Hellenic Air Force selects Leonardo AW139 as its new SAR helicopter

Italian Leonardo AW139 helicopters will replace the Hellenic Air Force’s (HAF) H215M/AS332 Super Pumas in Search and Rescue (SAR) roles.

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According to CNN Greece, during a recent meeting of the Greek Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Hellenic Air Force proposed the acquisition of 14 new AW139 SAR helicopters, from the Italian company Leonardo, to gradually replace the 12 Super Puma helicopters it currently operates, as they go out of service.

The Italian candidate prevailed over the H175 from European aerospace giant Airbus Helicopters and the UH-60 Black Hawk from U.S. firm Sikorsky/Lockheed Martin.

Once Athens submits the formal request to the Italian government, the Hellenic Ministry of Defense will hold the necessary consultations with the manufacturer in order to move forward with the negotiation of a contract, followed by the availability of the necessary funds to implement the purchase program. This process may take up to two years to materialize.

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See also: Boeing starts production of MH-139A Grey Wolf for the USAF

Configuration and requirements

Of the 14 AW139 SAR helicopters ordered by the HAF, four will be configured for Combat Search and Rescue (Combat SAR) operations, so they will come equipped with additional armor in the cockpit and key aircraft systems, incorporate weapons options and integrate a full self-defense system with flare and chaff countermeasures and missile approach warning, as well as the Link-16 data link system.

The operational criteria determined by the Air Force were:

• minimum range of 180 miles with a 4-person SAR team;
• a minimum stay of 1.5 hours in the incident area;
• weight of at least 6.8 tons;
• speeds in excess of 145 knots, which are required for SAR missions.

In terms of training and support, Greece requires the provision of a stock of spare parts to ensure maximum operational availability, and a full training simulator.