Leonardo and The Helicopter Company (TCH) announced the signing of an order for 20 intermediate twin-engine AW139 helicopters and a multi-year framework agreement for over 130 aircraft. The announcement was made during an official ceremony held at Heli-Expo 2024 in Anaheim, California.
The contract for 20 AW139 aims primarily to strengthen the fleet of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Search and Rescue (SAR) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with deliveries expected in 2025 and 2026.
The Framework Agreement for over 130 aircraft includes a combination of AW109, AW169, AW139, and AW189K for various applications, with an initial batch of orders planned for the first half of this year and delivery positions to TCH over a period of five to seven years.
The intention to acquire these additional 20 AW139 was announced at Heli-Expo 2023. By the time all these latest AW139 firm orders are delivered, TCH will have a total fleet of approximately 50 AW139 helicopters performing a range of missions including EMS, SAR, and corporate transport in the country, making TCH one of the largest operators of AW139 worldwide.
Gian Piero Cutillo, CEO of Leonardo Helicopters, stated: “We are proud of this massive expansion plan of TCH helicopter fleet leveraging our technology.”
“Our state-of-the-art platforms will support their service capacity growth program with key rescue and transport missions for the communities they serve,” added Cutillo.
The addition of AW169 and AW189K to TCH fleet in the future will enable the operator to benefit from the unique advantages of the AW Family concept based on shared design, components, support, and training approach with unprecedented efficiency and versatility in fleet management.
