The AW149, the latest-generation medium multi-role battlefield platform from Leonardo. Delivering the highly effective and survivable capability required by today’s armed forces, it combines advanced technologies, equipment and weapons systems with unparalleled safety and reduced cost of ownership.
The AW149 is the latest-generation medium multi-role battlefield platform from Leonardo. Delivering the highly effective and survivable capability required by today’s armed forces, the AW149 combines advanced technologies, equipment and weapons systems with unparalleled safety and reduced cost of ownership.
Military helicopters such as the AW149 must be equipped to perform the most demanding missions in the harshest environments. As a multi-role platform, the AW149 has been designed to excel at a wide range of missions including troop transport and re-supply/external load lift; medical and casualty evacuation (CASEVAC); Search and Rescue (SAR) and Personnel Recovery; special forces operations; close air support/armed escort; Command and Control; and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. This versatility enables operators to reconfigure the aircraft and quickly adapt to whatever the mission requires.
High performance, lower life-cycle costs and day/night all-weather capability come together in a single, compact platform. The AW149’s large, rapidly reconfigurable cabin can accommodate a wide range of role equipment and weapon systems to enhance operational effectiveness on the battlefield, whilst still maintaining a compact footprint for confined area operations. Meanwhile, an advanced open architecture mission system enables the quick and effective integration of mission-specific and customer-specific equipment, avionics, weapons and defence systems, future-proofing the aircraft against changes in tomorrow’s threat environment.
Designed to survive, the AW149 also ensures unparalleled crew safety. With high levels of ballistic protection throughout, the platform benefits from fuselage, seat and landing gear that comply with the latest military crashworthiness requirements. In the event of total oil loss due to ballistic strike, the main gearbox has a 50-minute dry-run capability, while the helicopter also features self-sealing fuel tanks, a fully integrated defensive aids suite along with extensive systems redundancy and additional survivability options.
The Polish Armed Forces have recently contracted for the supply of 32 AW149 multi-role helicopters to carry out missions including Troop Transport and Air Support. The platform will also be equipped for CASEVAC, SAR in combat operations and for the transport of goods and supplies. The helicopters’ configuration will include observation systems, small arms, guided/unguided rockets and missiles and self defence systems. The deliveries will be made in the 2023-2029 period.
The AW149 is Leonardo’s proposed platform for the UK MOD’s New Medium Helicopter requirement which, if selected, will be manufactured at Leonardo’s Yeovil facility, the ‘Home of British Helicopters’ located in Somerset.
