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Leonardo: Italy’s Carabinieri to introduce new mission capabilities with new AW119Kx helicopters.

Posted by dgualdo on 30/10/2022
Posted in: Italian Helicopter NEWS, Leonardo Helicopters NEWS. Tagged: , , , , .

PRESS RELEASE – Rome,  27 October 2022

  • Contract signed for 20 helicopters, support and training services, with deliveries expected in the 2023-2026 timeframe
  • The AW119Kxs will perform a wide range of missions supporting homeland security, communities and environmental activities. The AW119Kx will complement the Carabinieri’s helicopter fleet and deliver operational synergies with their new AW139s and AW169s. 
  • To date more than 490 AW119s have been ordered by operators worldwide, with growing success in defence, security, and rescue duties 

Leonardo has announced today the signing of a contract by Italy’s Carabinieri for the supply of 20 AW119Kx single engine helicopters for its Air Service.

The aircraft will be assembled at Leonardo’s Vergiate facility (Varese) with deliveries expected in the 2023-2026 period. The contract also includes a comprehensive turnkey logistics support package and training services for pilots and maintenance technicians.   

The delivery of the helicopters will allow the Carabinieri to meet its fleet modernisation requirements in order to further strengthen and enhance the security of national communities. This will be made possible carrying out a range of patrol and reconnaissance tasks over land, identifying critical targets, gathering investigation evidence, as well as supporting ground units’ activities. Other duties also comprise environment monitoring and protection, and, if asked by National Disaster Relief Authority, fire-fighting in addition to rescue missions. 

The AW119Kxs feature digital technology, which increases operational effectiveness and lowers operating costs. The helicopters will be used at the existing locations of the service, which includes 18 bases across the country. Their equipment will allow full interoperability with other Carabinieri’s assets and full cooperation with those of other armed forces and government agencies, both in-country and internationally. 

Gian Piero Cutillo, MD Leonardo Helicopters, said: “The introduction of the AW119Kx in the Carabinieri Air Service’s fleet ideally integrates the capabilities the operator already has chosen thanks to the AW139s and AW169s. The helicopters respond to the wide spectrum of the Air Service’s requirements considering their national duties and an evolving and increasingly complex operational scenario. We’re proud to continue to support the Carabinieri with capabilities that are able to face new security challenges and benefit the national communities”.   

The specific characteristics of the AW119Kx and its certification and military standards allow the operator to perform missions over urban areas effectively and safely thanks to the type’s features such as system redundancies, power margin, excellent external visibility, advanced digital navigation and mission avionics. The latter is based on a Garmin G1000H cockpit featuring wide colour screens, synthetic vision, HTAWS, satellite navigation/moving map. The AW119Kx has a spacious cabin and baggage compartment, and high main rotor clearance for greater safety of personnel. Carabinieri’s AW119Kxs will feature, among others, HD EO, cargo hook, mission console with data-link, hyperspectral system for environment monitoring, radio, wire cutter, search light and a Bambi Bucket. Provisions for a floating system and life raft and a snow kit are also included.

The highly versatile AW119Kx features both VFR and IFR avionics based on customer choice. This allows greater situational awareness, mission effectiveness and safety. The AW119Kx has unmatched performance with high power margin and the most spacious cabin in its category, able to host up to six passengers depending on configuration. More than 490 AW119s have been sold to date.  

Leonardo: US EMS Operator contracts for first IFR-certified AW119 in the civil market allowing safer operations in challenging weather conditions.

Posted by dgualdo on 07/07/2020
Posted in: Leonardo Helicopters NEWS, World Helicopter NEWS. Tagged: , , , , .
  • Life Link III signed a contract for one helicopter with delivery in 3Q2021, adding to an existing fleet of ten AW119Kx
  • The world’s first fully FAA IFR-certified single engine in decades, the type allows safe operations in low visibility and challenging weather conditions combined with high performance and cabin space while keeping single engine economics
  • Over 350 AW119s sold to more than 130 customers in 40 countries to date to perform a wide range of roles including EMS, utility, fire-fighting, law enforcement, passenger transport, training and government/military duties

PRESS RELEASE – Rome, 7 July 2020

Leonardo announced today that the EMS operator Life Link III, based in the upper-midwest United States, has placed an order for one IFR-certified AW119 single engine helicopter with a future option for a second aircraft.

The aircraft will be added to an existing fleet of ten AW119Kx helicopters delivering in-flight critical care and transporting patients in Minnesota and Wisconsin with over 21,000 total flight hours amassed. Delivery from the AW119 final assembly line in Philadelphia is expected in the third quarter of 2021.

The contract marks the first sale for the FAA certified IFR capable AW119 in the civil market and for emergency medical service roles. The type is the first single engine helicopter in decades to fully meet current IFR requirements without compromise, allowing pilots to operate the aircraft safely in low visibility and challenging weather conditions, thanks to advanced avionics by Genesys Aerosystems and redundant flight systems. The IFR-capable AW119 adds one more option and an ideal IFR entry point for commercial and public service operators who seek for the highest level of safety and performance in demanding conditions while keeping single engine economics. This combines with the AW119’s unique light-twin like multiple redundancies of critical systems and cabin space delivering outstanding reliability and safety.

Steve Sterner, Chief Executive Officer of Life Link III, shared: “Our decision to become the first civilian user of the IFR-certified AW119 fully supports our mission of providing safe and effective air medical transport. The advanced avionics and technology on this aircraft elevate our ability to provide life-saving critical care resources to those in need. With high degrees of performance, safety, speed and efficiency, this aircraft is well-suited to meet the needs of our crew members and patients.”

William Hunt, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters in Philadelphia, said: “We are proud to introduce the IFR-certified variant of the AW119 to the civilian market and to do so with an incredible partner like Life Link III. This aircraft’s advanced technology and dual flight systems will ensure that our first responders are able to fly safely in challenging weather conditions while providing the same accessible, efficient cabin configuration for patient treatment and transport that the AW119 is known for.”

The AW119 has met high standards of operational requirements and mission effectiveness – including NVG capability – since the first aircraft was delivered to Life Link III in early 2014. Life Link III’s IFR AW119 will feature a special cabin interior with an articulated patient loading system, ensuring full patient body access for two medical professionals on board. This latest sale represents the growing share of Leonardo’s helicopters in the North American EMS market, which now totals more than 113 across a fleet of AW119s, AW109s, AW169s and AW139s.