| AgustaWestland | |
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HW100 - 45000
UAW55 - 105000 RRW100 - 175000 PKRR - 7500 |
AgustaWestland AgustaWestland S.p.A. Type - Subsidiary Industry - Aircraft Predecessors - Agusta / Westland Helicopters Founded - 2000 Defunct - 2016 (merged into Leonardo S.p.A.) Successor - Leonardo Helicopters Headquarters - Rome, Italy Key people - Daniele Romiti (chief executive officer) Products - Helicopters Revenue - ˆ4,243 million (2012) Operating income - ˆ473 million (2012) Number of employees - 12,500 (at 31 December 2015) Parent - Finmeccanica Subsidiaries - PZL-Świdnik Website - agustawestland.com AgustaWestland was an Anglo-Italian helicopter design and manufacturing company, which was a wholly owned subsidiary of Finmeccanica (now known as Leonardo). It was formed in July 2000 as an Anglo-Italian multinational company, when Finmeccanica and GKN merged their respective helicopter subsidiaries (Agusta and Westland Helicopters) to form AgustaWestland, with each holding a 50% share. Finmeccanica acquired GKN's stake in AgustaWestland in 2004. In 2016, AgustaWestland was merged into Leonardo S.p.A. (formerly Finmeccanica), where it became the company's helicopters division under the Leonardo Helicopters brand. "AgustaWestland" still exists as a subsidiary of Leonardo but the AgustaWestland public brand is no longer promoted. History The collaboration between Agusta and Westland dates back to 1981, when the two companies established the European Helicopter Industries joint venture with the aim of developing a new medium-size utility helicopter, the EH101. In March 1999, Finmeccanica and GKN announced their intention to merge their respective helicopter subsidiaries. The two parties announced finalised terms for the merger in July 2000, which included a 50-50 ownership structure, and the payment of top-up fees to GKN to compensate for a disparity in profit levels between Agusta and Westland. In January 2002, AgustaWestland announced that it would be cutting a total of 950 jobs in the United Kingdom and closing its factory in Weston-super-Mare, which carried out customer support work, as activity was concentrated at its main site in Yeovil. On 26 May 2004, GKN confirmed that it had agreed to sell its share of AgustaWestland to Finmeccanica for £1.06 billion. The sale was approved by the British government in October 2004. AgustaWestland opened offices in Philadelphia in 2005 and won a contract to build the new presidential helicopter Marine One over the U.S. manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft, but this program was cancelled in 2009. In November 2005, it was announced that AgustaWestland had agreed to acquire Bell Helicopter's 25 per cent interest in the AB139 medium twin helicopter program, and to increase its interest in the BA609 civil tiltrotor aircraft from 25 per cent to 40 per cent. In June 2008, AgustaWestland and the Russia-based helicopter manufacturer Russian Helicopters agreed to form a new joint venture company to assemble AW139 helicopters in Russia. Construction of a $50 million helicopter assembly facility in the town of Tomilino near Moscow began in June 2010. In early 2010, AgustaWestland acquired PZL-Świdnik, a Polish helicopter manufacturer. In September 2012, AgustaWestland and Northrop Grumman announced the signing of a comprehensive teaming agreement under which the companies would jointly bid for contracts to build the U.S. Air Force Combat Rescue helicopter and U.S. Navy's new "Marine One" presidential helicopter. In March 2013, AgustaWestland announced its Project Zero hybrid tiltrotor/fan-in-wing technology demonstrator. The unmanned demonstrator made its first tethered flight in June 2011 at AgustaWestland's Cascina Costa, Italy facility. According to the company, the aircraft "employs no hydraulics, doesn't burn fossil fuel and generates zero emissions." AgustaWestland AW101 order controversy India signed a contract to purchase 12 AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters in February 2010 for the Communication Squadron of Indian Air Force to carry the president, PM and other VVIPs. The contract was frozen in February 2013 after allegations surfaced that US$60 million had been paid as a bribe. On 12 February 2013, Giuseppe Orsi, the CEO of Finmeccanica, was arrested by Italian authorities; the following day Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony ordered a probe into the contract. In January 2014, India cancelled the US$630 million deal, subsequently recovering the sum which it had paid. Merger into Leonardo In 2016, following a corporate reorganization, AgustaWestland merged into Leonardo S.p.A., Finmeccanica's new name. With this reorganization, AgustaWestland ceased to exist as a separate company, and it became Leonardo's helicopter division. In 2020 Leonardo relaunched the "Agusta" brand for the VIP helicopter sector. The launch of the new brand was announced during Expo 2020 in Dubai. Products Model - First flight - Production status - MTOW - Description Agusta A129 Mangusta - 1983-09-11 - present - 4.6t - attack helicopter TAI/AgustaWestland T-129 - 2009-09-28 - present - 5t - A129 development with TAI AgustaWestland AW101/EH101 (Merlin) - 1987-10-09 - present - 14.6t - three-engine AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant - 2000-05-31 - present - 14.6t - AW101 Canadian air-sea rescue designation Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel - 2007-07-03 - 2009 - 14.6t - cancelled USMC Marine One AW101 VIP variant with Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter) AgustaWestland AW109 - 1971-08-04 - present - 2.85t - eight seats twin-engine AgustaWestland AW109S Grand - 1988 - present - 3.175t - AW109 stretch AgustaWestland AW119 Koala - 1995-02 - present - 2.85t - eight seats single-engine AW109 AgustaWestland AW139 - 2001-02-03 - present - 7t - 15-seat twin-engine (former Bell/Agusta AB139) AgustaWestland AW149 - 2009-11-13 - present - 8.6t - medium-lift military helicopter Westland Lynx - 1971-03-21 - present - 5.33t - military helicopter AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat - 2009-11-12 - present - 6t - Lynx development AgustaWestland AW169 - 2012-05-10 - present - 4.8t - 10-seat twin-engine AgustaWestland AW189 - 2011-12-21 - present - 8.3t - twin-engine AgustaWestland AW249 - 2022-08-12 - present - 7t - attack helicopter, A129 replacement AgustaWestland AW609 - 2003-03-06 - present - 7.62t - tiltrotor (former Bell/Agusta BA609) AgustaWestland Project Zero - 2011-06 - present - ? - hybrid tiltrotor/fan-in-wing demonstrator NHI NH90 - 1995-12-18 - present - 10.6t - twin-engine military helicopter (NHIndustries is 62.5% Eurocopter, 32% AgustaWestland and 5.5% Fokker Aerostructures) PZL W-3 Sokół - 1979-11-16 - 2015 - 6.4t - twin-engine PZL SW-4 - 1996-10-29 - present - 1.8t - single-engine Agusta-Bell 412 - 1979-08 - present - 5.4t - licensed twin-engine AgustaWestland Apache - 1998-09 - 2004 - 9.5t - GKN-Westland license of the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, 67 built for the British Army Kopter AW09 - 2014-10 - present - 2.65t - former SH09 wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW101 AW101 Role - Anti-submarine warfare, medium-lift transport, search and rescue and utility helicopter National origin - United Kingdom/Italy Manufacturer - Agusta / Westland Helicopters / AgustaWestland / Finmeccanica / Leonardo S.p.A. First flight - 9 October 1987 Introduction - 1999 Status - In service Primary users - Royal Navy / Royal Air Force (historical) / Italian Navy / Royal Danish Air Force Produced - 1990s-present Variants - AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant / Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter in military and civil use. First flown in 1987, it was developed by a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the United Kingdom and Agusta in Italy in response to national requirements for a modern naval utility helicopter. Several operators, including the armed forces of Britain, Denmark, and Portugal, use the name Merlin for their AW101 aircraft. It is manufactured at factories in Yeovil, England, and Vergiate, Italy. Licensed assembly work has also taken place in Japan and the United States. Prior to 2007, the aircraft had been marketed under the designation EH101. The original designation was EHI 01, from the name given to the Anglo-Italian joint venture - European Helicopter Industries - but a transcription error changed this to EH101. In 2000, Westland Helicopters and Agusta merged to form AgustaWestland, leading to the type's current designation. The AW101 entered into service in 1999 and has since replaced several older helicopter types, such as the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King, performing roles such as medium-sized transport, anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and ship-based utility operations. The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) operates the CH-149 Cormorant variant for air-sea rescue. Another variant, the Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel, was produced to serve in the United States presidential transport fleet before the program was cancelled and the aircraft sold off. Civil operators use the AW101 for passenger and VIP transportation. The type has been deployed to active combat theatres, such as in support of coalition forces during the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. Development Origins In 1977, the UK Ministry of Defence issued a requirement for an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter to replace the Royal Navy's Westland Sea Kings, which were becoming inadequate in the face of advances in Soviet submarine technology. Westland Helicopters put together a proposal, designated WG.34, for a three-engined helicopter of similar dimensions to the Sea King; the WG.34 was to feature more autonomy and a greater range than its predecessor. At the same time, the Italian Navy (Marina Militare) was also considering the replacement of its fleet of Sea Kings, which had been built by the Italian company Agusta; Westland and Agusta soon began talks regarding the joint development of a successor helicopter. Agusta and Westland finalised an agreement to work on the project together, and formed a jointly owned new company, EH Industries Limited (EHI), to pursue the development and marketing of the new helicopter to potential operators. On 12 June 1981, the UK government confirmed its participation in the project, allocated an initial budget of £20 million to develop nine pre-series examples. A major agreement, which secured funding for the majority of the EH101's development program, was signed by both the British and Italian governments in 1984. At the 1985 Paris Air Show, Agusta showed a mock-up of a utility version of the new helicopter, leading to a more generalised design that could be customised to meet the needs of various civilian or military customers. The first prototype flew on 9 October 1987. In 1987, Canada selected the EH101 to replace their Sea Kings in the anti-submarine warfare and search and rescue roles. The EH101's third engine and increased range compared favorably with rival aircraft, such as the Sikorsky Seahawk. The range and de-icing capability were also seen as vital for North Atlantic operations. The fledgling EH101, of which up to 50 were on order to replace the Canadian Armed Forces's (CAF) Sea Kings, found itself subject to a wider political battle between the Conservative and Liberal parties, the latter viewing the aircraft as too costly. Critics attacked the EH101 purchase as excessive and unnecessary after the Cold War's end in the early 1990s. Wide-ranging cost estimates were presented by both proponents and opponents of the EH101 procurement, with opponents backing life extensions of Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King and Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labrador helicopter fleets. The EH101 controversy was seen as a factor in the 1993 Canadian federal election. The order was cancelled by the new Liberal government in 1993 resulting in a $470 million cancellation fee. Into production Several pre-production aircraft were assembled during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The first pre-production aircraft had its first flight powered by General Electric CT7-2A engines on 9 October 1987. Flight tests were suspended for six months following the crash of the second pre-production aircraft on 21 January 1993. On 6 June 1993, the first EH101 took its maiden flight with the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 turboshaft engine. Nine prototypes were built to explore military and civil applications, including a "heliliner" configuration. In February 1995, Britain formally placed its first order for a total of 22 EH101s; this was quickly followed by Italy's order for 16 EH101s in October 1995. The EH101 order was not without controversy, the RAF had declared its preference for an all-Chinook fleet; also, Boeing allegedly offered cheaper terms for the Chinook. RAF deliveries began in 1997; RN deliveries started the following year. Following the merger of Westland and Agusta to form AgustaWestland in 2000, there was no need for the separate EHI entity; the EH101 was formally re-branded as the AW101 in 2007. By April 2009, more than 180 AW101s had been sold worldwide; the combined operational fleet had also accumulated a total of 170,000 flying hours. Further developments In November 2007, Algeria signed a contract for 6 AW101 helicopters. In August 2012, it was reported that Algeria had signed an agreement with AgustaWestland for the provision of up to 80 helicopters, 42 of which were to be AW101s. Under the terms of this arrangement, early aircraft were to be manufactured by AgustaWestland, while Algeria was to commence the assembly of some AW101s later on. By September 2013, AgustaWestland was in the process of acquiring civil certification for the AW101, prospective customers include offshore oil platform operators and VIP clients. As of February 2014, AgustaWestland was considering adapting the AW101 as a heavyweight unmanned aerial vehicle, it is proposed that in this configuration an AW101 could be optionally manned. On 7 June 2010, it was announced that Boeing had acquired a manufacturing license and the rights from AgustaWestland for US production of a localised AW101 variant, designated as the Boeing 101. In October 2012, the AW101 was submitted in a U.S. Air Force competition to replace the HH-60 Pave Hawk; however, the bid was dropped three months later. Design Overview The AW101 Merlin follows a conventional design layout, but makes use of advanced technologies, such as the design of the rotor blades, avionics systems, and extensive use of composite materials. The fuselage structure is modular and comprises an aluminium-lithium alloy, designed to be both light and damage-resistant. The AW101 is designed for operating in extreme weather conditions; it is fitted with a de-icing system and rated to operate in temperatures ranging between −45 and +50 °C. The aircraft's control systems allow the AW101 to maintain a stable hover in 74 km/h (40 kn) crosswinds. An active vibration control system, known as the active control of structural response system, reduces airframe vibration by up to 80%, increasing crew comfort and minimising buildup of stress on the airframe. The cockpit is fitted with armoured seats for the crew, and can withstand an impact velocity of over 10 m/s. Dual flight controls are provided, though the AW101 can be flown by a single person. The pilots' instrument displays include six full-colour high-definition screens and an optional mission display; a digital map or forward looking infrared (FLIR) display can also be installed. Powerplant The AW101 is powered by three turboshaft engines. Initially the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322 producing 2,035 to 2,160 shp (1,517 to 1,611 kW) and the General Electric CT7 producing 1,960 to 2,329 shp (1,462 to 1,737 kW) were the two available engine types, but by 2020 new aircraft were only being sold with the CT7-8E. The RTM322 powerplant was specifically developed for the AW101; it was subsequently adopted on the AgustaWestland WAH-64 Apache and the NHIndustries NH90 helicopters. According to Rolls-Royce, about 80% of AW101s use the RTM322. The engines power an 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in) diameter five-bladed main rotor. The rotor blades are constructed from carbon/glass with nomex honeycomb and rohacell foam, edged with titanium alloy in a sandwich construction. The shaping of the main rotor blades is derived from the BERP rotor blades first used on the Westland Lynx. This blade design improves aerodynamic efficiency at the blade tip and reduces the acoustic signature. Improved BERP IV rotors have since been developed; when installed this increases the AW101's maximum takeoff weight. Each engine is supplied by a separate 1,074 L (284 US gal; 236 imp gal) fuel tank using dual booster pumps. Optional fourth and fifth tanks can be added to act as a reservoir supply, topping up the main tanks during flight, increasing range or endurance. The AW101 can also be fitted with a probe for aerial refuelling. Self-sealing fuel tanks are an optional item to be selected by the customer. An inlet particle separator system can be installed, protecting the engine when operating in sandy environments. Armament and defensive systems Most variants of the AW101 are equipped with self-defence systems, such as chaff and flare dispensers, directed infrared countermeasures (infrared jammers), ESM (electronic support measures in the form of RF heads), and a laser detection and warning system. British Merlins have been outfitted with protective armour against small-arms fire. A side-mounted forward looking infrared (FLIR) imaging sensor has been fitted to some variants. Two hardpoints are present in the underside of the airframe on which the HM1 model can carry four Sting Ray torpedoes or Mk 11 Mod 3 depth charges. Some customers have chosen to deploy the Marte anti-ship missile on the AW101; as of 2011, the Royal Navy is considering equipping their Merlin fleet with an anti-surface missile. The Mk1, Mk3 and Mk3A variants can mount general purpose machine guns in up to five locations in the main cabin, aimed out of both door and window apertures. AgustaWestland has examined the integration of rockets and additional ground-attack weapons. Avionics Westland and IBM formed a consortium in 1991 to perform the helicopter's complex systems integration. The AW101 features a network of helicopter management and mission systems designed to reduce pilot workload and enable the helicopter to undertake a wide variety of missions. A digital automatic flight control system (AFCS) is employed by the AW101. The AFCS allows the operation of a four-axis (pitch, roll, yaw and collective) autopilot and the automatic stabilisation system, and is linked in with the aircraft's flight management systems. The AFCS, manufactured by Smiths Aerospace, is a dual-duplex system using two flight computers to provide redundancy and fault-tolerance. The AW101's navigation system includes a GPS receiver and inertial navigation system, VHF omnidirectional radio range (VOR), instrument landing system (ILS), TACAN, and automatic direction finding. The Mk1 and Mk3 are equipped with a Doppler velocity system (DVS) which provides relative ground velocities; the DVS is also linked into the AFCS as part of the autostabilisation system. For safety, the aircraft is equipped with obstacle and terrain avoidance warning systems, traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), and both voice and flight data recorders. The AW101 is equipped with the Blue Kestrel search and detection radar which is capable of 360 degree scanning and can detect small targets as far as 25 nautical miles. As part of the Royal Navy's Merlin HM2 upgrade program, Lockheed Martin implemented a series of improvements to the radar, notably allowing it to track 40 times the number of targets previously capable. Danish EH101s are fitted with the RDR-1600 search and weather radar. Mk 2 Royal Navy Merlins are equipped with the AQS901 anti-submarine system for processing sonographic data from sonobuoys to detect and target submerged submarines. The AQS901 was derived from the system on the earlier Hawker Siddeley Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft. Crew and cargo The AW101 is typically operated by a crew of three: a pilot, an observer, and a crewman/operator. The pilot is able to fly for the majority of a mission in a hands-off mode, enabled by the sophisticated autopilot. All crew members have individual access to management computers and tactical information. The fuselage has a volume of 31.91 cubic metres (1,127 cu ft) and the cargo compartment is 6.5 metres (21 ft) in length, 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in) wide and 1.91 metres (6 ft 3 in) high. The military version of the AW101 can accommodate up to 24 seated or 45 standing combat troops and their equipment. Alternative loads include a medical team and 16 stretchers, and cargo pallets. The ramp, 1.91 by 2.3 metres (6 ft 3 in × 7 ft 7 in), can take a 3,050-kilogram (6,720 lb) load, allowing it to carry vehicles such as Land Rovers. The ramp and cabin floor are fitted with flush tie-down points. A cargo hook under the fuselage can carry external loads of 5,440 kilograms (11,990 lb) via the use of a semi-automatic cargo release unit (SACRU). A rescue hoist and a hover trim controller are fitted at the cargo door. An optional cargo winch can be installed near to the rear ramp. Operational history Royal Navy The British Royal Navy's final order was for 44 ASW aircraft, originally designated Merlin HAS.1 (Helicopter, Anti-Submarine Mark 1) but soon changed to Merlin HM1 (Helicopter, Maritime Mark 1). The first fully operational Merlin was delivered on 17 May 1997, entering service on 2 June 2000. All aircraft were delivered by the end of 2002, and are operated by 3 Fleet Air Arm squadrons: 814 NAS, 820 NAS, 824 NAS and 829 NAS (now disbanded and merged with 814 NAS), all based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. 