206 Jet Ranger AB212 AB412 AS-61 AS-61R Aircraft engines Agusta GA.40 Agusta GA.70 wikipedia.org (en) Agusta CP-110 (Agusta P.110) CP-110 Role - Light cabin monoplane Manufacturer - Agusta First flight - 1951 Number built - 1 The Agusta CP-110, also known as CVV P.110 or Politecnico P.110, was a prototype Italian four-seat light aircraft first flown in 1951 that failed to attract interest from either civil or military operators, although it was evaluated by the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force). Originally designed and built by the CVV - (Centro Volo a Vela del Politecnico di Milano), production aircraft were to have been built by Agusta, but for lack of interest. Specifications Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1951-52 General characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 3 passengers Length: 7.30 m (23 ft 11 in) Wingspan: 10.60 m (34 ft 9 in) Wing area: 16.0 m2 (172 sq ft) Empty weight: 680 kg (1,499 lb) Gross weight: 1,100 kg (2,425 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Alfa Romeo 110-ter four-cylinder air-cooled inverted inline engine, 108 kW (145 hp) Performance Maximum speed: 275 km/h (171 mph, 148 kn) Cruise speed: 240 km/h (150 mph, 130 kn) Stall speed: 90 km/h (56 mph, 49 kn) Range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi) Take-off run: 170 m (560 ft) Landing run: 170 m (560 ft) wikipedia.org (en) Agusta A.101 A.101 Role - Transport helicopter Manufacturer - Agusta Designer - Filippo Zappata First flight - 19 October 1964 Number built - 1 The Agusta A.101 (originally designated AZ.101) was a large prototype transport helicopter developed in Italy during the 1960s. Despite prospective orders from the Italian armed forces, no buyers emerged and the project was abandoned in 1971. Design and development The A.101 was of conventional, single-rotor configuration with tricycle undercarriage and powered by triple turboshaft engines. The fuselage was provided with a rear loading ramp and two large sliding troop doors. The final stage in the A.101's development was to stretch the fuselage by 3 m (10 ft) and upgrade the engines to the more powerful General Electric T58. This resulted in a marked improvement in performance, but in the end, the Italian government opted for variants of the SH-3 Sea King, licence-built by Agusta instead of their own design. The single prototype is stored for preservation at the Museo Agusta at Cascina Costa. Variants A.101D The original concept by Filippo Zappata exhibited in model form at the Milan Trade Fair in April 1958, also designated AZ.101, acknowledging Zappata's role in the design process. Power was to have been supplied by three 750 hp (559 kW) Turbomeca Turmo engines. A.101G The sole prototype powered by three 1,400 hp (1,044 kW) Rolls-Royce Gnome H.1400 turboshaft engines A.101H A projected up-rated version, stretched by 3 m (10 ft), with tricycle undercarriage and powered by three General Electric T58 turboshaft engines. Specifications (A.101G configuration) Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969-70 General characteristics Crew: 2 Capacity: up to 36 pax / 18 stretchers with 5 attendants / 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) payload Length: 20.19 m (66 ft 3 in) including tail-rotor Width: 4.64 m (15 ft 3 in) rotor blades folded Height: 6.56 m (21 ft 6 in) to top of rotor head Empty weight: 6,850 kg (15,102 lb) Gross weight: 12,400 kg (27,337 lb) Max takeoff weight: 12,900 kg (28,440 lb) Fuel capacity: 2,000 l (530 US gal; 440 imp gal) in fuselage side fairings Powerplant: 3 × de Havilland H.1400 Gnome turboshaft engines, 1,000 kW (1,400 shp) each for take-off 1,250 shp (930 kW) maximum continuous Main rotor diameter: 20.4 m (66 ft 11 in) Performance Maximum speed: 217 km/h (135 mph, 117 kn) at MTOW Cruise speed: 201 km/h (125 mph, 109 kn) at MTOW Range: 378 km (235 mi, 204 nmi) at MTOW Service ceiling: 2,950 m (9,680 ft) at MTOW Hover ceiling IGE: 1,400 m (4,600 ft) at MTOW Hover ceiling OGE: 600 m (1,970 ft) at MTOW Rate of climb: 9.7 m/s (1,910 ft/min) at MTOW Avionics VFR and IFR instrumentation with provision for autostab and autopilot AgustaWestland AW101 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era SNCASE SE.3200 Frelon wikipedia.org (en) Agusta-Bell AB.102 (Agusta A.102) AB.102 