AW149
AW149 over RIAT in 2022
Role Medium-lift military helicopter
National origin Italy
Manufacturer AgustaWestland
Finmeccanica
Leonardo S.p.A.
First flight 13 November 2009
Status In service
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.[1]

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.[2] On 13 November 2009, the first prototype conducted its first flight from AgustaWestland's Vergiate manufacturing facility in northern Italy.[3] On 26 February 2011, the second prototype, the first with production model engines, made its first flight from Vergiate.[4]

Operational history

Military certification for the AW149 was announced by Finmeccanica at the 2014 Farnborough airshow.[5] 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.[6][7] 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.[8][9][10]

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.[11][12] On 21 April 2011, the Turkish defence minister announced that the Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk had been selected as the winner.[13]

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.[14]

In June 2022 Polish defence minister said Poland would order 32 AW149 helicopters, with production to be at Leonardo's PZL Świdnik factory.[15][16][17] The contract was signed on July 1, 2022, and has a value of $1.85 billion (€1.76 billion). Delivery planned in years 2023-2029.[18][19]

Operators

 Egypt
 Poland
 Thailand

Specifications (AW149)

Data from AgustaWestland.[23]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

  1. ^ "AgustaWestland Unveils The AW189 Helicopter". AgustaWestland. 20 June 2011. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  2. ^ [1][permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "AW149 & AW159 complete first flights". Australian Aviation. 16 November 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  4. ^ "AW149 Makes Its Public Premiere At The 2011 Paris Air Show". AgustaWestland. 20 June 2011. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  5. ^ "Military certification for the AW149" Archived 1 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine Leonardo, July 2014.
  6. ^ Sompong Nondhasa."Thai Army puts faith in Leonardo" Shephard Media, 18 December 2016.
  7. ^ "Royal Thai Army buys AW149 and six AW139s". Jeremy Parkin. Helihub. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  8. ^ a b Cabirol, Michel (25 April 2019). "Armement : mais qu'est-ce qui se passe entre la France et l'Egypte". La Tribune (in French). Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  9. ^ a b [2][dead link]
  10. ^ a b Perry, Dominic (18 January 2021). "Egyptian AW149 fleet grows with late 2020 deliveries". Flight Global. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  11. ^ Engínsoy, Ümít (21 March 2011). "Turkish defense panel may select new copter type Tuesday". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  12. ^ Osbek, Tolga."Turkey to decide in June between AW149, 'T-70' Black Hawk." Flight International, 9 April 2007.
  13. ^ Ozbek, Tolga (21 April 2011). "Sikorsky wins Turkish utility helicopter battle". Flight Global. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  14. ^ Perry, Dominic (14 September 2021). "Leonardo Helicopters boosts UK content on AW149 for NMH bid". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Polska kupuje śmigłowce AW149 w programie Perkoz". Defence24.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Poland Plans To Buy AW149 Fleet, Defense Minister Says". Aviation Week Network. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  17. ^ "Leonardo set to benefit from Polish military helicopter order". Reuters. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  18. ^ "Umowa na dostawę 32 śmigłowców AW149 podpisana". DziennikZbrojny.pl. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Perkoz zakupiony w Świdniku". Defence24.pl. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  20. ^ Perry, Dominic (25 April 2019). "AW149 helicopter nets crucial export order from Egypt". Flight Global. London. Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  21. ^ "Polska kupuje śmigłowce AW149 w programie Perkoz". Defence24.pl.
  22. ^ a b "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
  23. ^ "AW149". agustawestland.com. Italy. Archived from the original on 4 November 2011. Retrieved 22 October 2011.
  24. ^ "AW149 brochure" (PDF). Leonardo.

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