700 NAS was the Merlin Operational Evaluation Unit from 2000 to 2008. In March 2004, Navy Merlins were temporarily grounded following an incident at RNAS Culdrose in which a tail rotor failed due to a manufacturing defect. An improved tail rotor was designed and adopted on most AW101s which significantly reduced associated maintenance. In 1995, it was announced that the Navy's Westland Lynx helicopters would be retired in favour of an all-Merlin fleet. However, the subsequent Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 stated that the future naval helicopters would be the Merlin and the Wildcat, a derivative of the Lynx. Royal Navy Merlins have seen action in the Caribbean, on counter-narcotics and hurricane support duties, as well as maritime security duties in the Persian Gulf. Merlins have also seen active duty in Iraq, providing support to British and coalition forces based in the region. The Merlin HM1 has been cleared to operate from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, Type 23 frigates, Type 45 destroyer and several Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels including the Fort Victoria class. 30 aircraft have been upgraded to Merlin HM2 standard under the £750m Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme; Lockheed Martin UK delivered the final HM2 on 11 July 2016. The HM2 has a new mission system, digital cockpit, electro-optical camera and multi-static sonar processing. The HM2 achieved IOC on 30 June 2014 after flying 480 hours from Illustrious during Exercise Deep Blue earlier that month. It was also reported that some of the eight airframes not scheduled to be upgraded for financial reasons may be updated. Five HM2s are in maintenance at a time, leaving 25 available, of which 14 were theoretically to be assigned to the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier. However, in practice with just 30 Merlin HM2s in service, it may be impossible to deploy 14 aircraft on a single operational carrier on a full time basis. During the 2021 carrier strike group deployment to the Pacific, for instance, 7 Merlins were embarked with the task group. In addition to its ASW role, the HM2 will be able to carry an airborne early warning (AEW) pod known as the Crowsnest, replacing the Sea King ASaC7. In September 2011, Thales UK proposed re-using Sea King ASaC7 equipment, such as the Searchwater 2000, on the Merlin; Lockheed Martin has proposed developing a new multi-functional sensor for both the AW101 and other aircraft. Lockheed originally planned to use a derivative of the F-35's APG-81 radar; however, a rival Elta system and the Thales system both commenced flight trials in 2014. However, revised plans will see Crowsnest achieve initial operating capability in September 2021 and full operating capability in May 2023. On 22 May 2015, the MOD and prime contractor Lockheed Martin UK selected Thales to provide the radar and mission system for the Crowsnest. On 15 December 2009, plans were announced to transfer RAF Merlin HC3s and HC3As to the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force to replace retiring Sea King HC4 helicopters. The Sea King was set to retire in 2016, leaving the Navy operating a combination of the Wildcat and Merlin. 846 NAS reformed with ex-RAF Merlin HC3s on 30 September 2014; 845 NAS followed on 9 July 2015. On 25 May 2018, the first of 25 converted Royal Marines Commando Merlin Mk4/4A were delivered to Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton. In July 2020, the Merlin HM2 and HC4/4A helicopters were planned to be in service until 2029 and 2030, respectively. On 11 June 2021, it was confirmed that their Out of Service Date (OSD) had been moved to 2040. Royal Air Force The RAF ordered 22 Merlin HC3 for transport missions, the first of which entered service in January 2001 with No. 28 Squadron RAF based at RAF Benson. The type is equipped with extended-range fuel tanks and is capable of air-to-air refuelling. The Merlin is frequently utilised for troop transport duties and for the transport of bulky objects, either internally or underslung, including vehicles and artillery. The Merlin Depth Maintenance Facility at RNAS Culdrose performed most tasks upon the Merlin HC3. The Merlin's first operational deployment was to the Balkans region in 2003. RAF Merlins were first deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Telic in 2004, supporting coalition forces and were operated as the main medevac asset in southern Iraq; both Flight Lieutenant Kev Harris and Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman were awarded the DFC during this period. Merlins routinely operated around Basra until Britain's withdrawal in June 2009. In 2002, Westland made an unsuccessful unsolicited offer to the British Ministry of Defence, proposing an enhanced Merlin variant intended to satisfy the demand for additional lift capacity. An alternative measure was the acquisition of six AW101s from Denmark in 2007; designated Merlin HC3A, these were assigned to the RAF, allowing Merlins to be deployed in Afghanistan. The HC3A is used for training and not for frontline operations due to various configuration differences. In December 2007, a second Merlin squadron, No. 78 Squadron was formed at RAF Benson. In 2009, five Merlin Mk3s were operating in Afghanistan, transporting troops and supplies. The deployment to Afghanistan was criticised as the aircraft reportedly lacked protective Kevlar armour. By July 2010, the Merlin fleet was fully fitted with ballistic armour. The deployment of Merlins to Afghanistan allowed the detachment of Sea Kings to be withdrawn from the region in October 2011. As part of the UK drawdown in Afghanistan, Merlins were withdrawn from theatre in June 2013. In 2012, the RAF's Merlin HC3/3A fleet began to be transferred to the Royal Navy for use by the Commando Helicopter Force. Royal Navy personnel worked alongside RAF crew at Benson to build experience during the transition. The £454m Merlin Life Sustainment Programme resulted in 25 HC3/3A airframes being fitted with the cockpit electronics of the HM2, folding tails and main rotor heads, strengthened landing gear, deck lashing mounting points, obsolescence updates, fast-roping points and a common emergency egress system. The first HC4 is to begin flight trials in September 2017, with an IOC in mid-2018; an interim folding main rotor head will be fitted to some HC3 for shipborne operations prior to the HC4 upgrade. Command of the UK Merlin HC3/3A fleet was formally transferred from the RAF to the Royal Navy during a ceremony at RAF Benson on 30 September 2014. As part of the same ceremony, the RAF's 78 Sqn was disbanded and the Royal Navy's 846 Naval Air Squadron stood-up with the Merlin. The RAF's 28(AC) continued to operate as part of the Commando Helicopter Force until July 2015, when 28(AC) Sqn stood down and 845 Naval Air Squadron stood-up. 846 NAS relocated from RAF Benson to RNAS Yeovilton in March 2015, with 845 NAS following in June 2016. Italian Navy In 1997, the Italian government ordered 16 AW101 helicopters for the Italian Navy, with options for four more. These AW101 included eight of the anti-surface/submarine (ASuW/ASW) version, four airborne early warning (AEW), four amphibious support helicopters (ASH). The government then exercised its option for four additional ASH helicopters, which were delivered by 2006. The same year the government ordered two more AW101 ASH helicopters in a slightly modified version. The first Italian Navy production helicopter (MM81480) flew on 4 October 1999 and was officially presented to the press on 6 December 1999. Italy accepted delivery of the 21st AW101, configured for anti-submarine warfare, on 4 August 2009. In total 22 AW101 helicopters have been delivered to the Italian Navy. Italian AW101s have operated from a variety of ships and have seen service overseas; in 2009 the Italian Navy used its AW101 fleet as executive transports for visiting heads of state and officials during the 35th G8 summit. In 2010, the Italian Navy deployed three AW101s to Afghanistan, where they were flown in both the transport and utility roles. In 2011, it was reported that the Italian contingent in Afghanistan, consisting of AW101s, had been providing coverage of a wide area of the country. Italian Air Force In June 2011 the AW101 was chosen by the Italian Air Force to replace its ageing Sea King HH-3F helicopters in the combat search and rescue role. A total of 15 helicopters in the HH-101A variant were ordered and delivered between 2016 and 2020. Royal Canadian Air Force In 1997, in light of the declining condition of its helicopter fleet, Canada launched the Canadian Search and Rescue Helicopter competition. It was won by the EH101, which was designated CH-149 Cormorant in Canadian service. In 2004, the EH101 was entered into a Canadian competition to replace the shipboard Sea King fleet, but the Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone was selected. In 2013, following difficulties with the CH-148 procurement, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) was reported to be seriously considering cancelling the contract with Sikorsky and was investigating the possibility of procuring the AW101 instead. However, an initial batch of six Cyclones was delivered to the RCAF in June 2015. Royal Danish Air Force In 2001, the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) announced the purchase of eight EH101s for SAR duties and six tactical troop transports for 722 Squadron. The last of the 14 AW101s was delivered in March 2007 and the first SAR AW101s became operational out of Karup Airport in April 2007. In 2007, the six troop transport AW101s were transferred to the British MOD; in exchange, the British government ordered six new-build AW101s as replacements for the RDAF. Danish AW101s have a higher gross weight capacity of 15,600 kg and were, as delivered, coated in a paint designed to reduce the aircraft's infrared signature. In the SAR role, RDAF AW101s have a crew of six and were initially painted yellow to distinguish themselves from AW101 allocated to military duties, but were later painted green, and all 14 AW101s are used for SAR and troop transport. On 28 January 2008, the drive shaft of a Danish AW101 broke, leading to an emergency landing at Billund Airport. Following the incident, the Danish fleet was grounded as a precaution and the AW101's future was publicly debated. In the first six months of 2008, the RDAF reported an operational availability of roughly 50%, well below the target of 80%, partly due to an inadequate maintenance organisation and staff shortages. In January 2011, the Danish Ministry of Defence reportedly could not afford the retrofitting of the AW101 fleet for Afghanistan operations, against earlier reports of a deployment in 2012. In February 2013, Aviation Week reported that earlier reliability problems had been resolved and that a full upgrade package would be applied to Danish AW101s; these included the addition of electronic warfare pods and a new electro-optical system, in advance of a deployment in Afghanistan in 2014. In September 2013, Danish AW101s were to receive L-3 Wescam MX-15 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors; SAR aircraft already carry the FLIR Systems Star Safire II EO/IR sensor. Royal Norwegian Air Force On 25 October 2007, a project started that had the intent to replace all Westland Sea King search and rescue helicopters with new rescue helicopters by 2020. On 19 December 2013, a contract was signed between AgustaWestland and the government, for the purchase of 16 AW101 helicopters. The agreement came about after fierce competition between different manufacturers to satisfy the Norwegian requirements. Participants were AgustaWestland, Eurocopter, NHIndustries, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and Boeing. The government considered that AgustaWestland AW101 met the requirements and specifications in the best possible way. On 12 June 2017, Per-Willy Amundsen, Minister of Justice and Public Security, announced the opening of Leonardo's AW101 Norway Training Centre at Stavanger Sola Air Station. The training centre includes an AW101 Full Flight Simulator (FFS), jointly developed by Leonardo and CAE to Level D, which is a CAE Series 3000 device, along with an AW101 SAR console training system linked to the FFS to provide rear crew training. The first training course at the centre started prior to delivery of the first rotorcraft. The training center will be used by both Norwegian and foreign AW101 customers. The first AW101 was delivered in November 2017. The Norwegian AW101s officially started operating in the rescue role on 1 September 2020. The Sea Kings will be phased out gradually until the middle of 2023, after 47 years of service. The AW101 is named SAR Queen in Norwegian service. Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force had purchased 12 Merlins under a ˆ446 million contract, the first of which was delivered on 22 December 2004. The type has been used to conduct transport, search and rescue, and maritime surveillance missions, progressively replacing the Aérospatiale Puma previously tasked with these missions. The main role of Portuguese AW101s is to perform search and rescue missions within Portugal's maritime zone. They are operated by 751 Squadron and are kept on constant alert at three bases: Montijo near Lisbon, Lajes Field on the Azores, and Porto Santo Island. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ordered 14 aircraft in 2003 to use in both the airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) and transport roles. The AW101 was modified by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and the Japan Defense Agency designated the model MCH-101. Special features include the automated folding of the rotor and tail. For the mine-hunting role, the MCH-101 has been outfitted with Northrop Grumman's AQS-24A airborne mine-hunting system and AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) for a complete surface-to-bottom mine detection capability, as well as Mk-104 acoustic mine sweeping gear. In 2002, AgustaWestland, Kawasaki and Marubeni entered a general agreement for cooperation; Kawasaki began the assembly of both the CH-101 and the MCH-101 in 2003. Kawasaki also began licensed production of the RTM322 engines in 2005. In a separate agreement between Marubeni and AgustaWestland, a supply depot was established in Japan to support the MCH-101 and CH-101 fleets. The first MCH-101 was delivered to the JMSDF on 3 March 2006. The MCH-101 will replace the MH-53E (S-80-M-1) in the AMCM role. The CH-101 will operate in the transport/support role for Antarctic expeditions, replacing the Sikorsky S-61A, and will be working in coordination with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. After a whistle-blower alleged that the MSDF's preference had been improperly changed an investigation was launched. On 16 December 2016 the Japanese Ministry of Defense (the Defense Agency having been upgraded to a ministry in 2007) stated that it had not confirmed lobbying efforts but the ministry admonished Tomohisa Takei, the JMSDF chief of staff, for mentioning the MCH-101 by name during the procurement process to his subordinates. This had come after MSDF officials had reported that the Mitsubishi-built SH helicopters may be best. VIP and other usage AgustaWestland developed a specialised luxury variant, the AW101 VVIP (Very Very Important Person, i.e. a head of state), aimed at business and VIP customers. As of April 2009, 15% of all AW101s sold were for VIP purposes. By September 2013, customers operating the VIP variant included Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Nigeria and Turkmenistan. The AW101 was being acquired by the United States Marine Corps under the VXX program as a replacement for the Presidential Marine One helicopters. Designated VH-71 Kestrel, the variant was heavily customised and equipped with various self-defense systems. However the programme encountered significant cost overruns and political opposition, which led to the procurement being scrapped in June 2009. After the cancellation, the delivered helicopters were sold to Canada for $164 million, where they were used as source of spare parts for its fleet of Agusta Westland CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue helicopters. Separately, the Marine Corps had also conducted studies into the adoption of the EH101 as a fallback option to the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor during the 1990s. In April 2009, India ordered 12 AW101 to serve as executive transport helicopters for the Indian President and Prime Minister. The selection followed field trial assessments between the AW101 and the Sikorsky S-92 held in 2008. However, the procurement was put on hold and subsequently cancelled due to the 2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal, in which Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland's parent company, were accused of using bribery to win the contract. The three helicopters delivered as part of the contract may be returned to the manufacturer as part of the arbitration process. Variants Pre-production PP1 - Westland-built basic air vehicle prototype, first flown 9 October 1987. PP2 - Agusta-built Italian basic air vehicle prototype first flown on 26 November 1987 and used for deck trials but was destroyed on 21 January 1993 following a rotor brake malfunction. PP3 - Westland-built and the first civil configured Heliliner, used for engine vibration tests and icing trials in Canada. PP4 - Westland-built British naval prototype, lost in an accident on 7 April 1995 after a drive train control rod failure. PP5 - Westland-built Merlin development aircraft eventually equipped with Merlin avionics. PP6 - Agusta-built development aircraft for Italian Navy variant first flown 26 April 1989. PP7 - Agusta-built military utility aircraft with rear-loading ramp. PP8 - Westland-built civil prototype. PP9 - Agusta-built military utility prototype with rear-loading ramp. Model 110 Italian Navy ASW/ASuW variant, eight built. Powered by T-700-GE-T6A1 engines. Fitted with Eliradar APS-784 radar and Honeywell HELRAS dipping sonar. Armed with torpedoes or Marte anti-ship missiles. Model 111 Royal Navy ASW/ASuW variant, designated Merlin HM1 by customer. Powered by RTM322 engines and fitted with Blue Kestrel radar, Thomson Marconi FLASH dipping sonar and Orange Reaper ESM. 44 built. Model 112 Italian Navy early warning variant with same airframe as Model 110 but with Eliradar HEW-784 radar in large underfuselage radome. Four built. Series 200 Proposed military utility version with no rear-loading ramp. Series 300 Heliliner Proposed civil transport with no ramp. In 2000, British International Helicopters conducted service trials using PP8; these did not lead to a commercial service. Series 310 Proposed version of Heliliner with full airline avionics for operation from oil platforms. No production. Model 410 Italian Navy transport variant with folding rotors and tail boom. Four built. Model 411 Royal Air Force transport variant, designated Merlin HC3 by customer, 22 built. Model 413 Italian Navy special forces and amphibious assault transport with more advanced avionics. Model 500 Proposed civil utility variant with rear-ramp. Model 510 Civil utility variant with rear ramp, two built. One used for Tokyo Metropolitan Police Agency and one used to support US101 bid. Model 511 Canadian military search and rescue variant, designated CH-149 Cormorant by customer. Model 512 Merlin Joint Supporter for Royal Danish Air Force. Eight acquired for search and rescue (512 SAR) and six for tactical troop transport (512 TTT). The six transports were sold to RAF (as Merlin HC3As) and replaced by six new-build Merlins. Model 514 Portuguese Air Force search and rescue variant, six built. Model 515 Portuguese Air Force fisheries protection variant, two built. Model 516 Portuguese Air Force combat search and rescue variant, four built. Model 518 Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force mine countermeasures and transport variant, two built. Model 519 Presidential Transport variant for the United States Marine Corps as the VH-71 Kestrel, four test vehicles and five pilot production aircraft built. Model 610 Algerian Naval variant. 