Role - Utility helicopter Manufacturer - Agusta First flight - 3 February 1959 Introduction - 1961 Primary user - Elivie Number built - 3 Developed from - Bell 48 The Agusta AB.102 was an Italian helicopter produced in small numbers in the early 1960s. The aircraft was based on the mechanical components of a Bell 48 that Agusta incorporated into an all-new, streamlined fuselage. The first flight was on 3 February 1959 and the prototype was exhibited at that year's Paris Air Show in faux military colours. Only two production examples were built, operated by Elivie in a regular air service between Turin and Milan from 1961. However, the advent of turbine-powered helicopters in the 1960s soon rendered the AB.102 obsolete. Operators 1. Italy Elivie Ministry of Defence Specifications Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961-62 General characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 7-9 passengers or 4 stretchers and 1 attendant or 880 kg (1,940 lb) cargo Length: 12.73 m (41 ft 9 in) (fuselage length); Overall length 17.92 m (58 ft 10 in) Height: 3.23 m (10 ft 7 in) Empty weight: 1,810 kg (3,990 lb) Gross weight: 2,725 kg (6,008 lb) Max takeoff weight: 3,025 kg (6,669 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-S1H4 radial engine, 450 kW (600 hp) Main rotor diameter: 14.50 m (47 ft 7 in) Main rotor area: 165.1 m2 (1,777 sq ft) Performance Maximum speed: 174 km/h (108 mph, 94 kn) at sea level Cruise speed: 160 km/h (99 mph, 86 kn) at 600 m (1,970 ft) (best range speed) Range: 350 km (220 mi, 190 nmi) with 7 passengers and 115 kg (254 lb) baggage Endurance: 3 hr 20 min Service ceiling: 3,900 m (12,800 ft) Rate of climb: 5.6 m/s (1,100 ft/min) Related development Bell 47 Bell 48 wikipedia.org (en) Agusta A.103 A.103 Role - Light helicopter Manufacturer - Agusta First flight - October 1959 The Agusta A.103 was an Italian prototype single-seat light helicopter flown in October 1959. The pilot was enclosed by a perspex bubble with the engine at the rear and the tail rotor carried on an enclosed boom. Specifications Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961-62 General characteristics Crew: 1 Length: 6.13 m (20 ft 1 in) Height: 2.23 m (7 ft 4 in) Empty weight: 280 kg (617 lb) Gross weight: 460 kg (1,014 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Agusta GA.70 air-cooled flat-four engine, 63 kW (85 hp) Main rotor diameter: 7.40 m (24 ft 3 in) Performance Maximum speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn) Cruise speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn) Range: 450 km (280 mi, 240 nmi) Endurance: 3 hr 20 min Service ceiling: 2,000 m (6,600 ft) (hover ceiling in ground effect) Rate of climb: 4.0 m/s (787 ft/min) wikipedia.org (en) Agusta A.104 A.104 Helicar Role - Light helicopter Manufacturer - Agusta First flight - December 1960 Status - none active, one preserved Primary user - the manufacturer Number built - 3 The Agusta A.104 Helicar was an Italian prototype light commercial helicopter first flown in December 1960. Production The A.104 was a slightly enlarged version of the A.103, and added a second seat beside the pilot's seat. The cockpit was enclosed by a perspex bubble with the engine at the rear and the tail rotor carried on an enclosed boom. Two piston-engined prototypes were built, followed by a single example of a turbine-engined variant designated A.104BT. No production resulted. Surviving aircraft An example of the A.104 is preserved in the Museo Agusta which is maintained by the Agusta company and is located just south of Milan Malpensa Airport. Variants A.104 Helicar Two prototype aircraft powered by de-rated Agusta GA.140 piston engines. A.104BT Helicar A single example of a turbo-shaft powered Helicar, powered by a 270 hp (201 kW) Agusta A.270. Specifications Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961-62 General characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 1 passenger Length: 6.35 m (20 ft 10 in) Height: 2.35 m (7 ft 9 in) Empty weight: 380 kg (838 lb) Gross weight: 640 kg (1,411 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Agusta GA.140 air-cooled flat-four engine, 100 kW (140 hp) (derated to 89 kilowatts (120 hp)) Main rotor diameter: 7.95 m (26 ft 1 in) Main rotor area: 49.6 m2 (534 sq ft) Performance Maximum speed: 