Leonardo’s UK helicopter chief has welcomed the award of the New Medium Helicopter contract and continued investment in autonomous systems, describing the decision as a long-term commitment to both capability and industry.
Nigel Colman, Managing Director of Helicopters UK at Leonardo, said the agreement to procure the AW149 alongside ongoing support for the Proteus uncrewed rotorcraft marked a significant step forward for the company’s partnership with the Ministry of Defence.
“We welcome the decision to award the New Medium Helicopter contract to supply medium lift helicopters to the Ministry of Defence, as well as the continued investment in Proteus – our autonomous rotary wing uncrewed air system in development with the Royal Navy,” he said.
Colman said Leonardo would deliver a medium lift platform based on the AW149 that is designed to serve UK forces for decades. “Leonardo is committed to providing the UK Armed Forces with a world-class medium lift helicopter based on our leading AW149 platform that will serve our military personnel for many years to come.”
He also underlined the industrial impact of the programme, linking the helicopter award directly to employment and supply chain stability.
“The Government’s procurement of the AW149, as well as the continued investment in autonomy, will support more than 3,300 jobs in Yeovil, the Home of British Helicopters, as well as 12,000 across the UK supply chain.”
Under the wider agreement, Yeovil is set to become a centre of excellence for autonomous helicopters, building on the first flight of the Proteus demonstrator earlier this year. The deal also opens the pathway for future export orders of the AW149 to be built in the UK, expanding domestic workshare and supporting potential growth of up to 3,900 jobs in the South West.
Really the UK Government had no choice but to buy from Westlands, the cost of loosing it and all the unemployment and fall out was too high. As always politics out ways common sense and what the military really want. In many ways its a reduction in numbers but the right thing to do MOD was between a rock and hard place buy more but off some one else and loose Westlands,
I agree with the buy, not ideal but it had to be done, the cost in other ways would have been too high, buying semi british cost more but the money spent helps locally. There were no other deals any way. Starange many on here say by British move away from the weird USA, then when we do its slag the deal off, make your minds up.
Bit of context. Austria and Switzerland bought Blackhawk in 2024. Both orders were for 12 airframes, but with slightly different requirements. The costs were $900m and $1.05bn. Training, parts, and some weapons included.
If we had bought 23 Blackhawks the cost would likely have been double the AW149 order price. Maybe we will order more AW149 in future, who knows. At least there are some on the order books.
More to the point – what would the cost of the original 44 units have been? I guarantee the unit price would have been significantly less.
Has it been discussed at all in official circles why the order is half the size it was originally? Obviously we all know the real reason, but how has it been posited?
It was the only show in town at the end so had to be done. At least a third of the contract cost will make its way back to the treasury one way or another aswell, 20% VAT for starters, plus all other taxes/Nat Ins on the total supply chain. We’ve got to stop looking at it as the just the initial cost of contract.
The announcement bodes well for the Proteus drone (I wonder if Leonardo have a name for it yet better than RWUAS phase 3).
Talking of names, does the AW149 have one?
Gold Plated H1
Well, I’m very curious. We have US Red Indian names, a Puma, a Wessex, a Sea King, a Merlin, a Lynx, a mix of naming types, not consistent in a Tornado, Lightning, Typhoon sort of way.
I don’t actually give a damn why this last minute mishandled decision has been finally made, it’s done, we need these Helicopters and for that reason it is most welcome as it’s needed and way overdue.
Yes it’s 23 and that number is just plane odd but it replaces the remaining pumas 1 for 1 ! And doing that is in itself a minor miracle as other than the SSBNs.
In fact I can’t think of anything else in the last 30 years that MOD have replaced 1 for 1, it’s always been “fewer but more capable and world class” MOD BS.
Now for a big deep breath as originally it was 44 Helicopters to replace 23 Pumas, 3 Bell 212, 3 Bell 412 and 6 AS365 which is 39 replaced by 44, now for MOD in 2021 that’s really odd.
So since then they have decided to keep the 6 x AS365, buy 6 x H145M and now 23 AW149 so that’s 35 Airframes, so not too bad really.
As to why they decided to do it I suspect it had nothing to with MOD or the obvious need but Political pressure from the Unions, MPs a dire bi election and the impending massive political fallout of closing AW down at a time when Europe needs to increase its Defence industry.
Oh and it looks like the DIP is finally due !
Rachel Reeve’s makes her Autumn speech Tomorrow, that’s when HMG budgets for 2025/26 and that either delivers a Boost to Defence spending or it doesn’t.🤞🏻
I’m feeling pretty confidant that it will be a boost and an announcement of future incremental increases for 27/28 and 29 to get us us up to 3% GDP by next election.
I’m suspicious and worried that the Dauphins are included in this 23.
I understood they weren’t.
Now, I’m worried.
If they are, it’s a cut.