6 delivered. Model 611 Italian Air Force Combat Search and Rescue variant, powered by CT7-8E engines. 15 on order. Model 612 Norwegian search and rescue variant, operated by the Air Force. 16 ordered with option for 6 more. Model 640 Saudi Arabian VVIP variant, operated by the Air Force. 2 delivered. Model 641 Indian VVIP variant. (See 2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal.) Latterly delivered to Nigerian and Azerbaijani Air Forces. Model 642 Algerian VVIP variant, 2 delivered. Model 643 Turkmenistani VVIP variant, operated by the Air Force. 2 delivered. Merlin HM1 Royal Navy designation for the Model 111. Merlin HM2 Avionics retrofit of 30 HM1s for the Royal Navy. Merlin HC3 Royal Air Force designation for the Model 411. Merlin HC3A Royal Air Force designation for six former Royal Danish Air Force Model 512s modified to UK standards. Merlin HC3i Royal Navy will fit seven HC3 with folding rotor heads as an interim (3i) measure until the full HC4 upgrade is available. Merlin HC4/4A The conversion of 25 RAF HC3/3A for RN use in hand with the first flight taking place in November 2016. HM2 cockpit, folding tail/blades and other adaptations for naval use. CH-148 Petrel Ship-based anti-submarine helicopter for Canada. 35 originally ordered by the Canadian Forces, reduced to 28 and cancelled in 1993. CH-149 Chimo Search and rescue helicopter for Canada. 15 ordered by the Canadian forces, but later cancelled. CH-149 Cormorant Search and rescue helicopter for Canada, 15 ordered and delivered. Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel Cancelled USMC variant that was intended to serve as the US Presidential helicopter. SH-101A Italian Navy designation for the MP variant. EH-101A Italian Navy designation for the AEW variant. MH-101A Italian Navy designation for the Amphibious Support Helicopter (ASH) variant. HH-101A Italian Air Force designation for the CSAR variant. Kawasaki Heavy Industries MCH-101 Japan Defense Agency designation of Model 518. Operators Government Algeria Algerian Air Force Algerian Navy Canada Royal Canadian Air Force (see CH-149 Cormorant) Denmark Royal Danish Air Force Indonesia Indonesian Air Force Italy Italian Air Force Italian Navy Japan Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Nigeria Nigerian Air Force Norway Royal Norwegian Air Force Poland Polish Navy (4 on order) Portugal Portuguese Air Force Saudi Arabia Royal Saudi Air Force Turkmenistan Turkmen Air Force United Kingdom Royal Navy Former operators United Kingdom Royal Air Force Specifications (Merlin HM1) Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003-2004, AgustaWestland General characteristics Crew: 3-4 Capacity: 26 troops (38 passengers) or 5 tonnes of payload or 4 stretchers (with sonar array removed) for Merlin HM1; 30 seated troops or 45 standing fully equipped combat troops, or 3,050 kg (6,724 lb) of internal payload, 5,520 kg (12,169 lb) of external payload, or 16 stretchers for AW101 Length: 19.53 m (64 ft 1 in) fuselage Height: 6.62 m (21 ft 9 in) Empty weight: 10,500 kg (23,149 lb) Max takeoff weight: 14,600 kg (32,187 lb) Powerplant: 3 × Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322-01 turboshaft engines, 1,566 kW (2,100 hp) each (take-off power) Main rotor diameter: 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in) Main rotor area: 271.51 m2 (2,922.5 sq ft) root: RAE 9651 ; tip: RAE 9645/RAE 9634 Performance Cruise speed: 278 km/h (173 mph, 150 kn) Never exceed speed: 309 km/h (192 mph, 167 kn) Range: 1,389 km (863 mi, 750 nmi) Endurance: 5 hours Service ceiling: 4,575 m (15,010 ft) Armament Bombs: 4× Sting Ray homing torpedoes or Mk 11 depth charges Avionics Smiths Industries OMI 20 SEP dual-redundant digital automatic flight control system Navigation systems - BAE Systems LINS 300 ring laser gyro, Litton Italia LISA-4000 strapdown attitude and heading reference system Radar - Selex Galileo Blue Kestrel 5000 maritime surveillance radar ECM - Racal Orange Reaper ESM Sonar - Thomson Marconi Sonar AQS-903 acoustic processor - Active/passive sonobuoys - Thomson Sintra FLASH dipping sonar array Agusta A.101 Related development AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Changhe Z-18 Eurocopter EC725 Mil Mi-17 Mil Mi-38 Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone Sikorsky S-92 wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant CH-149 Cormorant Role - Medium SAR Utility helicopter Manufacturer - AgustaWestland First flight - 31 May 2000 Introduction - 2000 Status - Active service Primary user - Royal Canadian Air Force Produced - 1990s-present Number built - 15 Developed from - AgustaWestland AW101 The AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant is the Canadian Forces designation for the AgustaWestland AW101 (formerly EH101), a helicopter used for air-sea rescue in Canada. Developed as a joint venture between Westland Aircraft in the UK and Agusta in Italy (now merged as Leonardo), the CH-149 is a medium-lift helicopter for military applications. Design and development This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this template message.) In 1977, the British Ministry of Defence issued a requirement for an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter to replace the Royal Navy's Westland Sea Kings. Westland responded with design WG.34 that was approved for development. Meanwhile, the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) was also seeking a replacement for its Agusta-built Sea Kings, leading Agusta to discussions with Westland about the possibility of a joint development. This culminated in the joint venture being finalised in November 1979 and a new company called EH Industries was formed to manage the project the following year - EH being an abbreviation for Elicottero Helicopter, the Italian and English words for "helicopter." As the design studies progressed, EH became aware of a broader market for an aircraft with the same capabilities required by the British and Italian navies, leading to a more generalised design that could be customised. After a lengthy development, the first prototype flew on October 9, 1987. Following the lead of the UK and Italy, the Canadian government placed a C$4.4 billion order in 1987 for 48 (later 42) EH101s to replace the Canadian Forces's Sikorsky CH-124 Sea Kings and Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labradors. These were to be assembled in Canada under the designations CH-148 Petrel (33 originally, reduced to 28) and CH-149 Chimo (15) in the anti-submarine warfare and air-sea rescue roles respectively. The replacement programme was cancelled, however, after a change of government in 1993, leading to the payment of $157.8 million in cancellation penalties. In 1998, the Canadian government announced that the CH-113s would now be replaced by a new scaled down search-and-rescue variant of the EH101, carrying the designation CH-149 Cormorant. Unlike the Petrel/Chimo contract, these 15 aircraft were to be built entirely in Europe. The first two aircraft arrived in Canada in September 2001 and entered service the following year. When it became obvious that the Sea Kings were in need of immediate replacement, the EH101 was again part of a Canadian competition (Maritime Helicopter Project), against a variant of the Sikorsky H-92, for a total price tag of C$5 billion. The Sikorsky entry won the competition on July 23, 2004, with the first six delivered June 2015. Operational history The first operational CH-149 flight occurred in 2002 when a Cormorant of 442 Squadron performed a medical evacuation from a merchant ship 200 km (110 nmi) offshore in Hecate Strait. An even more dramatic demonstration of Cormorant capabilities occurred in January 2003 when a 103 Squadron CH-149 successfully flew a 1,200 km round-trip rescue mission to the Finnish container ship MS Camilla off Newfoundland. Two refuelling stops at the Hibernia oil platform were required. On October 25, 2006, a search and rescue crew from 442 Squadron in Comox, British Columbia, conducted a rescue from the side of a cliff in a box canyon with the CH-149 Cormorant which Canadian Forces Captain Sean Morris described as "pretty much the worst situation I've been in my entire life". Captain Morris and his colleagues received international recognition for the rescue as the first Canadian winner of the Prince Philip Helicopter Rescue Award issued by the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators in the UK. In August 2010, the Canadian Forces fleet of 14 CH-149 Cormorants passed 40,000 operational hours. The fleet had a higher flying rate than any other AW101 fleet and Cormorant 901, currently stationed at Canadian Forces Base Comox with 442 Squadron, has the highest number of airframe hours on any of the AW101s anywhere in the world. The worldwide fleet of 190 AW101 helicopters had achieved in excess of 200,000 flight hours in Canada, UK, Italy, Denmark, Portugal, and Japan. In June 2011, several former USN VH-71s, which are also based on the AW101, were purchased by Canada to be used as spare parts for the CH-149 fleet. In 2013, Canada was reportedly studying whether up to four of the VH-71s could be certified for operational use. In 2017, the Liberal government announced funding for the mid-life upgrade of the fleet, to be led by 'Team Cormorant', a team composed of Leonardo Helicopters, IMP Aerospace and Defense, CAE, GE Canada and Collins Aerospace. Estimated at around C$1.5bn, the programmes would offer a common fleet featuring latest avionic and mission systems, advanced radars and sensors, vision enhancement and tracking systems as well as a new 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW) GE CT7-8E engine. On May 10, 2017, a report by the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence recommended the government move forward with a proposal to expand the Cormorant fleet by upgrading the 14 CH-149 aircraft and converting seven VH-71 airframes currently in storage to the same operational capability. This would expand the Cormorant fleet to 21 aircraft, and keep them operational until 2040. This recommendation was not adopted by the Liberal Government and instead, in August 2019, the Government announced that "at least" two additional Cormorant helicopters would be purchased while the other 14 would be modernized. Ostensibly this might have permitted some Cormorant helicopters to be based at CFB Trenton in central Canada, in addition to other bases on the East and West coasts. However, by 2021 it was reported that the entire acquisition had been put on hold, at least temporarily, as being "unaffordable". Operators 2. Canada Royal Canadian Air Force 103 Search and Rescue Squadron 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron Notable incidents and accidents Upon its entry to service, the AW101 experienced tail rotor hub cracking issues; including one British Merlin crashing on 30 March 2004 which was caused by this issue. The CH-149 Cormorant has been grounded and been placed on limited flight status multiple times due to hub cracks; all 15 aircraft in Canadian inventory showed cracks of varying degrees shortly after entry to service in 2004. A subsequent redesign was issued in 2005; out of the six aircraft which had the new hubs installed, three showed cracking one month later. A new Articulated Tail Rotor (ATR) with elastomeric bearings has been adopted on the AW101, based on a proven design used on the AW139 medium-twin helicopter. The ATR is now standard issue on new AW101s and is offered for retrofit on existing fleets. On 13 July 2006, a CH-149 of 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron crashed into the waters of Chedabucto Bay off the coast of Canso, Nova Scotia while flying in heavy fog during a search and rescue exercise with a Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary vessel. Three Canadian Forces personnel were killed and four others were injured. Mechanical failure was formally ruled out as the cause of the crash. On 11 March 2008, the Directorate of Flight Safety for the Canadian Forces announced that pilot error was the cause, and that Canadian Forces officials were aware of a lack of training received by pilots. Preliminary reports indicate that pilots were unaware of the proper use of the autopilot, leading to a controlled flight into terrain. A Cormorant crashed on March 10, 2022 during a training exercise at 9 Wing in Gander, Newfoundland. The tail boom broke off and the helicopter landed on its side. All six crewmen were brought to hospital, with four released very quickly while the other two remained under care. Specifications (CH-149) General characteristics Crew: 5 (aircraft commander, first officer, flight engineer, 2 SAR technicians) Capacity: ** 15 seated troops or 20 standing troops or 2 stretchers with medics Length: 22.81 m (74 ft 10 in) Height: 6.65 m (21 ft 10 in) Empty weight: 10,500 kg (23,149 lb) Max takeoff weight: 14,600 kg (32,187 lb) Powerplant: 3 × General Electric T700/T6A1 turboshaft, 1,600 kW (2,100 hp) each Main rotor diameter: 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in) Main rotor area: 278.0 m2 (2,992 sq ft) Performance Never exceed speed: 280 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn) Range: 1,389 km (863 mi, 750 nmi) Service ceiling: 3,000 m (10,000 ft) Rate of climb: 10.2 m/s (2,010 ft/min) Wing loading: 53.8 kg/m2 (11.0 lb/sq ft) Power/mass: 0.459 kW/kg (0.279 shp/lb) Related development AgustaWestland AW101 VH-71 Kestrel Bell CH-146 Griffon Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labrador Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era NHI NH90 Sikorsky S-92 / Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW109 AW109 Role - Search and rescue/utility helicopter Manufacturer - Agusta / AgustaWestland / Leonardo S.p.A. First flight - 4 August 1971 Introduction - 1976 Status - Active service, in production Primary users - Italian Army / Rega (Swiss Air Rescue) / South African Air Force / Royal New Zealand Air Force Produced - 1971-present Variants - AgustaWestland AW109S Grand Developed into - AgustaWestland AW119 Koala The AgustaWestland AW109, originally the Agusta A109, is a lightweight, twin-engine, eight-seat multi-purpose helicopter designed and initially produced by the Italian rotorcraft manufacturer Agusta. It was the first all-Italian helicopter to be mass-produced. Its production has been continued by Agusta's successor companies, presently Leonardo S.p.A. (formerly AgustaWestland, merged into the new Finmeccanica since 2016). Development of the A109 commenced during the late 1960s as a indigenous rotorcraft suited to commercial operations. A twin-engine arrangement was pursued in response to market interest, while work on the civil model was prioritised over the military-orientated A109B project. On 4 August 1971, the first of three prototypes made its maiden flight. On 1 June 1975, the type received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), permitting its service entry in 1976. The A109 has been used in a wide variety of roles, including light utility, VIP transport, aeromedical, law enforcement, search and rescue (SAR), and several military roles. Dedicated military models have been produced for both land and sea operations. Several models with alternative engines, expanded fuselages, and alternative equipment fitouts have been produced. Some AW109s feature an convertible interior to quickly adapt the rotorcraft between roles. Various third party companies also offer adaptions and services for the type. Following the merger of Agusta and the British company Westland Helicopters to form AgustaWestland, the A109 has been rebranded as the AW109. International involvement in the programme has also been pursued; the company has established final assembly lines at sites in both Italy and the US. Furthermore, hundreds of AW109 fuselages have been manufactured by the Polish aerospace company PZL-Świdnik since the mid-1990s. AgustaWestland formed a joint venture with the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation in 2004 that produces and supports the AW109, includes a final assembly line, in China. The AW109 has been in continuous production for 40 years. The AgustaWestland AW119 is a derivative of the AW109, the principal difference being that it is powered by a single engine and has a fixed undercarriage. Development Origins Work on what would become the AW109 commenced during the late 1960s at the Italian helicopter manufacturer Agusta, which sought to design an indigenous rotorcraft suitable for commercial activities. Known as the A109, early designs were of a single-engine helicopter. However, the design team came to recognise that the market found a twin-engine rotorcraft to be more attractive, thus the project was reoriented to fulfil this in 1969, opting to outfit it with a pair of Allison 250-C14 turboshaft engines. While early considerations had been made for a militarised model, which the company internally referred to as the A109B, Agusta intentionally placed a low priority on the work for this variant in favour of other market sectors. In particular, design efforts were concentrated on the eight-seat A109C model. On 4 August 1971, the first of three prototypes performed the type's maiden flight. The A109 was subject to a protracted flight testing phase, which was largely attributable to the discovery of dynamic instability that took roughly one year to resolve via a modified transmission design. Almost four years later, the first production helicopter was officially completed during April 1975. On 1 June 1975, the type received certification for visual flight rules (VFR) from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), permitting the A109 to be operated in North America. During 1976, deliveries of production A109s commenced to civil customers. The