165 km/h (103 mph, 89 kn) at sea level Cruise speed: 135 km/h (84 mph, 73 kn) Range: 330 km (210 mi, 180 nmi) Endurance: 2 hr 30 min Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) (hover ceiling in ground effect) Rate of climb: 4.1 m/s (810 ft/min) wikipedia.org (en) Agusta A.105 A.105B Role - Prototype light helicopter National origin - Italy Manufacturer - Agusta First flight - October 1964 Number built - 2 The Agusta A.105 was an Italian rotorcraft designed by Agusta. It was never developed beyond the prototype stage. Development and design The A.105 was designed to simplify the manufacturing process. Built to be a liaison, aerial photography and high-speed transport helicopter, it was powered by the Agusta built Turbomeca-Agusta TA-230 turbine engine. The A.105 and A.105B were displayed at the 1965 Paris Air Show, the latter wearing Italian Air Force markings. Both variants did not progress beyond the prototype stage. Variants A.105 Original two-seat prototype A.105B Four seater variant Operators 2. Italy Italian Air Force Specifications (A.105) Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66 General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 6.72 m (22 ft 1 in) (fuselage length) Height: 2.42 m (7 ft 11 in) Empty weight: 550 kg (1,213 lb) Gross weight: 1,150 kg (2,535 lb) Max takeoff weight: 1,700 kg (3,748 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca-Agusta TA-230 turboshaft, 205 kW (275 shp) Main rotor diameter: 8.40 m (27 ft 7 in) Main rotor area: 55.4 m2 (596 sq ft) Performance Maximum speed: 185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn) Cruise speed: 175 km/h (109 mph, 94 kn) Range: 310 km (190 mi, 170 nmi) Endurance: 1 hr 45 min Service ceiling: 2,800 m (9,200 ft) wikipedia.org (en) Agusta A.106 A.106 Role - Light anti-submarine warfare helicopter Manufacturer - Agusta First flight - November 1965 Retired - 1973 Status - Retired Primary user - Italian Navy Number built - 2 The Agusta A.106 was a single-seat light helicopter designed to provide an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platform for the Impavido-class destroyers of the Italian Navy. The aircraft was provided with a sophisticated electronics suite by Ferranti for autostabilisation and contact identification. Two torpedoes could be slung under the fuselage. The tail and two-bladed main rotor could be folded for shipboard stowage, and the skid undercarriage had fittings for flotation bags. Two prototypes were built, the first flying in November 1965. A pre-production batch of 5 was cancelled by the Navy in 1973. Operators 1. Italy Italian Navy (Marina Militare) for evaluation only Specifications Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1969-70 General characteristics Crew: one, pilot Length: 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in) Height: 2.5 m (8 ft 2.5 in) Empty weight: 590 kg (1,300 lb) Gross weight: 1,400 kg (3,086 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca-Agusta TAA.230 , 224 kW (300 hp) Main rotor diameter: 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in) Main rotor area: 70.9 m2 (763 sq ft) Performance Maximum speed: 176 km/h (109 mph, 95 kn) Range: 740 km (460 mi, 400 nmi) Endurance: 4 hours 30 minutes Service ceiling: 3,000 m (9,800 ft) Rate of climb: 6.2 m/s (1,220 ft/min) Armament 2 × Mk.44 torpedoes or 10 × depth charges or 2 × 7.62 mm machine-guns and 10 × 80 mm rockets Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Westland Wasp wikipedia.org (en) Agusta A.115 A.115 Role - Light helicopter Manufacturer - Agusta First flight - 1961 Status - Cancelled Number built - 1 Developed from - Bell 47J Ranger The Agusta A.115 (registration I-AGUC) was a prototype helicopter flown in 1961 in Italy. It was essentially a Bell 47J-3 with an unclad, tubular tail boom, and powered by a Turbomeca Astazou II turboshaft engine. No production ensued. Specifications Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1961-62 General characteristics Crew: 1 Capacity: 3 passengers or three stretchers and medical attendant Length: 9.91 m (32 ft 6 in) Height: 2.94 m (9 ft 8 in) Empty weight: 730 kg (1,609 lb) Gross weight: 1,350 kg (2,976 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Turbomeca Astazou II turboshaft, 360 kW (480 hp) Main rotor diameter: 11.33 m (37 ft 2 