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UPDATE: MOD does U-turn on AW109SP

The UK MOD has done a U-turn on the use of the Leonardo AW109SP GrandNew helicopter.

Polish Navy welcomes delivery of first AW101 Merlin

The Polish Navy welcomed the delivery of its initial AW101 Merlin multi-role maritime helicopter on August 7, just over two years after the first of four examples for Poland completed its maiden flight at Leonardo Helicopters’ facility in Yeovil, Somerset, on July 19, 2021

Success for Royal Navy in Wildcat’s first air-to-air firing of Martlet missile

In a recent series of trials, an AW159 Wildcat HMA2 multi-mission maritime helicopter from the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm’s 815 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, carried out the first successful test firing of a Martlet lightweight multi-role missile against an aerial target

Poland buys Hellfire missiles to arm future AW149, AH-64E fleets

Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak announced on May 30 that the nation has signed a deal with the US government to buy AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles to equip its future Leonardo Helicopters AW149 and Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopter fleets

Austria doubles its order for AW169M light utility helicopters 

Leonardo has signed a contract with the Italian Directorate of Aeronautical Armaments and Airworthiness to supply 18 more AW169M light utility helicopters to the Austrian Ministry of Defence

Latest TH-73A order set to complete planned US Navy fleet

The US Department of Defense has awarded a contract modification to AgustaWestland Philadelphia – a subsidiary of Leonardo – exercising an option to acquire a further 26 TH-73A Thrasher training helicopters for the US Navy

Royal Navy completes life-extending Merlin HC4/4A upgrade

The upgrade of the Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force's 25-strong Merlin HC3/3A helicopter fleet to HC4/4A standard has been completed

GE engine selected to power Polish AW149 fleet

Following a recent contract announcement between the Polish Government and PZL-Świdnik, it has been revealed that the former has selected GE Aerospace’s CT7-2E1 turboshaft engine to power its new 32-strong fleet of Leonardo AW149 multi-mission helicopters

US Navy launches training operations with the TH-73A Thrasher

US Navy Student Naval Aviators assigned to Training Air Wing 5 (TAW-5) at NAS Whiting Field in Milton, Florida, have begun advanced helicopter training with the service’s new Leonardo TH-73A Thrasher helicopter

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EXCLUSIVE: Flying mountain operations with AW119s from Portugal’s Esquadra 552

We joined the Portuguese Air Force’s Esquadra 552 ‘Zangões’ for a mountain flying exercise. The unit has proven the relevance of training exercises – battling major wildfires