type offered several advantages over the then-market leading Bell 206, including its greater top speed, twin-engine redundancy, and increased seating capacity. In 1975, Agusta's design team revisited the concept of a military version; to support their work, a series of flying trials were carried out between 1976 and 1977 involving a total of five A109As that had been outfitted with Hughes Aircraft-built TOW missiles. From these endeavours, two different military versions of the A109 emerged, one being intended for light attack/close air support missions while the other was optimised for shipboard operations. Further development Shortly following after the launch of the initial production model, Agusta begun work on additional models, primarily for the civil sector. During 1981, an A109A Mk2, that featured a widened cabin, was made available to operators. In 1993, the A109 K2 model was introduced, which was powered by alternative engine in the form of the Turbomeca Arriel 1K1. During 1996, the A109 Power was launched, which was broadly similar to the K2 except for the adoption of yet another powerplant, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206 engine. By 2008, according to AgustaWestland, the A109 Power was being operated across 46 countries. In 2006, an enlarged variant, the A109S Grand, was introduced. The A109 was renamed the AW109 as a consequence of the July 2000 merger of Finmeccanica S.p.A. and GKN plc's respective helicopter subsidiaries Agusta and Westland Helicopters to form AgustaWestland. Since the mid-1990s, fuselages for the AW109 have been manufactured by PZL-Świdnik, which became a subsidiary company of AgustaWestland in 2010. In June 2006, the 500th fuselage was delivered by the Polish aerospace company PZL-Świdnik, marking 10 years of co-operation on the AW109 between the two companies. In 2004, AgustaWestland formed a joint venture with the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation for the support and production of the AW109 in China; by 2009, the joint venture was reportedly capable of performing the final assembly of the AW109 in addition to independently manufacturing major sections, such as the fuselage. In February 2014, AgustaWestland announced the development of the AW109 Trekker, an updated models. It is equipped with skid landing gear (being the first twin-engine helicopter produced by the company to have this feature) and is powered by a pair of FADEC-equipped Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207C engines; its avionics are supplied by Genesys Aerospace, which have been designed for single-pilot operations. The Trekker reportedly expands upon the utility capabilities of the standard AW109. Akin to the prior models, the final assembly of the AW109 Trekker is undertaken at sites in both the US and Italy. Design The AW109 is a lightweight twin-engine helicopter, known for its speed, elegant appearance and ease of control. Since entering commercial service, several revisions and iterations have been made, frequently introducing new avionics and engine technologies. AgustaWestland have promoted the type for its multirole capabilities and serviceability. The type has proven highly popular with VIP/corporate customers; according to AgustaWestland, 50% of all of the AW109 Power variant had been sold in such configurations. Other roles for the AW109 have included emergency medical services, law enforcement, homeland security missions, harbor pilot shuttle duty, search and rescue, maritime operations, and military uses. In 2008, AgustaWestland claimed the AW109 to be "one of the industry’s best-selling helicopters". A range of turboshaft powerplants have been used to power the numerous variants of the AW109, from the original Allison 250-C14 engines to the Turbomeca Arriel 1K1 and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206 of more modern aircraft. Powerplants can be replaced or swapped for during airframe overhauls, resulting in increasing lifting capacity and other performance changes. In the case of single-engine failure, the AW109 is intended to have a generous power reserve even on a single engine. The engines drive a fully articulated four-blade rotor system. Over time, more advanced rotor blade designs have been progressively adopted for the AW109's main and tail rotors, such as composite materials being used to replace bonded metal, these improvements have typically been made with the aim of reducing operating costs and noise signature. According to Rotor&Wing, the type is well regarded for its "high, hot, and heavy" performance. According to AgustaWestland, the AW109 Power features various advanced avionics systems, these include a three-axis autopilot, an auto-coupled Instrument Landing System, integrated GPS, a Moving Map Display, weather radar, and a Traffic Alerting System. These systems are designed to reduce pilot workload (the AW109 can be flown under single or dual-pilot instrument flight rules (IFR)) and enable the use of night vision goggles (NVG) to conduct day-or-night operations. The AW109 has a forced trim system which can be readily and selectively activated by the controlling pilot using triggers located on the cyclic and collective which hold the control inputs at the last set position if activated. All critical systems are deliberately redundant for fail-safe operations; the hydraulic system, hydraulic actuators, and electrical system are all dual-redundant, while the power inverters are triple-redundant. The AW109 also has reduced maintenance requirements due to an emphasis on reliability across the range of components used. Some models of the AW109 feature the "quick convertible interior", a cabin configuration designed to be flexibly re-configured to allow the rotorcraft to be quickly adapted for different roles, such as the installation or removal of mission consoles or medical stretchers. Mission-specific equipment can also be installed in the externally accessible separate baggage compartment, which can be optionally expanded. Optional cabin equipment includes soundproofing, air conditioning, and bleed air heating. Aftermarket cabin configurations are offered by third parties; Pininfarina and Versace have both offered designer interiors for the AW109, while Aerolite Max Bucher has developed a lightweight emergency medical service interior. The majority of AW109s are fitted with a retractable wheeled tricycle undercarriage, providing greater comfort than skids and taxiing capability. For shipboard operations, the wheeled landing gear is reinforced, deck mooring points are fixed across the lower fuselage, and extensive corrosion protection is typically applied. Optional mission equipment for the AW109 has included dual controls, a rotor brake, windshield wipers, a fixed cargo hook, snow skis, external loudspeakers, wire-strike protection system, engine particle separator, engine compartment fire extinguishers, datalink, and rappelling fittings. A range of armaments can be installed upon the AW109, including pintle-mounted machine guns, machine gun pods, 20mm cannons, rocket pods, anti-tank missiles and air-to-air missiles. Those AW109s operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, later designated as MH-68A, had the following equipment installed: a rescue hoist, emergency floats, FLIR, Spectrolab NightSun search light, a 7.62 mm M240D machine gun and a Barrett M107 semi-automatic 12.7 mm (.50 caliber) anti-material rifle with laser sight. Operational history Various branches of the Italian military have operated variants of the AW109; the Guardia di Finanza has operated its own variant of the AW109 since the 1980s for border patrol and customs duties, by 2010, it was in the process of replacing its original AW109s with a new-generation of AW109s. During 1982, the Argentine Army Aviation deployed three A109As to the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War. They operated with the helicopter fleet (9 UH-1H, 2 CH-47C and 2 Pumas) in reconnaissance and liaison roles. One of the helicopters was destroyed on the ground by a British Harrier attack; the others were captured and sent to Europe aboard HMS Fearless. The British Army Air Corps decided to use those helicopters in domestic operations (being flown by 8 Flight AAC to support SAS regiment deployments in the UK), alongside two additional A109 which were purchased later following favorable use of the first two; all were retired in 2009. The improved AW109E and SP - GrandNew versions have also been operated by No. 32 Squadron of the Royal Air Force to transport members of the British Royal Family. In 1988, 46 A109s were sold to the Belgian Armed Forces; it was later alleged that Agusta had given the Belgian Socialist Party over 50 million Belgian francs as a bribe to secure the sale. The resulting scandal led to the resignation and later conviction of NATO Secretary General Willy Claes. Belgium has operated an A109 aerial display team. In early 2013, a pair of Belgian AW109s were deployed to Sévaré, Mali, to perform medical evacuation mission in support of the French-led Operation Serval. In June 2013, Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique alleged that several former Belgian military helicopters had been sold via a private company to South Sudan in violation of a European Union embargo on weapons sales. During the 1990s, the US Coast Guard, seeking to tackle drug trafficking on small speed boats via armed aerial interdiction helicopters, evaluated several options and selected the AW109 as the winner. For a number of years, eight armed AW109s, designated MH-68A Sting Ray, were leased from AgustaWestland and deployed at Coast Guard land facilities and onboard cutters. Positive experience with the AW109 led to the Coast Guard deciding to arm all of its helicopters and, following adaptions of their existing assets, the AW109s were returned after the lease expired. In September 1999, the South African Air Force (SAAF) placed an order for 30 AW109s; 25 of the 30 rotorcraft were assembled locally by Denel Aviation, starting in 2003. As many as 16 SAAF AW109s were deployed for patrol, utility, and medical evacuation missions during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In July 2013, the SAAF reported that 18 AW109s had effectively been grounded due to lack of funding, these rotorcraft being only occasionally activated but not conducting flights; in 2013, only 71 flight hours were allocated to the whole AW109 fleet. The type may be reduced to flying VIPs rather than being operationally capable; South Africa is also considering selling a number of AW109s, and may cease helicopter operations altogether. In 2001, 20 AW109s were ordered for the Swedish Armed Forces, receiving the Swedish military designation of Hkp 15. In 2010, it was reported that considerable demands were being placed upon the AW109 fleet, in part due to the delayed delivery of the NHIndustries NH90. In early 2015, a pair of Swedish AW109s were deployed on board the Royal Netherlands Navy ship HNLMS Johan de Witt, their first-ever deployment on board a foreign vessel, in support of a multinational anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia; the AW109 reportedly achieve a 100% availability rate over the course of three months. Between 2007 and 2012, three AW109E Power helicopters were operated under lease by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to train naval aircrew. In May 2008, the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) placed an order for five AW109LUH rotorcraft to replace their aging Bell 47 Sioux in a training capacity; they are also used in the utility role to complement the larger NHIndustries NH90 and has seen limited use in VIP missions. During August 2008, Scott Kasprowicz and Steve Sheik broke the round-the-world speed record using a factory-standard AgustaWestland AW109S Grand, with a time of 11 days, 7 hours and 2 minutes. The AW109S Grand is also recorded as being the fastest helicopter from New York to Los Angeles. In 2013, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the Philippine Navy independently ordered batches of AW109 Power rotorcraft; additional AW109s were ordered in 2014. The PAF AW109s are used as armed gunships, while both armed and unarmed AW109s are operated by the Philippine Navy. During the Battle of Marawi, multiple PAF AW109s engaged in combat the ISIS-affiliated Maute Group. During November 2020, a PAF AW109 was involved in a joint operation of Armed Forces of the Philippines Joint Task Force (JTF) - Sulu against Abu Sayyaf kidnappers in northern Mindanao, firing upon a boat in conjunction with strafing fire from Philippine Navy Multipurpose Assault Craft. Variants A109A The first production model, powered by two Allison Model 250-C20 turboshaft engines. It made its first flight on 4 August 1971. Initially, the A109 was marketed under the name of "Hirundo" (Latin for the swallow), but this was dropped within a few years. A109A EOA Military version for the Italian Army. A109A Mk.II Upgraded civilian version of the A109A. A109A Mk.II MAX Aeromedical evacuation version based on A109A Mk.II with extra wide cabin and access doors hinged top and bottom, rather than to one side. A109B Unbuilt military version. A109BA Version created for the Belgian Army. Based on the A109C but fitted with fixed landing gear, sliding doors and a tail rotor guard in place of a lower tail fin. A109C Eight-seat civil version, powered by two Allison Model 250-C20R-1 turboshaft engines. A109C MAX Aeromedical evacuation version based on A109C with extra-wide cabin and access doors hinged top and bottom, rather than to one side. A109D One prototype only. A109E Power Upgraded civilian version, initially powered by two Turbomeca Arrius 2K1 engines. Later the manufacturer introduced an option for two Pratt & Whitney PW206C engines to be used - both versions remain known as the A109E. Marketed as the AW109E and Power. A109E Power Elite A stretched cabin version of A109E Power. Features a glass cockpit with two complete sets of pilot instruments and navigation systems, including a three-axis autopilot, an auto-coupled Instrument Landing System and GPS. A109LUH Military LUH "Light Utility Helicopter" variant based on the A109E Power. Operators include South African Air Force, Swedish Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Nigerian Air Force, as well as Algeria and Malaysia. Known as the Hkp15A (utility variant) and 15B (ship-borne search and rescue variant) with the Swedish Air Force. MH-68A Eight A109E Power aircraft were used by the United States Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron Jacksonville (HITRON Jacksonville) as short-range armed interdiction helicopters from 2000 until 2008, when they were replaced with MH-65C Dolphins. Agusta designated these armed interdiction aircraft as "Mako" until the U.S. Coast Guard officially named it the MH-68A Stingray in 2003. A109K Military version. A109K2 High-altitude and high-temperature operations with fixed wheels rather than the retractable wheels of most A109 variants. Typically used by police, search and rescue, and air ambulance operators. A109M Military version. A109 km Military version for high altitude and high temperature operations. A109KN Naval version. A109CM Standard military version. A109GdiF Version for Guardia di Finanza, the Italian Finance Guard. A109S Grand Marketed as the AW109 Grand, it is a lengthened cabin-upgraded civilian version with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW207 engines and lengthened main rotor blades with different tip design from the Power version. AW109SP AW109 GrandNew single pilot IFR, TAWS and EVS, especially for EMS. AW109 Trekker A variant of the AW109S Grand with fixed landing skids. CA109 Chinese model of the AW109E for China mainland market by Jiangxi Changhe Agusta Helicopter Co., Ltd., a Leonardo Helicopter Division (formerly AgustaWestland) and Changhe Aviation Industries Joint Venture Company established in 2005. Operators The AW109 is flown by a range of operators including private companies, military services, emergency services and air charter companies. Military and government operators Algeria Gendarmerie Nationale Algerian police Albania Albanian Air Force Angola National Air Force of Angola Bangladesh Bangladesh Navy Belgium Belgian Air Component Bulgaria Bulgarian Border Police Cameroon Cameroon Air Force Chile Carabineros de Chile Ecuador Bomberos Quito Egypt Egyptian Air Force Greece Hellenic Air Force Italy Polizia di Stato Carabinieri Guardia di Finanza Italian Army Vigili del Fuoco State Forestry Corps Japan Tokyo Metropolitan Police Latvia State Border Guard Malaysia Malaysian Army Mexico Mexican Air Force New Zealand Royal New Zealand Air Force Nigeria Nigerian Air Force Nigerian Navy Peru Peruvian Army Philippines Philippine Air Force Philippine Navy Slovenia Slovenian Air Force Slovenian Ministry of Defence Slovenian Police South Africa South African Air Force Transnet National Ports Authority Sweden Swedish Armed Forces Turkmenistan Turkmen Air Force Uganda Uganda National Police United Kingdom Royal Air Force Former military and government operators Argentina Argentine Army operated 9 aircraft (1979-2007) Australia Royal Australian Navy operated 3 aircraft (2007-2012) Italy Italian Air Force operated 3 aircraft Paraguay Paraguayan Air Force Poland Air ambulances in Poland United Kingdom Army Air Corps United States United States Coast Guard Venezuela Venezuelan Army Accidents On 20 November 2009, an AW109E Power of Air ambulances in Poland crashed during landing. On 16 January 2013: Vauxhall helicopter crash, an AW109 on charter to Rotormotion clipped a construction crane attached to the St George Wharf Tower in Vauxhall, London, before crashing to the ground and bursting into flames, killing the pilot and a person on the ground. The helicopter was completely destroyed and the crane was also seriously damaged. On 24 December 2018: in the 2018 Puebla helicopter crash, an AW109 taking off from an airport on the outskirts of Puebla on a flight to Mexico City crashed about 3.5 miles north of the airport. Gov. Martha Erika Alonso and ex-Gov. Rafael Moreno Valle died in this incident. On 10 June 2019: in the 2019 New York City helicopter crash, an AW109E crashed at approximately 1:43 p.m. ET on the roof of the AXA Equitable Center at 787 Seventh Avenue in New York City, killing the pilot and creating a fire. Displayed A109A from Corpo Forestale, on display inside Rome's zoo. A109A at Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovil, England. Former AE-331 of the Argentine Army Aviation, captured in the Falklands War. Specifications (AW109 Power with PW206C) 2850 Kilo version Data from ‘’Leonardo’’ "AW109 Power". Leonardo General characteristics Crew: 1 or 2 Capacity: 6 or 7 passengers Length: 11.448 m (37 ft 7 in) fuselage Height: 3.50 m (11 ft 6 in) Empty weight: 1,590 kg (3,505 lb) Max takeoff weight: 2,850 kg (6,283 lb) Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206C Turboshaft engine, 418 kW (560 hp) each Main rotor diameter: 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in) Performance Maximum speed: 311 km/h (193 mph, 168 kn) Cruise speed: 285 km/h (177 mph, 154 kn) Never exceed speed: 311 km/h (193 mph, 168 kn) Ferry range: 932 km (579 mi, 503 nmi) Rate of climb: 9.8 m/s (1,930 ft/min) Related development AgustaWestland AW109S Grand Agusta A129 Mangusta AgustaWestland AW119 Koala Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Bell 222/230 Bell 427 Bell 429 GlobalRanger Bell 430 Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin Eurocopter EC135 MD Helicopters MD Explorer Sikorsky S-76 HAL Dhruv HAL Light Utility Helicopter wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW119 Koala AW119 Koala Role - Utility helicopter Manufacturer - Leonardo, previously Finmeccanica, AgustaWestland, Agusta First flight - February 1995 Introduction - 2000 Status - In production Primary users - State of Mexico Government / Finnish Border Guard / Portuguese Air Force United States Navy Produced - 2000-present Number built - ~300 (2018) Developed from - AgustaWestland AW109 The AgustaWestland AW119 