in) Main rotor area: 101 m2 (1,090 sq ft) Performance Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn) Cruise speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn) Range: 260 km (160 mi, 140 nmi) Service ceiling: 4,750 m (15,580 ft) Related development Bell 47 Bell 47J Ranger wikipedia.org (en) Agusta A129 Mangusta (Agusta A.129 Mangusta) A129 Mangusta Role - Attack helicopter National origin - Italy Manufacturer - Agusta / AgustaWestland / Leonardo-Finmeccanica First flight - 11 September 1983 Introduction - 1990 Status - In service Primary user - Italian Army Produced - 1983-present Number built - 60 (+7 prototypes and demonstrators) Variants - TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK The Agusta A129 Mangusta (English: Mongoose) is an attack helicopter originally designed and produced by Italian company Agusta. It is the first attack helicopter to be designed and produced wholly in Europe. It has continued to be developed by AgustaWestland, the successor company to Agusta. It has been exclusively operated by the Italian Army, which introduced the type to service during 1990. The A129 has undergone several combat deployments, seeing use in Somalia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. It has proven well suited to operating in hot climates, as well as quite flexible in the field. The original 60 rotorcraft have been upgraded multiple times since entering service with the Italian Army; improvements have included compatibility with additional munitions, new targeting systems, improved avionics, better data-handling, and a more powerful transmission. Various improvements and export models have been proposed, including dedicated naval and reconnaissance variants. Perhaps the most notable derivative of the A129 is the TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK, which has been developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries in cooperation with AgustaWestland for the Turkish Army as well as other services and export customers. Since 2017, work has been underway on a large successor to the A129 for the Italian Army, known as the Leonardo Helicopters AW249. Development Origins In 1972, the Italian Army began forming a requirement for a light observation and anti-tank helicopter; one prominent factor in shaping this requirement was the need to address the threat posed by the extensive military assets in operation with the Warsaw Pact countries and those of the Soviet Union. Around the same time as the Italian efforts were underway, the West German military had also identified a similar need. The two nations' parallel requirements ultimately led to a joint project being initiated between the Italian company Agusta and West German company MBB; however, this cooperative effort did not last long, and was dissolved shortly after preliminary work had been undertaken. Agusta had initially studied the development of a combat-oriented derivative of their existing A109 helicopter, however they decided to proceed with the development of a more ambitious helicopter design. In 1978, Agusta formally began the design process on what would become the A129. On 11 September 1983, the first of five A129 prototypes made the type's maiden flight; the fifth prototype would first fly in March 1986. Around the same time, the Italian Army placed an order for a total of 60 A129s. At one stage, a total of 100 attack helicopters had been planned to be purchased but this was slashed to 60 A129s. Another version of the type was to be capable of hauling eight troops in addition to its firepower capabilities; this variant, referred to sometimes as the A139, never got off the ground. According to defence publication Jane's Information Group, by 1985, the A129 was considered to be a comparable attack helicopter to the American-built McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apache, and showed potential on the export market. Export market During the 1980s, Agusta sought to partner with Westland Helicopters to develop a common light attack helicopter, other prospective manufacturing participants in the joint initiative included Fokker and Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA. In 1986, the governments of Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate an improved version of the A129, alternatively