Leonardo and THC (The Helicopter Company), under the ownership of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, disclosed yesterday a significant enhancement in their partnership with a request for 20 AW139 intermediate twin-engine helicopters alongside a multi-year Framework Agreement for more than 130 aircraft. This declaration took place during an official event at Heli-Expo 2024 in Anaheim, CA.
The agreement for 20 AW139s is primarily focused on bolstering the emergency medical service (EMS) and search and rescue (SAR) capabilities in Saudi Arabia, with anticipated deliveries slated for 2025 and 2026. The Framework Agreement for over 130 aircraft encompasses a diverse range of AW109s, AW169s, AW139s, and AW189Ks for various applications, with an initial set of orders expected in the first half of this year, and delivery timelines set for THC spanning five to seven years.
The proposition to acquire these additional 20 AW139s was introduced at Heli-Expo 2023. By the time these latest firm orders are fulfilled, THC will operate an extensive fleet of nearly 50 AW139s undertaking various missions including EMS, SAR, and corporate transportation within the Kingdom, positioning THC among the foremost AW139 operators worldwide.
“We are thrilled about this significant expansion of THC’s helicopter fleet by utilizing our advanced technology,” stated Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters. “Our cutting-edge platforms will bolster their service capability enhancement program, providing essential life-saving and transportation missions for the communities they serve.”
The AW139, recognized as the most critical helicopter program globally since its certification in 2004 and the leading model in its segment, has amassed orders exceeding 1400 units from over 290 clients across more than 90 countries to date. The active fleet of over 1200 units has surpassed 4 million flight hours. This model has achieved remarkable success in the Middle East with nearly 200 units sold throughout the region, fulfilling a broad array of missions such as corporate transport, emergency medical services, search and rescue, law enforcement, offshore transport, and governmental duties. The AW139 provides exceptional capabilities, technology, and safety standards to meet the demanding requirements of operators in challenging environments, maximizing operational efficacy.
This helicopter boasts cutting-edge avionics featuring advanced navigation and collision avoidance systems, enhancing situational awareness and lessening pilot workload, along with unmatched speed, power reserves, and overall performance. Additionally, this model has the most spacious cabin in its category, offering high modularity for swift reconfiguration, a unique main gear box capable of running dry for over 60 minutes to improve reliability and safety, and up to 1000 certified kits.
The incorporation of the AW169 and AW189K into THC’s fleet in the future will allow the operator to harness the distinctive benefits of the AW Family concept, characterized by shared design, components, support, and training strategies ensuring unparalleled fleet management efficiency and adaptability.