Koala, produced by Leonardo since 2016, is an eight-seat utility helicopter powered by a single turboshaft engine produced for the civil market. Introduced as the Agusta A119 Koala prior to the Agusta-Westland merger, it is targeted at operators favoring lower running costs of a single-engine aircraft over the redundancy of a twin. Development The A119 designation was first applied to a proposed 11-seat stretched version of the AW109 in the 1970s; however this concept did not emerge and no such rotorcraft actually built. The helicopter that was eventually to enter production as the A119 was conceived in 1994, as Agusta was recovering from a period of financial woes that had nearly put the company out of business. In February 1995, the second of two prototypes conducted its first flight. The first prototype was used for static tests. Civil certification was originally anticipated in 1997, this deadline was missed allegedly due to multiple issues such as personnel problems, the need to concentrate resources on the development of the A109 Power, and further development to increase the aircraft's performance to meet customer expectations. By way of a solution to the latter concern, the decision was taken to change the A119's powerplant. The prototypes were originally fitted with Turboméca Arriel 2K1 turboshafts, however the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B was chosen in its place. In 1998, the prototypes were remanufactured with this engine, and assigned new serial numbers. Certification was now expected by the fourth quarter of that year, but this date slipped to July 1999, and it was eventually December before Italian RAI certification was awarded. US FAA certification was awarded in February the following year. Customer deliveries began soon thereafter, the first commercial example was delivered to Australian logistics company Linfox (serial 14007, registration VH-FOX). In April 2007, the AW119Ke (Ke standing for Koala Enhanced) was formally unveiled at Heli-Expo; changes included modified rotor blade design and a higher rotor rpm, increasing both payload and hot-and-high performance, cabin flexibility was also improved. The fuselages of the AW119 are manufactured by PZL Swidnik of Poland, later a subsidiary of AgustaWestland. Final assembly and other manufacturing activity initially took place at Vergiate, Italy; by the time the improved AW119Ke variant began production, the final assembly line had been transferred from Vergiate to AgustaWestland's facility in Philadelphia, United States. During January 2010, a partnership agreement was signed between Indian conglomerate Tata Sons and AgustaWestland as the foundations for a new joint venture, Indian Rotorcraft. At the time, India was viewed by helicopter manufacturers as one of the biggest potential growth markets. During March 2012, Indian Rotorcraft broke ground on a 40,000m2 new facility adjacent to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, India; The first helicopters to be manufactured by the joint venture is slated to be the AgustaWestland AW119Ke; other types, such as the AgustaWestland AW101, are likely to follow in the future. During summer 2015, it was reported that further delays to starting assembly in India were likely as the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB), an Indian government agency, repeatedly deferred a pending decision. During May 2016, another pending ruling by the FIPB was deferred without any stated reason; allegedly, the FIPB is liaising with the Indian Ministry of Defence on the matter. The Indian government's apparent hesitancy on the issue has been alleged to be linked to the 2013 Indian helicopter bribery scandal. Design The AW119 is a single-engine multirole helicopter. AgustaWestland promote the type as possessing excellent flight qualities with high levels of controllability, maneuverability and inherent safety. The design of the rotorcraft is derived from Agusta's earlier and highly successful A109 helicopter, differing primarily by being equipped with a single engine (as the A109 was originally designed), a Pratt & Whitney PT6B-37A turboshaft engine, and using fixed skids in place of the A109's retractable wheeled landing gear arrangement. The AW119 shares the same cockpit and cabin of the AW109, along with commonality with various other systems, while costing roughly half of the latter's price tag. According to Flight International, the AW119 is competitively priced and provides good levels of accessibility, maintainability, comfort, noise levels, and speed. The AW119 employs a four-bladed fully articulated main rotor; the composite rotor blades are designed to produce maximum lift with minimum noise, and feature tip caps to reduce noise and elastomeric bearings with no lubrication requirements. Aluminium honeycomb structural panels are used throughout the airframe, which absorb both noise and vibration, thus requiring no additional vibration absorption systems to be employed. The PT6B-37A powerplant of the AW119, located in the same area as the AW109's engines, is capable of providing high power margins along with generous speeds and endurance. According to AgustaWestland, the AW119 retains the system redundancy of dual engine helicopters, such as the hydraulics and the dual independent stability augmentation systems. The gearbox has a 30-minute dry run capability. The AW119 Koala has been used for various roles, including utility, emergency medical services (EMS), offshore, law enforcement, and executive transport. A key selling point of the type is its wide-body fuselage, which allows for up to seven passengers to be seated in a three-abreast configuration in the cabin; for the EMS mission, up to two litters along with medical attendants and full emergency medical equipment suite can be accommodated, whereas most similar-sized helicopters can only carry one. The unobstructed cabin area and separate baggage compartment can be rapidly reconfigured to suit a range of different missions and roles. Several different cabin interiors may be adopted to accommodate different missions and operations, such as executive/VIP, EMS, and utility options; the cockpit can also be isolated from the cabin. The AW119 has been promoted as possessing the largest cabin in its class; the reported cabin volume is approximately 30% greater than other rotorcraft in its class. A wide range of avionics have been integrated upon the AW119, which are typically housed within the rotorcraft's nose. Initial production models featured conventional flight instruments; the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit is integrated on the newer AW119Kx variant, which is claimed to improve situational awareness, reduce pilot workload, and increase safety. Primary flight and other key information is displayed to the pilots upon two large 10.4 inch multi-function displays in the cockpit; an independently powered stand-by display is also present in case of system failure. Other avionics used include a 3-axis aircraft flight control system (AFCS), Synthetic Vision System (SVS), Highway In The Sky (HITS) depiction, moving map display, radio altimeter, VOR/ILS/GPS/WAAS navigation, Aural Warning Generator, and embedded Helicopter Terrain Avoidance Warning System (HTAWS). A variety of equipment can be equipped, dependent on operator choice and role; these include an external hoist, dual cargo hook, dual flight controls, baggage compartment extension, snow skis, windshield wipers, rotor brake, multi-band radios, active noise reduction headsets, soundproofing, oxygen systems, loud speakers, search lights, retractable landing light, emergency floatation equipment, reinforced windshield, wire strike protection system, rappelling kit, fire fighting belly tank, and a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera. Three fuel tanks, located behind the rear seats in the cabin, are installed as standard; up to two additional optional tanks can be fitted for a total of five, providing a flight endurance of nearly six hours. Operational history Since 2009, there have been reports that final assembly of the AW119 is to be transferred to India as a part of a measure to increase sales within that market. In February 2010, it was announced that AgustaWestland and Tata Group were to form a joint venture to produce the AW119 in India; the first Indian-manufactured units were originally planned to commence deliveries in 2011. In October 2015, following two years of deliberation, India's Foreign Investment Promotion Board approved a proposal to locally assemble the AW119Kx in Hyderabad, Telangana; the facility is to be operated by Indian Rotorcraft Ltd (IRL), the joint venture between AgustaWestland and Tata. In September 2014, AgustaWestland issued a legal challenge to a United States Army decision to procure the Eurocopter UH-72 Lakota as a trainer without a competition, stating that both the AW119 and the AW109 had lower acquisition and operating costs; the challenge was dismissed in December 2014. In early 2015, AgustaWestland and Bristow Helicopters jointly offered an upgraded variant of the AW119 as a replacement for US Navy's existing fleet of 117 Bell TH-57 (based on the Bell 206) trainer helicopters under a fee-for-service contract; the companies claimed that over a four-year period the AW119 fleet could be introduced at an equal or lesser cost than that of continuing to operate the aging TH-57s. Marketed by Leonardo as TH-119, it features a Genesys Aerosystems glass cockpit. It first flew on 20 December 2018. The TH-119 was selected as the successor of the TH-57 in January 2020, receiving the US military designation TH-73A. The US Navy expects up to 130 units to be acquired, with 32 ordered in January and an additional 36 in November 2020. In August 2021, the TH-73 was named "Thrasher" for the brown thrasher, a bird common in the southeast US; the first example of the type was delivered on August 6. Variants A119 - designation for the original production version; maximum take-off weight: 2,720 kg (5,997 lb). AW119 - designation for the A119 following the merger of Agusta and Westland Helicopters. AW119 MkII - improved version, featuring redesigned rotors, greater payload, and better fuel efficiency; maximum take-off weight: 2,850 kg (6,283 lb). AW119 Ke - marketing designation for the AW119 MkII (Koala Enhanced). AW119 Kx - successor to the Ke model with Garmin G1000H avionic suite, produced in Philadelphia, USA and Hyderabad, India. TH-73A Thrasher - military training variant for the US Navy. Operators Algeria Algerian Air Force Argentina Argentine National Gendarmerie Australia Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service Bangladesh Bangladesh Air Force - 2 in service as of 2019 Brazil Federal Highway Police (6 on order) State of Goiás State of Santa Catarina State of Rio Grande do Sul Ecuador Ecuadorian Air Force - 3 delivered, 1 more on order as of April 2019 Finland Finnish Border Guard - 4 in operation Israel Israeli Air Force (12 on order) South Korea National Police Agency Latvia State Border Guard (2 on order) Malaysia Weststar General Aviation Mexico Mexico State Government Portugal Portuguese Air Force - 5 delivered (more 2 on order) Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Helicopter Service of Republika Srpska - 1 United States New York City Police Department (Replaced by Bell 429) Phoenix Police Department United States Navy - 68 on order; up to 130 planned University of New Mexico Hospital Lifeguard air ambulance Specifications (AW119Kx) Data from AgustaWestland AW119Kx brochure General characteristics Crew: 1-2 Capacity: 6-7 passengers or 1,400 kg (3,086 lb) sling load Length: 12.92 m (42 ft 5 in) Height: 3.60 m (11 ft 10 in) Empty weight: 1,483 kg (3,269 lb) Max takeoff weight: 2,850 kg (6,283 lb) Fuel capacity: 3-cell fuel system 605 L (160 US gal) 4-cell fuel system 711 L (188 US gal) 5-cell fuel system 870 L (230 US gal) Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A turboshaft engine, 747 kW (1,002 hp) Main rotor diameter: 10.83 m (35 ft 6 in) Main rotor area: 92.1 m2 (991 sq ft) Performance Cruise speed: 244 km/h (152 mph, 132 kn) Never exceed speed: 282 km/h (175 mph, 152 kn) Range: 954 km (593 mi, 515 nmi) Endurance: 5 h 20 min Service ceiling: 4,572 m (15,000 ft) Rate of climb: 9.1 m/s (1,790 ft/min) Related development AgustaWestland AW109 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Bell 407 Eurocopter Ecureuil MD Helicopters MD 600 wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW139 AW139 Role - Medium-lift SAR/utility helicopter National origin - Italy Manufacturer - AgustaWestland / Leonardo First flight - 3 February 2001 Introduction - 2003 Status - In production Primary users - Italian Air Force / CHC Helicopter / Irish Air Corp / United Arab Emirates Air Force Produced - 2001-present Number built - 1100+ as of January 2021 Developed into - AgustaWestland AW149 The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter developed and produced by the Anglo-Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland (now part of Leonardo). It is marketed at several different roles, including VIP/corporate transport, offshore transport, fire fighting, law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical service, disaster relief, and maritime patrol. The AW139 was originally designed jointly by the Italian helicopter manufacturer Agusta and the American company Bell Helicopters, thus it was marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, but was redesignated as the AW139 after Bell withdrew from the project. In addition to AgustaWestland's manufacturing facilities in Italy and the United States, other companies are also involved in the programme, such as the Polish manufacturer PZL-Świdnik, which has produced hundreds of AW139 airframes, and HeliVert, a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Russian Helicopters, which has also established a production line inside Russia for the type. Having performed its maiden flight on 3 February 2001, the AW139 entered revenue service during 2003 and quickly provided itself to be a commercial success. Many of the AW139 customers have been in the civilian sector; large fleets have been obtained by operators such as CHC Helicopter, Gulf Helicopters, and Weststar Aviation. Its performance has enabled it to become popular amongst operators supporting the offshore oil and gas industry. A dedicated militarised model, the AW139M, was also developed by AgustaWestland; it was first procured by the Italian Air Force, other military operators include the United States Air Force, which operates the MH-139 Grey Wolf model. The Japanese business Mitsui Bussan Aerospace has obtained an exclusive distribution agreement for the AW139 in the country. Over 1,100 rotorcraft had been sold by January 2021. The AW139 has been subsequently developed into the AW149, an enlarged medium-lift military-orientated rotorcraft. Development Origins In 1997, the Italian helicopter manufacturer Agusta launched a programme to develop a replacement for the Bell Huey family of helicopters (which had been built in very large numbers by Bell Helicopter and under license by Agusta). A potential market of 900 aircraft was predicted. In 1998, Bell and Agusta entered into an agreement setting up a joint venture, Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company (BAAC), to develop two aircraft: a conventional helicopter and a tiltrotor aircraft. These became the Bell/Agusta AB139 and Bell/Agusta BA609 respectively. Bell was to be the leading partner for the development of the BA609 while Agusta would be the lead partner for the AB139; it was intended for production, sales, and support to be shared. On 26 September 2000, the first order for the type was placed by Bristow Helicopters. The first preproduction helicopter flew on 3 February 2001 at Vergiate in Italy, with two further AW139s also participating in flying trials. The first production AW139 made its first flight on 24 June 2002. European JAA certification was received in June 2003, and its FAA type certificate followed in December 2004. By May 2005, the AW139 had received in excess of 100 orders worldwide. In the US, the type was marketed under the designation US139, and was entered into the US Army's Light Utility Helicopter competition. One key market for the AW139 was the oil and gas industry, which required helicopters of increased endurance for offshore operations. In 2005, AgustaWestland bought out Bell's 25% share in the program and all of its rights to the AW139 for $95 million. In April 2008, AgustaWestland revealed that it was in the process of certifying an increase in the AW139's max gross weight to 14,991 lb (6,800 kg) to better compete in long-range markets served by helicopters such as the larger Sikorsky S-92 and Eurocopter EC225. In 2007, a second production line at the United States AgustaWestland Aerospace plant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was established; the Philadelphia plant produced its 200th AW139 in September 2014, at which point U.S. production was intended to reach 40 units per year in the near future. By 2011, AgustaWestland was producing 90 AW139s per year; 9.5% of the company's overall revenue in 2010 was attributed to the type. By 2013, a combined total of 720 AW139s had been sold to over 200 operators in 60 countries. Further development In 2011, a military-configured variant, the AW139M, was revealed by AgustaWestland. It was promoted at the US market, including for the U.S. Air Force's Common Vertical Lift Support Program. The AW139M is equipped with a high definition forward-looking infrared (FLIR), self-protection system, heavy-duty landing gear, and has low thermal and acoustic signatures; a significant proportion of the equipment is sourced from American manufacturers. Options offered include an external stores system including various armaments, armoured seats, self-sealing fuel tanks, and a full ice protection system for all-weather operations. The AW139 serves as the basis for AgustaWestland's wider business strategy, under which it aims to produce a standardised family of helicopters with common design features. The sharing of components and design philosophies is intended to simplify maintenance and training for operators; commonality also lowers the production costs. The AW139 was the first of this group, and as of 2014, it was to be joined by the larger AW149 and AW189, aimed at military and civilian customers respectively. Advances made in the development of new models are intended to be transferable onto existing family members, decreasing the cost of future upgrades for the AW139. In June 2010, it was announced that AgustaWestland and Rostvertol would build a manufacturing plant in Tomilino, Moscow Region, where it was initially planned to produce AW139s by 2012. HeliVert, a joint venture between AgustaWestland and Rostvertol, commenced domestic production of the AW139 in 2012, at which point it was planned that between 15 and 20 helicopters would be produced per year. The first AW139 to be assembled in Russia made its first flight in December 2012. In January 2013, the Russian Defense Ministry was reportedly considering placing an order for seven AW139s. In January 2014, HeliVert received a Certificate of Approval from the Aviation Register of the Interstate Aviation Committee to commence production of commercial AW139s. In September 2014, a certificate was granted to perform comprehensive maintenance and servicing of the type at the Tomilino facility. During 2015, AgustaWestland unveiled an AW139 model with an increased gross weight of seven tonnes, enabling a range of 305 km while carrying 12 passengers; existing AW139s can also be rebuilt to the newer heavy-weight model. This heavier airframe comes at the expense of decreased hot and high performance. In November 2015, AgustaWestland demonstrated a 60-minute "run-dry" test (no oil) of an AW139's main gearbox, 30 minutes greater than any other certified rotorcraft at the time. Design The AW139 is a conventional twin-engine multi-role helicopter. It has a five-bladed fully articulated main rotor with a titanium hub and