called the Joint European Helicopter Tonal or Light Attack Helicopter (LAH). By 1988, feasibility studies for four different options had been conducted for the LAH, these would have between 80 per cent and 20 per cent growth over the initial A129; both single-engine and twin-engine configurations were examined using various new powerplants, as well as a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, improved sensors and more powerful armament. However, the LAH project collapsed in 1990 following Britain and the Netherlands independently deciding to withdraw from the program and eventually procure the AH-64 Apache instead. Agusta retained its interest in pursuing export sales and decided to proceed with the development of the A129 International, or A129I; this was a dedicated and upgraded version of the A129 intended for export customers. The A129I featured a five-bladed main rotor (early production aircraft had employed a four-bladed main rotor), a pair of LHTEC T800 engines (replacing the Rolls-Royce Gem engines of Italian Army Mangustas) and an upgraded transmission; the A129I were also provisioned with new weapons and electronic warfare systems. In 1998, the Italian Army had decided to upgrade a portion of their A129 fleet with many of the A129I's systems, the first of the remanufactured helicopters was delivered in 2002. In September 2007, the A129I was formally redesignated as the AW129. During the Australian Army's AIR 87 project to procure a new Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter fleet, the Agusta A129 was one of the contenders; it was one of the three attack helicopters, alongside the AH-64 Apache and the Eurocopter Tiger, to be short-listed out of the six tenders submitted. In December 2001, Australia announced its selection of the Eurocopter Tiger as the winning bid. Turkey had sought a new attack helicopter since the 1990s to replace their diminished Bell AH-1 Cobra and Bell AH-1 SuperCobra fleets. Following a highly protracted selection process, in September 2007, an order was issued for 51 TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK helicopters, a variant of the A129 International. As a part of the deal with AgustaWestland, Turkish defense firm TAI acquired the rights for future manufacturing of the T129; in addition to production for local purposes, TAI also manufacture the T129 for export customers. Various components and avionics systems are intended to be replaced with indigenously-produced systems as they are developed. Design The A129 Mangusta is the first European attack helicopter; as such it has several original aspects to its design, such as being the first helicopter to make use of a fully computerised integrated management system to reduce crew workload. It was decided that much of the helicopter's functionality was to be automated; as such, parts of the flight and armament systems are monitored and directly controlled by onboard computers. The A129 shares considerable design similarities to Agusta's earlier A109 utility helicopter; the rear section of the A129 was derived from the A109 and incorporated to an entirely new forward section. The A129's fuselage is highly angular and armoured for ballistic protection; the composite rotor blades are also able to withstand hits from 23mm cannon fire. The two man crew, comprising a pilot and gunner, sit in a conventional tandem cockpit. The A129 is able to be operated in various capacities, including to perform anti-armour, armed reconnaissance, ground attack, escort, fire support and anti-aircraft missions. For the anti-ground mission the helicopter may employ a combination of various armaments, including up to eight Hellfire missiles; By 2014, the Spike-ER, a fourth-generation anti-tank missile, had been added to the A129's arsenal. In the air-to-air role, the Mistral missile could be equipped; furthermore, the FIM-92 Stinger missile was certified for use in 2003. The A129 can also be equipped with 81 mm or 70 mm (2.75 in) unguided rockets housed in pods as well as 12.7mm machine gun pods; later models also feature a M197 three-barrel 20 mm cannon that is installed onto a nose-mounted Oto Melara TM-197B turret. Power is provided by a pair of Rolls-Royce Gem 2-1004D turboshaft engines. Features of this engine includes automatic engine