Leonardo AW169M

The AgustaWestland AW169 is a 10-seat, twin-engined helicopter with turbine propulsion from the Italian company AgustaWestland and has been part of Leonardo S.p.A. since 2016.

The cockpit is equipped with three active matrix displays, a flight management system, a wide area augmentation system and ACAS from Rockwell Collins. Propulsion is provided by two Pratt & Whitney PW210 with FADEC, a fully digital engine controller.

The AW169 combines an elegant and stylish silhouette with world-class technology to ensure high performance and safety. The result is a unique helicopter that sets new standards in its class and ensures that passengers travel in the most relaxed environment possible.

AIRPOWER22 still has an Aeronautica Militare specimen in the static display, but this type of helicopter will soon carry Austrian national insignia. In 2020, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence announced plans to order 18 AW169Ms with delivery dates in 2022 and 2023. It will replace the Alouette III helicopters that have been in service for 50 years.

All capability areas, including self-protection, can be covered through the new helicopter system, with appropriate mission equipment (different configurations for different tasks). A rapid change of the different mission equipment guarantees the
flexibility to complete assignments. Follow-through in each capability area is improved. Using the same helicopter as a training helicopter is more efficient, and the operational squadrons can be relieved of training tasks.
If required (e.g., large-scale disasters), the training helicopters can conduct operational tasks (transporting people and materials, firefighting, aerial reconnaissance, etc.).

Modern avionics enable all mission tasks to be performed even at night or in poor weather conditions – the high-performance helicopter is particularly well suited to mountain operations and still has sufficient power reserves even at high altitudes.

Thanks to its spacious interior, it also offers enough space to transport a person in isolation in case of need (COVID-19, EBOLA, …).
The helicopter can also carry three times as much water as the Alouette III, and airlift missions of a smaller scale can be conducted more cost-effectively with the new system than with the Black Hawk.

Leonardo (Agusta Westland) AW169M