Greek air force to acquire AW139s
The aircraft would replace the Hellenic Air Force’s (HAF) existing Super Puma search and rescue (SAR) fleet
The HAF has selected the Leonardo AW139 as a replacement for its ageing Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma fleet.
The decision, reported by CNN Greece, was made at a recent meeting of the Council of Chiefs of General Staff.
At the meeting, the air force recommended the acquisition of 14 AW139s – rather than the other potential candidate, the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.
Following the council’s approval, the government will now begin consultations with Leonardo. The HAF recommended that a total of 14 helicopters should be acquired to replace its Super Pumas.
The Greek government is also seeking to acquire a fleet of drones to assist in fighting wildfires.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.