composite blades and a four-bladed articulated tail rotor. It is fitted with retractable tricycle landing gear, the two aft wheels retracting into external sponsons which are also used to house emergency equipment. It is flown by a crew of two pilots, with up to 15 passengers accommodated in three rows of five. The AW139 had been aimed at a vacant niche in the market, sitting below larger types such as the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma and Sikorsky S-92, and above smaller ones like the Bell 412 and Eurocopter EC155. Rotor & Wing has described the AW139's flying attitude as 'docile and predictable'. The AW139 is powered by two FADEC-controlled Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C turboshaft engines; the FADEC system seamlessly adjusts the engines for pilot convenience and passenger comfort, and can automatically handle a single-engine failure without noticeable deviation. It was constructed with maintenance requirements in mind; critical systems can be readily accessed, where possible the number of parts has been reduced, and many components have been designed for an extended lifecycle; a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) is also equipped. More than a thousand customizable items of equipment can be configured per customer demand, including auxiliary fuel tanks, rescue hoists, cargo hooks, search and weather radar, ice protection systems, external cameras and searchlights, and seating arrangements. The AW139 cockpit is based on the modular Honeywell Primus EPIC avionics system incorporating a four LCD screen glass cockpit. Although an option on early models, most aircraft include a four-axis autopilot, which allows higher levels of automation and safety and enables advanced functions such as auto-hover. This level of automation has allowed certification for single-pilot operations under instrument flight rules conditions (SPIFR), and the cockpit can also optionally be modified for compatibility with night vision goggles. The latest version of the Primus EPIC avionics systems includes a Synthetic Vision System. Pilot training for the type is available via advanced Level D Full Flight Simulators. According to Shipping & Marine, the AW139 has "the largest cabin in its class"; containing up to 15 passengers or four litters and accompanying medics, an additional baggage compartment is used to stow equipment to keep the main cabin clear for use. Large sections of the AW139 have been developed and produced by a range of different companies. Airframes are typically produced by PZL-Świdnik, who delivered their 200th airframe in April 2014. Pratt & Whitney Canada produce the type's PT6C turboshaft engines, while the primary and secondary transmissions were developed by Westland GKN and Kawasaki Heavy Industries respectively. A significant portion of the avionics are sourced from Honeywell. Turkish Aerospace Industries has been subcontracted to manufacture various elements of the AW139, including the fuselage, canopy, and radome. Final assembly of most AW139s is performed at AgustaWestland's facilities in Philadelphia, United States, and Vergiate, Italy; those destined for customers within the Commonwealth of Independent States are typically assembled by a third final manufacturing plant in Tomilino, Moscow operated by HeliVert. Operational history The Irish Air Corps was the first military operator to introduce the AW139; it took delivery of the first of a batch of six rotorcraft during August 2006. The United Arab Emirates Air Force and the Qatar Air Force became the second and third military operators of the AW139, procuring 9 and 18 rotorcraft respectively. A specialised military variant, the AW139M, was subsequently launched, for which the Italian Air Force became the launch customer. Designated HH-139A in Italian service, the type has been primarily tasked with combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations. The Italian Coast Guard also placed repeat orders for the type throughout the 2010s, having reportedly ordered a total of 12 AW139s by mid-2016. During February 2006, Mitsui Bussan Aerospace signed a $100 million contract for 12 AW139s and an exclusive distribution agreement for the AW139 in Japan. In October 2006, the Japan Coast Guard announced its selection of the AW139 as the replacement for its Bell 212 search and rescue fleet; by early 2011, 18 AW139s were on order by the Japan Coast Guard through Mitsui Bussan as the distributor, a total of 24 are expected to be ordered. The Japanese National Police Agency placed multiple orders for the AW139; other organisations in the nation have used the type for electronic news gathering, firefighting, disaster relief operations. During 2016, Leonardo announced that the 50th AW139 to the Japanese market had been delivered. In March 2017, the delivery of the first Japanese VIP-configured AW139 took place to an undisclosed customer. In the North American market, CHC Helicopter was the first operator of the type. In 2012, CHC became the largest operator of the AW139 in the world, at that point operating a fleet of 44 in search and rescue, emergency medical service and offshore transport missions. In 2015, responsibility for the maintenance of CHC's AW139 fleet was reorganized under their maintenance, repair and overhaul services (MRO) division, Heli-One; early activities have included post-delivery modifications and engine overhauls. Heli-One has endeavoured to expand the scope of its MRO in coordination with Leonardo Helicopters, becoming an authorized component repair center by the company, and become approved to perform main gearbox work in April 2021. During October 2012, the Royal Thai Army ordered a pair of AW139s; a further eight were produced in October 2015. In September 2021, the privately-owned company Thai Aviation Services arranged the delivery of three AW139s to undertake a multi-year contract to support oil and gas extraction activities in Malaysia. In 2021, following the retirement of the Royal Malaysian Air Force's Sikorsky S-61 fleet, the service leased four AW139s as an interim replacement. Qatar-based firm Gulf Helicopters has become one of the largest AW139 operators worldwide, first ordering the type in 2007 for offshore transport duties; it has since become an authorized service center and training center for the AW139. Malaysian operator Weststar Aviation has the distinction of being the biggest operator of the AW139 in the Asia Pacific region; by February 2014, the company hah ordered a total of 34 helicopters. Since taking delivery of their first AW139 in December 2010, Weststar has typically employed the type in support of offshore oil and gas operations. Numerous AW139s have been produced for operators in Russia, mainly via the HeliVert initiative. In September 2014, Exclases Russia ordered three in VIP configurations. During December 2021, it was announced that HeliVert had supplied four AW139s to the Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec. In March 2022, shortly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Leonardo Helicopters suspended its business in Russia and restricted the support available to existing operators of the type in the country. In July 2014, AgustaWestland announce that the global fleet had accumulated in excess of one million flight hours; by this milestone, a total of 770 AW139s had been produced. On 24 May 2016, AugustaWestland parent Leonardo-Finmeccanica announced that Pakistan had signed a contract for an undisclosed number of AW139s as part of a fleet renewal programme spread over several batches, including a logistic support and training package, to perform search and rescue (SAR) operations across the country. At the time of the announcement, a total of 11 AW139s were already in service in Pakistan, five of which were being operated for government relief and general transportation duties. Chinese operators have also imported the type. By February 2010, two AW139s had been ordered by both the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau for law enforcement, disaster relief, and general transportation duties. In July 2022, it was stated that 40 AW139s had been delivered by Leonardo Helicopters to the country while the largest civil helicopter operator in China, CITIC Offshore Helicopter, operates eight AW139s alone. On 24 September 2018, the United States Air Force (USAF) announced that the MH-139, an AW139 variant, was the winner of a competition to replace the Vietnam-era Bell UH-1Ns, accordingly, the service is set to buy up to 84 MH-139s. On 19 December 2019, the USAF received the first MH-139A Grey Wolf at Eglin Air Force Base. Flight testing by the service commenced during 2020. Variants AB139 Original Italian-built production aircraft, 54 built. AW139 Designation change from 55th aircraft onwards, built in Italy. AW139 (long nose configuration) Long nose variant with increased room for avionics built in Italy and the United States. AW139M Militarised variant, capable of carrying various weapons payloads. HH-139A Italian Air Force designation for ten search-and rescue configured AW139Ms. VH-139A Italian Air Force designation for two VIP configured AW139s. HH-139B Italian Air Force designation for newer AW139. UH-139C Italian State Police designation. UH-139D Italian Carabinieri designation. PH-139D Italian Guardia di Finanza designation. US139 Military variant, was the AgustaWestland proposed entry for the US Army Light Utility Helicopter programme in partnership with L-3 Communications. MH-139 Grey Wolf Military variant from Boeing in partnership with Leonardo. It was selected by the United States Air Force to replace its UH-1N fleet. The USAF accepted its first MH-139 on 19 December 2019 and named it "Grey Wolf". AW139W A variant offered to the Polish Armed Forces. Operators The AW139 is used by military and other operators. Military Algeria Algerian Air Force Algerian Navy Angola National Air Force of Angola Australia Australian Army Royal Australian Air Force (contracted with CHC Helicopter) Bangladesh Bangladesh Air Force Colombia Colombian Air Force (VVIP Presidential helicopter) Cyprus Cyprus Air Force Egypt Egyptian Air Force Ivory Coast Ivory Coast Air Force Ireland Irish Air Corps Italy Italian Air Force Guardia Costiera Kenya Kenya Air Force Lebanon Lebanese Air Force Libya Libyan Air Force Malta Maltese Air Wing Malaysia Royal Malaysian Navy (3 on order) Royal Malaysian Air Force Nepal Nepalese Army Air Service Nigeria Nigerian Air Force Nigerian Navy Pakistan Pakistan Air Force Pakistan Army Panama National Air of Panama Qatar Qatar Emiri Air Force Senegal Senegalese Air Force Thailand Royal Thai Army Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad & Tobago Air Guard Turkmenistan Turkmen Air Force United Arab Emirates UAE Air Force United States United States Air Force 96th Test Wing 413th Flight Test Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base 582nd Helicopter Group 37th Helicopter Squadron, Francis E. Warren Air Force Base (planned) 40th Helicopter Squadron, Malmstrom Air Force Base (planned) 54th Helicopter Squadron, Minot Air Force Base (planned) 11th Wing 1st Helicopter Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base (planned) 908th Wing 357th Helicopter Squadron, Maxwell Air Force Base (planned) Civilian Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Police Algeria Algerian Civil Defence Australia Ambulance Victoria Queensland Government Air (QGAir) Toll Ambulance Rescue Victoria Police Westpac Northern Region Helicopter Rescue Service Brazil Brazilian Federal Police Bulgaria Bulgarian Border Police Canada Ornge, 10 (12 ordered with 2 sold 2013) Chile Carabineros de Chile China Ministry of Public Security Croatia Croatian Border Police Cyprus Cyprus Police Aviation Unit Estonia Police and Border Guard Board Indonesia National Search and Rescue Agency Italy Polizia di Stato Guardia di Finanza National Fire Service Japan Tokyo Police Department (4 on order) Tokyo Fire Department Japan Coast Guard Kenya Kenya Police Lebanon Lebanese government Malaysia Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Royal Malaysia Police Myanmar Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Netherlands Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard National Police Oman Royal Oman Police Spain Spanish Maritime Safety Agency Sweden Maritime Rescue Group United Kingdom Her Majesty's Coastguard United States Los Angeles City Fire Department Maryland State Police Miami-Dade Fire Department New Jersey State Police U.S. Customs and Border Protection Faroe Islands Atlantic Airways Notable accidents On 19 August 2011, a Petrobras operated AW139 crashed in the sea at the Campos Basin in Brazil after taking off from an offshore oil platform, killing all four people on board. On 13 March 2014, Haughey Air AW139 (registration G-LBAL) crashed shortly after takeoff from Gillingham, Norfolk, United Kingdom, killing all four people on board. On 29 December 2018, a United Arab Emirates emergency medical services AgustaWestland AW139 on a mission to lift an injured person clipped the world's longest zip line and crashed in Jebel Jais, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, killing all four crew members. On 2 February 2019, an AW139 operated by Caverton Helicopters carrying Nigeria's Vice president Yemi Osinbajo crash-landed in Kabba, Kogi State. Though there were no casualties, the closeness of the crash to the 2019 presidential election fueled speculation of possible foul play, but Caverton attributed the crash to bad weather. On 4 July 2019, seven people died when AW139 N32CC crashed off of a small Bahamian island at 2 am. The helicopter was found underwater hours later, about a mile offshore. A billionaire coal baron from Beckley, West Virginia, Chris Cline, his daughter Kameron and five others were onboard headed to Florida due to a medical emergency involving one of the passengers. On 1 February 2020, a Fukushima prefectural police AW139 helicopter crashed in a rice field in the city of Koriyama, in northeast Japan. Seven of the crew were hurt, including three police officers, two technicians, and two medical workers. The helicopter was carrying a heart for transplant surgery to the University of Tokyo Hospital. The transplant operation was cancelled due to heart being unable to be recovered in time for a successful transplant. The Fukushima meteorological office issued a strong winds warning to Koriyama at the time of the accident. On impact, the tail and main rotor blades snapped off. The investigation is ongoing. Specifications (AW139) Data from AgustaWestland, EASA, Gajetti and Maggiore General characteristics Crew: one or two Capacity: up to 15 passengers, depending on configuration Length: 16.66 m (54 ft 8 in) Width: 2.26 m (10 ft 0 in) Height: 4.98 m (16 ft 4 in) Gross weight: 6,400 kg (14,110 lb) ; 7,000 kg (15,000 lb) for 7 t version Fuel capacity: 1568 liter (414 USgal) Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67C turboshaft engine , 1,142 kW (1,531 hp) each Main rotor diameter: 13.80 m (45 ft 3 in) Performance Maximum speed: 310 km/h (193 mph, 167 kn) Cruise speed: 306 km/h (191 mph, 165 kn) Range: 1,061 km (659 mi, 573 nmi) Endurance: 5 hours 13 minutes Service ceiling: 6,096 m (20,000 ft) Rate of climb: 10.9 m/s (2,140 ft/min) Related development AgustaWestland AW149 AgustaWestland AW189 AgustaWestland AW169 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Airbus Helicopters H160 Airbus Helicopters H175 Kamov Ka-60 TAI T625 Bell 525 (In Development) wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW149 AW149 Role - Medium-lift military helicopter National origin - Italy Manufacturer - AgustaWestland / Finmeccanica / Leonardo S.p.A. First flight - 13 November 2009 Status - In production Primary users - Egyptian Navy / Royal Thai Army / Polish Army Produced - 2009-present Developed from - AgustaWestland AW139 Variants - AgustaWestland AW189 The AgustaWestland AW149 is a medium-lift multi-role military helicopter developed by AgustaWestland, now Leonardo, launched in 2006. On 20 June 2011 AgustaWestland announced the AW189, a civilian development of the AW149, for service in 2013. Design and development The AW149 was unveiled at the 2006 Farnborough Air Show. Derived from the AW139, the AW149 has a larger fuselage and more powerful engines, resulting in a greater cargo volume and payload carrying ability. On 13 November 2009, the first prototype conducted its first flight from AgustaWestland's Vergiate manufacturing facility in northern Italy. On 26 February 2011, the second prototype, the first with production model engines, made its first flight from Vergiate. Operational history Military certification for the AW149 was announced by Finmeccanica at the 2014 Farnborough airshow. The landing gear can sustain a touchdown with a sink speed of 9.5 m/s, compared with the 2 m/s for a civilian helicopter. The AW149 is being marketed as an alternative to the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk family. Thailand has ordered 5 AW149 helicopters, and is the first export customer. The Italian Air Force considered it as a search and rescue helicopter, but chose the lighter AW139M instead. In April 2019, the Egyptian Navy ordered 24 AW149s with option for 10 more; first deliveries took place in late 2020. AgustaWestland submitted a version of the AW149, designated TUHP149, as a candidate for the Turkish Utility Helicopter Program (TUHP) for the Turkish Armed Forces. The programme sought an initial batch of 109 helicopters worth $4 billion, prospective follow-on orders for subsequent batches may eventually rise to 300 rotorcraft. On 21 April 2011, the Turkish defence minister announced that the Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk had been selected as the winner. Leonardo has proposed the AW149 for the UK's New Medium Helicopter programme, which aims to replace the RAF's Puma helicopters, with production to be at Leonardo's Yeovil factory if the bid is successful. In June 2022 Polish defence minister said Poland would order 32 AW149 helicopters, with production to be at Leonardo's PZL Świdnik factory. The contract was signed on July 1, 2022, and has a value of $ 1.85 billion (ˆ 1.76 billion). Delivery planned in years 2023-2029. Operators Egypt Egyptian Navy (24 ordered in 2019 with options for 10 more; 5 delivered in 2020, 5 delivered in 2021) Poland Polish Army (32 ordered in 2022, delivery planned from 2023 to 2029) Thailand Royal Thai Police (1 in service) Royal Thai Army (5 in service) Specifications (AW149) Data from AgustaWestland General characteristics Crew: 2 Capacity: 18 max or; 12 combat laden troops or 2,720 kg external sling load Length: 17.57 m (57 ft 8 in) Width: 3.06 m (0 in) Height: 5.14 m (16 ft 10 in) Gross weight: 8,600 kg (18,959 lb) Powerplant: 2 × Safran Aneto-1K , 1,715 kW (2,300 hp) each Maximum continuous power Main rotor diameter: 14.6 m (47 ft 11 in) Performance Maximum speed: 310 km/h (190 mph, 170 kn) Cruise speed: 278 km/h (173 mph, 150 kn) Range: 800 km (497 mi, 432 nmi) Endurance: 4 hours Related development AgustaWestland AW139 AgustaWestland AW189 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Airbus Helicopters H175 Bell 525 Relentless Harbin Z-20 KAI KUH-1 Surion NHIndustries NH90 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat AW159 Wildcat Role - Utility, SAR and ASuW helicopter National origin - United Kingdom Manufacturer - AgustaWestland / Leonardo (since 2016) First flight - 12 November 2009 Introduction - 29 August 2014 (AH1) Status - In service Primary users - British Army / Royal Navy / Republic of Korea Navy / Philippine Navy Produced - 2009-present Developed from - Westland Super Lynx The AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat (previously called the Future Lynx and Lynx Wildcat) is a British military helicopter. It is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx designed to serve in the battlefield utility, search and rescue and anti-surface warfare roles. In British service, common variants are being operated by both the Royal Navy and British Army, having replaced their Lynx Mk.7/8/9 predecessors. The AW159 has