Leonardo delivers HH-139B helicopter to the Italian Air Force
The Italian Air Force received a HH-139B helicopter during an official visit to Leonardo’s helicopter facility in Vergiate, Italy
Italian Minister of Defence Lorenzo Guerini and Italian Air Force Chief of Staff Alberto Rosso attended the acceptance ceremony. Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo, General Manager Lucio Valerio Cioffi and Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo were also in attendance.
The HH-139B is a dedicated Air Force variant of the AW139 type. The aircraft will be used for a wide range of missions including SAR and firefighting.
“National sovereignty, from a military and technological point of view, is preserved today also thanks to this level of excellence and to the synergies among institutions, Defence and industry,” Guerini said:”Italy has prime industrial capabilities and Leonardo symbolizes a nation, which can leverage a top world-class aerospace, defence and security industry.”
More than 80 AW139 sold to government and EMS operators
Over 1,200 AW139s have been sold to more than 280 customers in over 70 countries, including more than 80 to Italian government operators and emergency medical service operators. The helicopter’s satellite navigation and synthetic vision system has 3D representations of the external environment on cockpit displays even in poor visibility conditions, collision avoidance and proximity systems andmission sensors. It also hasan automatic flight control system, which is able to assist the crew during SAR and hoisting in harsh environmental and weather conditions.
The AW139 also features predictive maintenance and diagnostics solutions allowing accurate, rapid assessment and data processing on the health and usage of aircraft components. This allows efficient maintenance activities increasing operational effectiveness and safety. Both flight and maintenance training are delivered in virtual environments and simulation. Crews can therefore maximize their ability to use equipment and leverage the best performance of the product during missions.
Most of Leonardo’s helicopters are assembled at the Vergiate facility. A major logistics centre is also based in Vergiate for spare parts storage and for technical support assisting Leonardo’s helicopter global fleet, which comprises more than 5,000 units that are used by over 1,200 operators in more than 150 countries.
In February, Leonardo celebrated the 20th anniversary of the AW139 helicopter’s maiden flight.
Clara Bullock
Clara Bullock is a writer for ITIJ and AirMed&Rescue. Initially a freelance writer for publications ranging from gardening news to music magazines, she has made the transition to writing about the ins and outs of travel insurance and aeromedicine. In her spare time she reviews books on Instagram and eats pasta.