At a press conference at the Farnborough International Airshow, Leonardo Helicopters outlined its plans to secure the UK's New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme with its AW149 platform.

Adam Clark, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, highlighted the company's readiness and unique position as the UK's sole onshore helicopter manufacturer, aiming to leverage this capability to meet domestic and international demand.

"Our team is working extremely hard on the bid, and we believe that we're in a strong position," Clark stated. "For more than five years, we've been laser-focused on the delivery of this platform to the UK armed forces, ensuring it will be able to quickly go into service with the operator."

Comparing proposals in the NMH race

The contenders, Airbus, Leonardo, and Lockheed Martin, will receive invitations to negotiate their proposals, with a decision anticipated in 2025. Leonardo offers its AW149, promising UK production, while Lockheed Martin proposes the UH-60 Black Hawk, highlighting job creation and export opportunities. The MoD's evaluation includes a 25% consideration of social value and UK industrial capability.

According to GlobalData's intelligence on the UK defence market, the government is weighing up the domestic manufacturing offer from Leonardo’s AW149 and Airbus’ H175 against the lower prices and proven military record of Sikorsky’s S-70M.

Leonardo's AW149 military helicopter is the centrepiece of their proposal for the NMH competition. Clark emphasised the economic benefits of choosing a domestically produced platform, including job creation and skill retention within the UK. "We will be providing UK-built platforms with substantial design work conducted onshore, securing high-quality jobs and skills, and ensuring long-term social value for the UK taxpayer," Clark explained.

Track record with international operators

In addition to the economic advantages, Leonardo's bid highlights the AW149's track record. "The AW149 is an established product, already in service globally, and chosen by three different operators over the last five years, two of them NATO nations," said Clark. The platform's ability to quickly integrate into military service is a selling point, especially as ageing UK battlefield helicopter fleets are due for replacement.

Leonardo has launched a production line for its AW149 helicopters in Poland in partnership with PZL-Świdnik. Poland has already received two AW149 helicopters for its land forces.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) is set to select a new medium helicopter to replace its existing fleet, including the Puma, Bell 212, Bell 412, and Dauphin helicopters. The chosen platform is expected to be in service until the mid-2040s.

Clark also mentioned that winning the NMH contract could open doors to an export market. "With a new UK-manufactured helicopter endorsed by our internationally respected armed forces, we can address a global market for 500 medium-sized military helicopters worth tens of billions of pounds in exports," he noted.

While details about the NMH competition requirements remain confidential, Clark reiterated Leonardo's commitment to meeting these needs. "Unfortunately, we're not permitted to comment specifically on the ITM and the recliner requirements within. However, we can say that our team is working extremely hard on the bid, and we believe that we're in a strong position," he assured.

Looking ahead

Leonardo's approach extends beyond the AW149. The company is also developing advancements in uncrewed systems through its Proteus autonomous collaborative programme. "Our latest testing programme is underway with a specially built, 3D-printed Proteus model within our wind tunnel," Clark shared. We're motivated towards the first flight in the next quarter."

In the broader context, Leonardo Helicopters UK continues to expand its footprint with international contracts, including recent deals with Japan and South Korea. These contracts further solidify Leonardo's reputation as a global helicopter manufacturing and support player.

Summing up, Clark emphasised the importance of their UK operations: "As the UK's only onshore helicopter manufacturer, we are poised to deliver platforms domestically and internationally, spanning the crewed and uncrewed sectors, all underpinned by decades of investment into our Yeovil site and our unique skill base in the UK onshore supply chain."

The press conference concluded with a Q&A session, emphasising the high level of interest in Leonardo's future plans. As the NMH competition heats up, all eyes will be on Leonardo Helicopters to see if their British-built AW149 will become the new backbone of the UK's medium helicopter fleet.