also been offered to several export customers, and has been ordered by the Republic of Korea Navy and the Philippine Navy. Development Background In 1995, the British Government announced that the Royal Navy's existing Westland Lynx helicopters were to be replaced; at that point, the service was intended to operate an all-Merlin fleet. Despite this stated intent, Westland Helicopters continued to hold talks with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to find a future role for the type during the late 1990s; the firm issued multiple proposals to either extend the life of the existing Super Lynx through upgrade programmes or more ambitious remanufacturing programmes incorporating varying degrees of new components. In 2002, the Future Lynx project originated in two studies to determine the suitability of a derivative of the Super Lynx 300 to replace the existing Lynx helicopters of the Royal Navy and British Army. These requirements were known as the Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR) and Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter (BLUH) programmes, respectively. In July 2002, AgustaWestland received a contract to conduct a formal assessment phase of the Future Lynx. On 22 July 2002, a collaboration agreement was signed between AgustaWestland and Thales Group, under which Thales was assigned development responsibility for the programme's core avionics, including communications, navigation, and flight management electronics; that same day, additional MOD funding for the fledgling Future Lynx programme was announced as having been allocated. By April 2003, the in-service dates for the BLUH and SCMR programmes were reported as being April 2007 and April 2008 respectively. Early on, AgustaWestland elected to adopt a glass cockpit incorporating electronics upgrades from the AgustaWestland AW101 along with various airframe improvements, such as a redesigned tail rotor and nose along with increased use of machined components over fabricated counterparts. By July 2004, the option of upgrading and remanufacturing the first generation Lynx had reportedly been judged to be uneconomical, and the BLUH programme of building a new generation airframe had been given prominence instead. Restructure In late 2004, the National Audit Office (NAO) criticised the UK's existing helicopter fleet as being insufficient; concurrently, a major reorganisation of the MOD's procurement process subjected ongoing helicopter programmes to major restructuring. The BLUH was reportedly deemed unaffordable, and it was speculated that a more modest sensor fit could be used, as well as the procurement of alternative platforms such as the NHIndustries NH90, Eurocopter EC120, or Eurocopter EC635 instead of the Future Lynx. Ultimately, the utility transport aspect of the BLUH requirement was de-emphasised and the programme renamed Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter (BRH). In early 2005, the MOD was reportedly deliberating on whether to launch an open competition for other companies to bid to meet the BRH requirement, or to sole-source the contract from AgustaWestland to proceed with the Future Lynx. In late March 2005, the MOD confirmed the Future Lynx as being its preferred option for its rotorcraft renewal programme, and was expected to place a non-competitive contract with AgustaWestland later that year. The signing of the contract was delayed to the following year, this was reportedly in part due to preparation and release of the 2005 Defence Industrial Strategy, which supported the selection of the Future Lynx. On 22 June 2006, the MOD awarded AgustaWestland a £1 billion contract for 70 Future Lynx helicopters as a commitment under the Strategic Partnering Arrangement with AgustaWestland. The programme envisaged providing the British Army with 40 aircraft and Royal Navy with 30, with an option for a further 10, split equally between Army and Navy. By late 2007, the Future Lynx was scheduled to enter service with the British Army and Royal Navy in 2014 and 2015 respectively. In 2008, the cancellation of the Future Lynx programme has reportedly been under consideration. In December 2008, the MOD announced that the main contract would be proceeding, only incurring a minor cut in numbers set to be procured, for a total of 62 rotorcraft. Into production In October 2007, following the passing of an interim critical design review, the Future Lynx programme proceeded to the manufacturing phase; the first metal was cut on the initial flight-test rotorcraft that same month. In September 2008, the powerplant selected for the Future Lynx, the LHTEC CTS800-4N, received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification, enabling production deliveries to commence. In November 2008, GKN delivered the first complete airframe to AgustaWestland; the new airframe reportedly had an 80 per cent lower part count than the earlier generation Lynx, which was achieved via the use of monolithic machine components. On 24 April 2009, it was announced that the Future Lynx had been designated AW159 by AgustaWestland, and would be known in British military service as the Wildcat. On 12 November 2009, the first Lynx Wildcat conducted the type's maiden flight from AgustaWestland's facility in Yeovil, Somerset. On 14 October 2010, the second AW159 performed its first flight; on 19 November 2010, a third Wildcat joined the flight test programme. In July 2009, it was announced that the cost of the Wildcat programme had increased to £1.7 billion. In December 2011, it was reported that four additional Wildcats had been ordered for use by British special forces. These are to be joined by four from the current fleet on order, for a total of eight aircraft to operate as Wildcat Light Assault Helicopters. Further orders for the Wildcat have since been placed by export customers, including the Republic of Korea Navy and the Philippine Navy. Design The AW159 Wildcat is a further development of the Westland Lynx. While the AW159 shares broad similarities in appearance to the Lynx, it has significant design differences and is heavily modernised and adapted to gain new attributes and functionality. The AW159 comprises 95% new components; the remaining 5%, consisting of such items as the fuel system and main rotor gearbox, are interchangeable with the Lynx AH7 and HMA8 variants. During development, the Army and Navy variants of the Wildcat reportedly maintained 98 per cent commonality with one another. The AW159 is the first helicopter by AgustaWestland to be designed inside an entirely digital environment. Among other changes, certain external elements of the Wildcat, such as the tail rotor, have been redesigned for greater durability and stealth qualities. Both Army and Navy variants have a common airframe, which is manufactured by GKN Aerostructures; the airframe has been marinised for operations in the naval environment and provides for a greater airframe lifespan of 12,000 flight hours. The wheeled undercarriage is also strengthened for naval landings on both variants. The AW159 is powered by two 1,362 hp (1,016 kW) LHTEC CTS800 turboshaft engines which drives the rotorcraft's BERP IV rotor blades via a new transmission, increasing the maximum take-off weight by more than 1 ton over the legacy Super Lynx. It is equipped with a new composite tailboom, tailplane, tail rotor, nose structure and avionics suite. The naval version is also equipped with a Selex Galileo Seaspray 7000E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and L-3 Wescam MX-15HDi electro-optical/infrared nose turret. A glass cockpit comprises the primary human-machine interface, using four 255 x 200mm multifunction displays to provide information to the aircrew and interact with the avionics systems on board. The Wildcat features an increased payload and range over the preceding Super Lynx; it is operationally required to carry up to 8 Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapons up to 185 kilometers from a host ship and remain on station for up to an hour. The type can perform aerial reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), utility, fire control, command and control, and troop transport duties. In June 2014, the Royal Navy awarded Thales Group a £48 million contract to deliver the Martlet missile for the Wildcat under the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapons Light (FASGW (L)) programme for targets such as small boats and fast attack craft. A Wildcat can carry four launchers, each with five Martlets. In March 2014 a contract was awarded to MBDA for the Sea Venom (FASGW Heavy) missile for use against vessels and land targets, replacing the Sea Skua. Both missiles are being integrated by AgustaWestland in a single £90m programme by 2018, with IOC for both planned by October 2020. Many elements of the AW159's avionics are provided by Thales Group. The type is reported to possess significant ISTAR capabilities and improved situational awareness, achieved through its onboard integrated digital open systems architecture; it has been equipped with the Bowman communications system, allowing for data such as targeting and voice communications to be securely and seamlessly transmitted to friendly forces. Some AW159 models have been fitted with various General Dynamics-built mission systems, these include secured data recorders and tactical processing systems which integrate sensor data and application information for displaying within the cockpit as well as for retention within encrypted data storage. Other mission systems used on the Wildcat have been produced by BAE Systems. All variants of the Wildcat share the same defensive aids arrangement, which shares some commonality with the AgustaWestland Apache; features include missile warning sensors, countermeasures dispensers, and infrared exhaust suppressors. Operational history United Kingdom The UK has ordered 34 Wildcats for the British Army and 28 for the Royal Navy. The Army Air Corps formed the Wildcat Fielding Team (Army), which later became 652 (Operational Conversion) Squadron, for trials and operational conversion of Joint Helicopter Command aircrew and ground crew to the type. The Royal Navy also commissioned a Wildcat Fielding Squadron, 700W Naval Air Squadron (700W NAS) in 2009. Both units are located at RNAS Yeovilton. In February 2012, a prototype Wildcat (ZZ402) conducted 20 days of trials aboard HMS Iron Duke off the coasts of England and Scotland; the tests involved operating under challenging weather conditions to define ship-helicopter operating limits for when the type enters service in 2015. During the trials, a total of 390 deck landings were completed including 148 night landings, 76 of which being conducted by pilots using night vision goggles. The first production Wildcat was received in May 2012 by the WFT (Army); ZZ406. The Royal Navy received their first airframe at the end of 2013. Further trials of the type were conducted, such as deck landings aboard RFA Mounts Bay. In July 2012, the Wildcat conducted its first public display at the Farnborough Airshow. At the event, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond stated that the "Wildcat represents a considerable advance over the current Lynx helicopters, bringing greatly improved performance and capability." On 29 August 2014, the Wildcat AH1 formally entered service with the Army Air Corps. On 23 March 2015, the Royal Navy's first Wildcat HMA2 began its initial operational deployment at sea on board HMS Lancaster. As of September 2015, 48 Wildcats had been delivered to the British Army and Royal Navy; in excess of 10,000 flight hours had been logged between the services along with a 100 percent availability rate achieved at sea and over 1,200 deck landings performed. In September 2015, a Wildcat HMA.2 of 825 Naval Air Squadron was deployed aboard HMS Duncan in the Persian Gulf to perform extreme high temperature trials. On 4 July 2019, Royal Marines from 42 Commando unit used a Wildcat to board and detain the Grace 1 oil tanker off Gibraltar. South Korea On 15 January 2013, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced the selection of the AW159 to fulfill a requirement of the Republic of Korea Navy for a maritime helicopter, winning out against the MH-60R Seahawk. The batch of eight aircraft were chosen to perform search-and-rescue missions, anti-submarine warfare and surveillance. In January 2014, DAPA announced it will equip its Wildcat helicopters with Spike NLOS missiles to provide a stand-off attack capability for engaging targets such as ground artillery and small vessels. In April 2015, the South Korean government was considering ordering a further 12 Wildcats to further strengthen the Navy's anti-submarine capabilities; alternative options include the MH-60 Seahawk and the domestically produced KAI KUH-1 Surion helicopter. On 13 June 2016, the Republic of Korea Navy took delivery of four Wildcats. The helicopters operate from the Navy's Incheon-class guided missile/coastal defense frigates. The remaining four were delivered in late November 2016. ROK Navy Wildcats are fitted with a Seaspray 7400E radar offering 360-degree coverage. The first four AW159s were operational by February 2017. Its AESA radar and electro-optic thermal sensor are capable of detecting surface contacts out to 360 km (220 mi; 190 nmi). For anti-submarine duties, the helicopter can operate for over three hours when equipped with the Thales FLASH dipping sonar, two hours with the sonar and one Blue Shark torpedo, and an hour or more with the sonar and two torpedoes; it can also drop sonobuoys. Philippines In 2014, it was reported that the AW159 was being considered by the Philippine Navy. In March 2016, AugustaWestland signed a ˆ100 million contract with the Department of National Defense for two helicopters along with training and support. The project aims to provide anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface capabilities to the Navy. Prior to the introduction of the Wildcat, the Philippines lacked any ASW capabilities in a region where the number of submarines being operated by other nations was reportedly set to grow. On 7 May 2019, the two AW159 anti-submarine helicopters arrived in the Philippines. Others In 2016, Malaysia reportedly considering increasing the number of helicopters operated by the Royal Malaysian Navy by procuring either the AW159, Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk or the Airbus Helicopters H225M. On 20 April 2016, Finmeccanica (now Leonardo) signed a teaming agreement with Global Komited, a Malaysian defence company, to jointly promote and distribute the AW159 Wildcat to the Malaysian government. Variants Wildcat AH1 Initial battlefield reconnaissance model, total of 34 ordered for the Army Air Corps. Wildcat HMA2 Initial maritime model, total of 28 ordered for the Royal Navy. Operators Bangladesh Bangladesh Navy: 2 AW159s in service Philippines Philippine Navy: 2 AW159s in service South Korea Republic of Korea Navy: 8 AW159s in service United Kingdom Army Air Corps: 34 AH1 in service Royal Navy: 28 HMA2 in service Specifications (AW159) Data from Future Lynx brochure, AW159 page General characteristics Crew: 2 pilots Capacity: 6 passengers, including door gunner Length: 15.24 m (50 ft 0 in) Height: 3.73 m (12 ft 3 in) Empty weight: 3,300 kg (7,275 lb) Max takeoff weight: 6,000 kg (13,228 lb) Powerplant: 2 × LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft, 1,015 kW (1,361 hp) each Main rotor diameter: 12.8 m (42 ft 0 in) Main rotor area: 128.7 m2 (1,385 sq ft) Performance Maximum speed: 311 km/h (193 mph, 168 kn) Range: 777 km (483 mi, 420 nmi) Ferry range: 963 km (598 mi, 520 nmi) Endurance: 2 hr 15 min (4 hr 30 min with auxiliary fuel tanks) Armament Pintle-mounted machine gun, e.g. FN MAG (Army) or Browning M3M (Navy) Air-to-surface missile systems and ASW weapons (Naval HMA2 variant) - up to 20× Thales Martlet (Lightweight Multirole Missile), formerly Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Light) - up to 4× MBDA Sea Venom, formerly Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy), to disable or destroy vessels up to 1000 tonnes - Sting Ray torpedo and Mk.11 depth charges South Korean and Philippine naval loadout - K745 Blue Shark torpedoes - Spike NLOS ATGM-based antiship missiles Avionics Thales Underwater Systems Compact FLASH dipping sonar array Seaspray 7400E AESA X-band air-to-surface multifunction radar Wescam MX-15Di EOIR cameras Sonobuoys TDL-16 (?) Related development Westland Lynx/Super Lynx Westland 30 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk Bell UH-1Y Venom Eurocopter AS565 Panther HAL Dhruv Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite NH90 Harbin Z-15 Ka-52K "Katran" wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW169 AW169 Role - Helicopter National origin - Italy Manufacturer - Leonardo S.p.A. / AgustaWestland First flight - 10 May 2012 Introduction - 2015 Status - Active service Produced - 2015-present Number built - 130+ as of January 2022 The AgustaWestland AW169 is a twin-engine, 10-seat, 4.8t helicopter developed and manufactured by the helicopter division of Leonardo (formerly AgustaWestland, merged into Finmeccanica since 2016). It was designed to share similarities with the larger AgustaWestland AW139 and AgustaWestland AW189. Development On 19 July 2010, AgustaWestland formally announced that the AW169 was under development at the Farnborough International Air Show. According to AgustaWestland, the 4.5 ton AW169 is a light-intermediate twin engine rotorcraft intended for a range of utility operations; to lower prospective operational costs, a decision was made early on for the AW169 to share a large level of commonality across both components and the cockpit configuration with the larger AgustaWestland AW139. In 2011, the British Government provided a $33 million loan to AgustaWestland for the AW169 development program. In 2012, the European Union approved a 19-year ˆ272 million zero‑interest loan from the Italian government to AgustaWestland to finance the development of the AW169; industrial research is 40% of the total, and experimental development is 60%, while the aid element is ˆ94 million. On 10 May 2012, the first prototype of the type conducted its first flight. The testing program involved a total of four prototypes; the second and third AW169s joined the flight test program later on in 2012, and the fourth in 2013. AgustaWestland had initially anticipated that the AW169 would receive flight certification in 2014, and had planned for production AW169 aircraft to enter service by 2015. On 15 July 2015, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued its certification for the AW169. In November 2015, a prototype was dispatched to various locations in California, United States, for high and low altitude flight tests in support of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. In February 2016, the AW169 received FAA certification, enabling deliveries of the type to occur later that year. In 2012, AgustaWestland stated that it was planning to produce the AW169 in its facilities in Yeovil, England. The design and manufacture of various components such as the rotor blades, intermediate and tail gearboxes, and tail rotor hub was performed by AgustaWestland's UK branch. In January 2015, the assembly of the first production AW169s began at AgustaWestland's factory in Vergiate, Italy; initial production models were produced at this site. In 2015, manufacturing activity on the AW169 also commenced on a second production line at AgustaWestland's facility in Philadelphia, USA; the rate of production is reportedly planned to be increased to 20 US-built rotorcraft per year by 2017. However, in October 2016, it was announced that Leonardo, the rebranded identity of AgustaWestland, had decided to abandon work on its planned US production of the type. Design The AW169 is a medium-sized twin engine helicopter; upon launch, it held the distinction of being the first all new aircraft in its weight category in over 30 years. Weighing roughly 4,500 kg and accommodating 7-10 passengers, it is positioned between the 3,175 