management and simplified controls for ease of operation, along with a relatively brief start-up interval and a comparatively low specific fuel consumption. Newer variants benefit from improvements such as an improved transmission. One key feature present on the engines is the incorporation of infrared suppressors, which act to reduce the aircraft's heat signature and thereby improve survivability. One of the key protective measures incorporated onto the A129 include the electronic warfare and SIAP (Single Integrated Air Picture) self-protection suite. Elements of the mission interface systems and the onboard software integrated onto later aircraft were produced by Selex Galileo. The A129 is equipped with infrared night vision systems and is capable of operating at day or night in all-weather conditions. Laser systems are fitted onto newer aircraft for range-finding and target designation purposes, the A129 can laser-designate targets for other friendly aircraft to attack. On the AW129D, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems's Toplite III sight is used as the primary targeting system; it is able to act as a FLIR and has both manual and automatic target tracking modes, Toplite also provides a greater detection and identification range than the 1970s era HeliTOW sensor it replaced. In 1998, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) formally partnered with Agusta to offer various avionics and weapons upgrades to potential A129 operators; various IAI technologies have since been proposed and implemented on Italian A129s. Operational history The Italian Army would receive a total of 60 A129 helicopters, deliveries of the type began in 1990. In 1999, AgustaWestland received a contract to produce the last batch of 15 A129s to the new combat CBT configuration; in late 2001, the Italian Army opted to have all of their A129s retrofitted to the improved A129 CBT standard. In 2011, AgustaWestland was part-way through modifying a total of 24 A129s to the new ARH-129D aerial reconnaissance standard, as well as the manufacturing of a further 24 new-built ARH-129Ds for the Italian Army. In Italian service, the Mangusta has successfully deployed on several United Nations missions in nations such as the Republic of Macedonia, Somalia and Angola. The A-129 proved to be suitable in the peacekeeping role and well-suited to operations in hot climates; the type was reported to have been highly reliable and extremely flexible during the deployment to Somalia. Three A129 helicopters were deployed in Iraq to provide air support for the Italian forces in Nassiriya. Several A129s have also been stationed in Afghanistan to support in-theatre operations by Italian and allied forces. In November 2014, the latest variant of the A129, the AW-129D, was deployed to Afghanistan for the first time. In January 2015, the Italian Army opted for an enhancement package their existing A129s. These upgrades, which are to enter service prior to 2020, largely focused on increasing the A129's endurance, speed, situational awareness, and information-handling capabilities; other goals included a reduction in pilot workload and integrating the aircraft with future tactical UAVs. A revealed alternative that was considered and rejected was the replacement of the type with an attack-orientated variant of the newer AgustaWestland AW149 helicopter, upgrading the existing A129s was considered to be less risky and time-consuming. However, on 17 January 2017, it was announced that Italy had signed a ˆ487 million ($515 million) contract with Leonardo for the development of a dedicated successor to the A129, the Leonardo Helicopters AW249; this shall incorporate numerous mature systems present on the A129. In March 2016, the Italian government announced that it was deploying four A129 attack helicopters and four NHIndustries NH90 transport helicopters along with 130 personnel to the Kurdistan region of Iraq to perform combat search and rescue mission as part of a multinational effort to help combat Islamic State militants within the region and specifically to protect the Mosul Dam. By 2018, it was reported that the total number of A129s still operational had fallen to 32. Variants Production models A129 Mangusta Original production version, powered by two Rolls-Royce Gem 2 turboshaft