Italian manufacturer Leonardo Helicopters has received an order from the US Department of Defense to build seven AW119Kx helicopters. This helicopter will be delivered to the Israeli Defense Forces under a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract. Leonardo will build the helicopters at its facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The contract has a volume of 29 million US dollars, the equivalent of 26.8 million euros, and includes not only the rotorcraft but also a comprehensive support and training package for several years. Israel had already commissioned the helicopters in 2019.
Versatile helicopter
The AW119Kx is a single-engine helicopter powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A engine. The helicopter offers its users a maximum cruising speed of 131 knots and a range of 500 nautical miles. The helicopter can be used in many ways, from training and transport to search and rescue (SAR) and missions by security organizations.
In January 2020, the US Navy commissioned Leonardo Helicopters to deliver up to 130 AW119Kx training helicopters for prospective cockpit crews in the US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard. The type is in service with the US Navy under the designation TH-73A Thasher and will replace the Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger in the next few years.
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