kg 8-seat AW109GrandNew and the much larger 6,400 kg 15-seat AW139. The AW169 is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A FADEC turboshaft engines, which drives the main rotor at variable speeds to reduce external noise and increase efficiency. Newly developed dampeners were installed between the rotor blades of the main rotor in order to reduce vibration levels for a smooth passenger experience. It has the distinction of being the first production helicopter of its category to feature electronically actuated landing gear. AgustaWestland has reported having various customers for the AW169, including air ambulance, law enforcement, executive/corporate, offshore transport and utility sectors. The AW169 is equipped with various avionics systems, including a Rockwell Collins glass cockpit featuring three displays outfitted with touchscreen interfaces, digital maps, dual radar altimeters, automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast tracking, Health and usage monitoring systems (HUMS), and night vision goggles (NVG) compatibility. Many elements of the cockpit and avionics are similar to those installed on the AgustaWestland AW139 and the AgustaWestland AW189, providing a high level of support. The use of a four-axis digital automatic flight control system and a dual flight management system incorporating terrain and traffic avoidance systems has allowed for the rotorcraft to be certified to be flown by a single pilot under instrument flight rules (IFR). There is no auxiliary power unit installed on the AW169; instead, the transmission features a clutch to allow the rotors to be stopped while the port engine continue to run to power the avionics and onboard electrical systems. On customer request, the AW169 can be equipped with a comprehensive full ice protection system; alternatively, a limited ice protection system may also be integrated. To meet differing customer's requirements and preferences, the AW169 can be configured with numerous optional items of equipment, such as auxiliary fuel tanks, rescue hoist, cargo hook, emergency flotation aids, external cameras, rappelling fittings, wire strike protection system, mission consoles, external loudspeakers, and external lighting arrangements. In a utility passenger configuration, up to 10 people can be accommodated in the AW169's main cabin, while a corporate transport arrangement can house a maximum of eight people, and a more spacious VIP layout holds six to seven passengers instead. The VIP interior, developed and offered by Mecaer Aviation Group (MAG), features include the Silens noise and vibration-reduction system, the IFEEL In-flight entertainment system, and numerous luxurious cabin refinements. In the emergency medical services (EMS) role, the cabin can accommodate a pair of stretchers while maintaining easy access across each patient from either side, a full medical suite can also be installed. Operational history In April 2013, AgustaWestland unveiled the AW169 AAS as its contender in the United States Army's Armed Aerial Scout program. It was the biggest entry with a 10,000 lb gross weight, nearly twice the weight of the Bell OH-58 Kiowa that was being replaced. AgustaWestland stated that its size provided unprecedented cabin flexibility for extended range tanks, command and control facilities, and perhaps manned-unmanned teaming workstations. The size was a potential issue in some respects, such as the number that can be air-transported by a strategic airlifter; AgustaWestland said it had solutions to meet the Army's disassembly and reassembly time limits, and emphasised the type's size and performance values. In later 2013, the AAS program was terminated without any procurement being made. In September 2015, it was reported that the first AW169 had been delivered to an unidentified VIP customer. The launch customer for the AW169 is Lease Corporation International (LCI); by October 2015, LCI had a total of 12 AW169s on order, the first of which being configured to perform offshore operations. In October 2014, it was announced that the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance would become the first Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) operator to use the AW169 in the United Kingdom. In December 2015, AgustaWestland and air-rescue operator REGA announced the formation of a partnership agreement to develop a dedicated search and rescue (SAR) variant of the AW169, REGA also ordered an initial three such rotorcraft at the same time. By February 2016, at least 20 AW169's had been delivered to various customers across the world and have been used in roles such as EMS, VIP transport, utility and offshore duties. In July 2017, the National Police Directorate of Norway announced they had reached an agreement with Leonardo to purchase three AW169 for a value of 313 million NOK. The contract includes 10 years support and maintenance for a total contract of 670 million NOK, as well as an option for further three AW169s. The helicopters are expected to enter service by 2019 and will replace the two Eurocopter EC135 currently in use. The main competitor was the Eurocopter EC145. In September 2020, the Austrian Defense Ministry announced the acquisition of 18 AW169s; these will replace Austria's long-serving fleet of Alouette III helicopters. Variants AW169 Overall designation for type. AW169 AAS Designation for militarised variant proposed for the Armed Aerial Scout program (cancelled). AW169M (Multiruolo, Multirole) Designation for multirole variant UH-169A, ordered by Italian Guardia di Finanza. AW169MA (Multiruolo Avanzato, Multirole Advanced) Designation for militarised variant UH-169 LUH for the Italian Army, with adaptations for troop transport, utility support, maritime patrol, armed reconnaissance and close air support operations. Operators Government and civil Argentina National Gendarmerie (1 delivered) Germany Heli Service International Indonesia Indonesian National Police (9 in service) Italy Guardia di Finanza (22 on order, 1 crashed) Norway Coastal Administration Norwegian Police Service New Zealand Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust Slovenia Slovenian National Police Force (2 delivered) Sweden Babcock Scandinavian AirAmbulance Taiwan (Republic of China) Emerald Pacific Airlines United Kingdom UNI-FLY Operates the AW169 for offshore Wind Farm Support including heli-hoisting and maintenance teams flights Specialist Aviation Services operates the AW169 in HEMS role for the following air ambulances: - Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex - Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance - Essex & Herts Air Ambulance - Magpas United States Life Link III Palm Beach County Trauma Hawk Travis County STAR Flight Military Austria Austrian Air Force (18 on order: 6 AW169B + 12 AW169MA) Italy Italian Army (15 on order) Qatar Qatar Air Force (1 delivered, +3 on order) Accidents and incidents On 27 October 2018, AW169 registration G-VSKP owned by Thai billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, chairman of English football club, Leicester City, crashed shortly after take-off from the King Power Stadium, Leicester, United Kingdom and was destroyed by the resulting fire. All five people aboard the aircraft died, including Vichai. An initial Special Bulletin issued by the Air Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has attributed the accident to tail rotor failure after analysing the flight recorder and noting the aircraft failed to respond to the pilot's foot pedal commands. In December 2018 the AAIB reported their finding that a rotating bearing at the outer end of the tail rotor control shaft had become seized, causing the shaft to unscrew itself. On 27 March 2021, Italy's Guardia di Finanza lost a UH-169A (AW169M) helicopter in a crash at its home base, Bolzano Airport. Whilst taxiing to the parking spot, the crew of MM81970/504 (construction number 69109) lost control and fell on its side on the tarmac, apparently due to human error, causing considerable damage to the helicopter. All crew members were unhurt. Specifications (AW169) Data from Leonardo Type Certificate Data Sheet and AW169 company brochures General characteristics Crew: 1 or 2 Capacity: 8 to 12 passengers, plus 250 kg (551 lbs) baggage and cargo; or 1 stretcher, plus 7 medical attendants; or 2 stretchers, plus 5 medical attendants Length: 14.645 m (48 ft 1 in) Width: 2.530 m (8 ft 4 in) Horizontal stab 3.205 m Height: 4.50 m (15 ft 0 in) Gross weight: 2,850 kg (6,283 lb) Max takeoff weight: 4,800 kg (10,582 lb) Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney PW210A turboshaft with FADEC (735 kW, 1,000 shp class each) Main rotor diameter: 12.12 m (39 ft 9 in) Performance Maximum speed: 306 km/h (190 mph, 165 kn) Never exceed speed: 306 km/h (190 mph, 165 kn) Power on with both engines operative Range: 820 km (510 mi, 440 nmi) Endurance: 4h 20m Related development AgustaWestland AW139 AgustaWestland AW189 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Bell 429 GlobalRanger Eurocopter EC145 HAL Dhruv HAL Rudra KAI LCH KAI LAH Sikorsky S-76 wikipedia.org (en) AgustaWestland AW189 AW189 Role - Medium-lift helicopter National origin - Italy Manufacturer - Leonardo S.p.A. / Finmeccanica / AgustaWestland First flight - 21 December 2011 Introduction - February 2014 Status - In service Primary users - Bristow Helicopters / Gulf Helicopters Produced - 2011-present Number built - 70+ Developed from - AgustaWestland AW149 The AgustaWestland AW189 is a twin-engined, medium-lift helicopter manufactured by Leonardo S.p.A. (formerly AgustaWestland, merged into Leonardo-Finmeccanica since 2016). It is derived from the AW149, and shares similarities with the AW139 and AW169. Development On 20 June 2011, development of the eight-tonne twin-engine AW189 was formally announced by AgustaWestland at the Paris International Air Show; at the time, the company planned to have the new rotorcraft certified by 2013 and in service in 2014. The AW189 is a civil-orientated version of the military AW149, which in turn is an enlarged development of the AW139; in 2011, AgustaWestland CEO Bruno Spagnolini stated that: "The AW139 and the AW189 are two very different aircraft but they both share the same general concept in architecture". AgustaWestland stated it aimed to sell the AW189 for offshore helicopter support, search and rescue (SAR), and passenger transport roles. On 21 December 2011, the first AW189 conducted its maiden flight from AgustaWestland's facility in Cascina Costa, Italy. During the flight test program, six AW189s were used, these were four prototypes and a pair of pre-production aircraft. The pre-production aircraft were used to develop mission kits and configurations for offshore and SAR roles, enabling these to be immediately certified and available for customer selection. In August 2013, the fifth prototype was dispatched to the UK, so that AgustaWestland's UK branch could begin work on certifying the type for SAR operations. In June 2013, AgustaWestland announced that the AW189 had entered full-scale production. In October 2013, the first production model performed its first flight; at the same time, work was proceeding on setting up a second production line for the type at AgustaWestland's center in Yeovil, United Kingdom. In February 2014, the AW189 received type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA); the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued its certification for the type in March 2015. In August 2015, civil certification for the AW189 was issued by the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC). In June 2015, it was reported that slow development of the ice-protection systems that to be offered upon the AW189 had delayed the introduction of Bristow Helicopters UK-based SAR operations using the type, at the time being in a state of "operational evaluation". In September 2015, AgustaWestland announced that EASA certification of the AW189's limited ice protection system had been granted, and stated that the rotorcraft was the first in its category to receive such certification. In autumn 2015, AgustaWestland conducted icing trials in Alaska to provide flight within full icing conditions certification as part of efforts to qualify the type for the SAR role; validation of the full-ice protection system was scheduled for mid-2016. In October 2017 Leonardo announced the development of the AW189K variant, powered by two 2500 hp Aneto-1K turboshafts produced by Safran Helicopter Engines. EASA certification for the AW189K was initially expected in late 2018 this was eventually achieved in June 2020; hot and high operations would benefit from the additional 500shp (370 kW) per engine and the Aneto's specific fuel consumption was planned to be 10% lower than the replaced CT7s. Gulf Helicopters was the launch customer of the AW189K. Design The AW189 is a medium-sized twin-engined helicopter with a five-bladed fully articulated main rotor, a four-bladed tail rotor and a retractable tricycle landing gear. It is powered by two General Electric CT7-2E1 turboshaft engines. AgustaWestland refer to the AW189 as being a "super-medium class" helicopter, emphasizing its suitability for long-range operations. During development, the AW189 was designed to comply with the latest international regulatory safety requirements EASA/FAA Part 29, JAR OPS 3/EU-OPS. Of particular importance to the type's use for offshore operations, such as search and rescue and services to the oil and gas industries, the main gearbox has been designed to provide for a 50-minute run-dry capacity, in excess of requirements and a unique feature to the AW189. Aspects of the AW189 are deliberately similar to the AW139 and AW169; these helicopters share similar flight performance characteristics, safety features, and design philosophies. Areas of the aircraft's operation, such as maintenance and the layout of the cockpit, also continue this concept, which reportedly makes operations more cost effective. The cockpit features high levels of external visibility and advanced situational awareness technologies, and is designed to reduce crew workload and enhance safety. Avionics on the AW189 are fully integrated and include four color LCD panels, a four-axis dual-duplex digital automatic flight control system, autopilot, search/weather radar, cockpit voice recorder, flight data recorder, night vision goggle-compatibility, health and usage monitoring system, moving map system, SATCOM, synthetic vision system, emergency locator system, helicopter terrain avoidance system (HTAWS), traffic collision avoidance system II (TCAS II), direction finder, forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera, and VHF/UHF radio. The avionics were designed to use an open architecture, making customer-specified upgrades and additions easier and enabling additional options. Dependent on the configuration, the AW189's cabin can accommodate up to 19 passengers and two crew members on crashworthy seats. According to AgustaWestland, the AW189 possesses the largest cabin in its class, which is accessed via large sliding doors on either side of the fuselage; a separate externally accessed baggage compartment is also present. The interior is customised to the mission role being undertaken; these include a self-contained emergency medical service (EMS) layout, passenger configurations (with in-flight entertainment systems offered), mission consoles for SAR and law enforcement operations, and an optional dividing wall between the cockpit and main cabin may also be installed. Under certain conditions and limitations, the rotorcraft can be flown by a single pilot. Various pieces of optional equipment can be installed upon the AW189, including fast roping kits, external electric hoist, cargo hook, air conditioning, auxiliary fuel tanks, mission console, emergency flotation system (certified up to Sea State 6), external life rafts, emergency lighting, external search light, main cabin bubble windows, wire strike protection system, de-icing systems providing multiple levels of protection. Operational history In July 2013, AgustaWestland reported that they had received over 80 orders and options placed for the AW189. By March 2015, there were roughly 150 orders for the AW189. On 7 January 2015, AgustaWestland announced that it had concluded a deal to supply 160 AW189s to the Russian oil company Rosneft by 2025. These helicopters will be produced by HeliVert, a joint venture between Finmeccanica-AgustaWestland and Russian Helicopters (a subsidiary of the corporation Rostec). Under the terms of the agreement made in 2015, HeliVert shall be responsible for final assembly of AW189s destined for the Russian and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations at its Tomilino plant near Moscow, the firm shall also receive an exclusive licence to market and manufacture the AW189 throughout the Russian and CIS market. In August 2013, UK-based Bristow Helicopters began promoting the AW189 to their offshore clients; Bristow intends to replace their Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma fleet with the AW189. On 21 July 2014, Bristow, who served as the launch customer for the AW189, performed their first commercial flight of the type. Bristow is to procure 11 SAR-configured AW189s as part of an 11-year contract under which Bristow is to take over SAR operations in the United Kingdom from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. On 19 January 2015, U.S. helicopter operator AAR Airlift and partner British International Helicopters (BIH) were granted a £180 million ($275 million) 10-year contract, beginning in April 2016, to support UK defence ministry operations in the Falkland Islands. Two AW189s will conduct SAR duties on behalf of British Forces garrisoned at Mount Pleasant Airfield on the South Atlantic islands, replacing RAF Sea Kings that will be retired at the end of March 2016. In July 2014, Asia-Pacific launch customer Weststar Aviation received its first AW189 in a ceremony at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire, England. In November 2014, Middle Eastern launch customer Gulf Helicopters formally launched their first batch of AW189s into operational service. In October 2014, Lease Corporation International (LCI) became the first aircraft lessor to take delivery of the AW189. After the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau ordered two AW189 in November 2021, the Ministry of Transport of the People's Republic of China order six AW189 for its Rescue and Salvage Bureau in March 2022, the six AW189 are expected to be delivered by 2023. At March 2022, there are 73 AW189s in service globally. Operators Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Airlines (2 on order) Egypt Egyptian Air Force (8 on order) Indonesia Indonesian National Police (2 in service) Japan Tokyo Fire Department (1 on order) Malaysia Weststar Aviation (2 on order) Fire Department Qatar Gulf Helicopters (15 on order) Russia Exxon Neftegas Limited South Korea Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Management United Arab Emirates Dubai Royal Air Wing (1 on order) United States Milestone Aviation Group (3 on order) United Kingdom Bristow Group (HM Coastguard) (11 in service) Vietnam Southern Vietnam Helicopter Company Specifications (AW189) Data from EASA Type certificate and Yeovil's New Twin General characteristics Crew: 1 or 2 Capacity: Up to 19 passengers Length: 17.60 m (57 ft 9 in) Height: 5.06 m (16 ft 7 in) Wing area: 53.3 m2 (574 sq ft) Gross weight: 8,300 kg (18,300 lb) Fuel capacity: 2,063 litres (2,569 L with belly tank) Powerplant: 2 × General Electric CT7-2E1 turboshaft engine , 1,492 kW (2,000 hp) each Main rotor diameter: 14.60 m (47 ft 11 in) Performance Maximum speed: 313 km/h (194 mph, 169 kn) Cruise speed: 267-278 km/h (166-173 mph, 144-150 kn) Range: 370-907 km (230-490 mi, 200-430 nmi) Service ceiling: 3,000 m (10,000 ft) Related development AgustaWestland AW139 AgustaWestland AW149 AgustaWestland AW169 Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Bell 525 Eurocopter EC175 Kamov Ka-60 Sikorsky S-92 wikipedia.org (en) |