engines. Maximum takeoff weight of 4,100 kg; 45 built for the Italian Army. A129 International Upgraded version developed for export with more powerful LHTEC T800 turboshafts; in its final configuration, it had a five-bladed main rotor, an improved transmission, a M197 gatling cannon in a customized OTO Melara TM-197B nose turret, improved avionics and support for Hellfire anti-tank missiles and Stinger air-to-air missiles. Maximum takeoff weight of 5,000 kg. A129 CBT / A129C Upgraded "Combat" (CBT) version for the Italian Army incorporating most of the features of the A129 International but retaining the original Gem turboshaft engines (although an uprated transmission system is fitted); its main anti-tank weapon remains the TOW missile; it can be equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks for extended range and Stinger missiles for escort duties. Maximum takeoff weight of 4,600 kg; 15 built for the Italian Army, plus all 45 standard A129s later upgraded to A129C standard. A129D (AgustaWestland AW129D) Updated version of the A129C with improved avionics, comprising multifunctional displays, and a new Rafael TopLite III optronic system in place of the original Saab HeliTow unit; the TOW missiles are replaced by the much more modern and capable Spike-ER missiles. Maximum takeoff weight of 4,600 kg; 32 A129C have been upgraded to the A129D standard. T129 ATAK Turkish attack helicopter based on the A129 International, featuring Turkish-made avionics and weaponry. According to one source AgustaWestland designation of its first prototype is AgustaWestland AW729 - Ed. Proposed models A129 LBH Proposed multipurpose assault version with a new cabin structure completely with space for carrying eight troops in addition to the two crew. The abbreviation LBH stands for Light Battlefield Helicopter. This version was designated A139 by Agusta. A129 Multi-Role Proposed multi-mission version, not built. A129 Scout Proposed reconnaissance version, not built. A129 Shipboard Proposed naval version, not built. Tonal Proposed derivative for Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and United Kingdom, with more powerful engines, a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, improved sensors, and more powerful armament. Cancelled in 1990. Military designations AH-129A Italian military designation for the A129 from 2012. AH-129C Italian military designation for the A129C from 2012. AH-129D Italian military designation for the A129D from 2012. The A129 in Italian Army service has been designated as EA-1 (Elicottero d'Attacco - Attack Helicopter 1), later changed to EC-1 (Elicottero da Combattimento - Combat Helicopter 1) and ultimately to EES-1 (Elicottero da Esplorazione e Scorta - Scout and Escort Helicopter 1). Operators 1. Italy Italian Army 2. Turkey Turkish Army (see TAI/AgustaWestland T129) Specifications (A129) Data from AgustaWestland A129 Technical Data, Twenty First Century Military Helicopters, Jane's Aviation Review General characteristics Crew: 2 Length: 12.28 m (40 ft 3 in) Height: 3.35 m (11 ft 0 in) Empty weight: 2,530 kg (5,578 lb) Max takeoff weight: 4,600 kg (10,141 lb) Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Gem 2-1004D (license built by Piaggio) turboshaft engines, 664 kW (890 hp) each Main rotor diameter: 11.9 m (39 ft 1 in) Main rotor area: 111.2 m2 (1,197 sq ft) 5-bladed main rotor Performance Maximum speed: 278 km/h (173 mph, 150 kn) Cruise speed: 229 km/h (142 mph, 124 kn) Range: 510 km (320 mi, 280 nmi) Ferry range: 1,000 km (620 mi, 540 nmi) Service ceiling: 4,725 m (15,502 ft) Rate of climb: 10.2 m/s (2,010 ft/min) Armament Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) M197 three-barrel Gatling-type cannon (500 rounds) in a TM197B Light Turreted Gun System (only CBT version) 12.7 mm (.50 in) machine gun pod Rockets: 4 pods with 38× 81 mm (3.19 in) unguided rockets or 76× 70 mm (2.75 in) unguided rockets or Missiles: 8× AGM-114 Hellfire or BGM-71 TOW or Spike-ER anti-tank missiles 4-8× AIM-92 Stinger or Mistral anti-aircraft missiles Related development Agusta A109 TAI/AgustaWestland T129 Leonardo Helicopters AW249 (A129 successor) Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era AgustaWestland Apache Bell AH-1 SuperCobra Bell AH-1Z Viper Boeing AH-64 Apache CAIC WZ-10 Denel Rooivalk Eurocopter Tiger HAL Light Combat Helicopter Harbin Z-19 IAIO Toufan Kamov Ka-50 Kawasaki OH-1 Mil Mi-24 Mil Mi-28 Panha 2091 wikipedia.org (en) Agusta AZ.8L (Agusta-Zappata AZ-8L) AZ-8L Role - Airliner Manufacturer - Agusta Designer - Filippo Zappata First flight - 9 June 1958 Retired - 1963 Number built - 1 The Agusta AZ.8L, or Agusta-Zappata AZ.8L, was an Italian airliner prototype first flown on 9 June 1958. It was of conventional low-wing monoplane configuration with tricycle undercarriage and all-metal construction. Filippo Zappata's design grew out of a twin-engined transport designated AZ.1 that was never built. When the AZ.8L failed to attract customers, Agusta abandoned the project to focus on its helicopter manufacturing operations, in particular a new Zappata design, the A.101. Operators 1. Italy Italian Air Force Specifications Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59 General characteristics Crew: 2 Capacity: 22 first-class or 26 economy-class passengers / 2,835 kg (6,250 lb) payload Length: 19.44 m (63 ft 9 in) Wingspan: 25.5 m (83 ft 8 in) Height: 6.66 m (21 ft 10 in) Wing area: 66.8 m2 (719 sq ft) Empty weight: 7,620 kg (16,799 lb) equipped Maximum zero-fuel weight: 10,300 kg (22,708 lb) Maximum landing weight: 10,800 kg (23,810 lb) Max takeoff weight: 11,300 kg (24,912 lb) Fuel capacity: 3,200 l (845 US gal; 704 imp gal) with 4x 45 l (12 US gal; 10 imp gal) engine oil tanks Powerplant: 4 × Alvis Leonides 503/2 9 cyl. air-cooled radial piston engines, 400 kW (540 hp) each for take-off 350.5 kW (470 hp) maximum continuous power Propellers: 3-bladed de Havilland, 2.74 m (9 ft 0 in) diameter constant-speed fully-feathering propellers Performance Maximum speed: 427 km/h (265 mph, 231 kn) Cruise speed: 405 km/h (252 mph, 219 kn) max. continuous power at 3,000 m (9,843 ft) 370 km/h (230 mph; 200 kn) recommended power at 3,000 m (9,843 ft) Range: 2,500 km (1,600 mi, 1,300 nmi) with 1,470 kg (3,241 lb) payload plus reserve fuel 650 km (404 mi) with max payload and no reserve fuel Service ceiling: 7,500 m (24,600 ft) Rate of climb: 5 m/s (980 ft/min) at sea level with flaps up Take-off distance to 15 m (50 ft): 590 m (1,936 ft) Landing distance from 15 m (50 ft): 840 m (2,756 ft) Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Handley Page Herald wikipedia.org (en) Meridionali/Agusta EMA 124 EMA 124 Role - Utility helicopter National origin - Italy Manufacturer - Elicotteri Meridionali/Agusta First flight - 28 May 1970 Number built - 1 Developed from - Bell 47 The Meridionali/Agusta EMA 124 was a light utility helicopter flown in prototype form in Italy in 1970. The design was undertaken by Agusta for production in a joint venture with Elicotteri Meridionali, based on the Bell 47 that Agusta was building under licence at the time. The EMA 124 retained the Bell 47's dynamic components, tubular tail, and undercarriage, but was fitted with a new, more aerodynamic forward fuselage with a cabin to seat three. The fuel tank and engine installation were also "cleaned up", and the rotor omitted the stabiliser bars fitted to the Bell 47's rotor. A single prototype was flown in 1970 (registration I-EMAF), but nothing further came of the project. Specifications Data from Stevens 1972, 184 General characteristics Crew: One pilot Capacity: 2 passengers Empty weight: 700 kg (1,540 lb) Gross weight: 1,150 kg (2,540 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming VO-540-B1B3 , 186 kW (250 hp) Main rotor diameter: 9.50 m (31 ft 2 in) Performance Maximum speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 96 kn) Range: 420 km (260 mi, 230 nmi) Service ceiling: 4,300 m (14,100 ft) Rate of climb: 4.2 m/s (827 ft/min) wikipedia.org (en) Agusta/AgustaWestland/Leonardo Helicopters Agusta - A.101 / AB.102 / A.103 / A.104 / A.105 / A.106 / A109 / A109S / A.115 / A.120 / A.123 / A.129 / AZ.8L / CP-110 / EH101 AgustaWestland/Leonardo - Apache / AW09 / AW009 / AW101 / VH-71 Kestrel / CH-149 Cormorant / AW109 / AW109S / AW119 Koala / AW139 / AW149 / AW159 Wildcat / AW169 / AW189 / AW249 / AW609 / T129 ATAK / Project Zero / Next-Generation Civil Tiltrotor Meridionali/Agusta - EMA 124 Aeroengines - GA.40 / GA.70 / GA.140 / A.270 / TA.230 Other - Domenico Agusta / Giovanni Agusta / MV Agusta / PZL-Świdnik / Westland Helicopters / Caproni |