Agusta Westland - Meta-Defense.fr

Airbus wants to join forces with Leonardo to deal with new generation American helicopters

January 22 2021January 25 2021

The US Army Future Vertical Lift program, one of the components of the BIG-6 super-program, will undoubtedly profoundly change the technological characteristics of helicopters in the decades to come, and above all the expected performance, as well in terms of speed than distance covered or carrying capacity. For the time being, FVL consists of the Futur Long Range Assault Aircraft, or FLRAA, program intended to replace the H-60 Black Hawks, as well as the Futur Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft, or FARA, program to re-capitalize the component of attack and reconnaissance that the US Army lost with the withdrawal of the OH-58 Kiowa. And whether it's the...

Read the article

5 European countries join forces to design the next medium multi-role helicopter

November 20, 2020November 24, 2020

European helicopters are, unquestionably, among the best rotary wings in the world, and have been for several decades. Over the course of industrial concentrations and consolidation of activity, two major European groups have emerged in this field, the Franco-German Airbus Hélicoptères and the Italian-British Agusta-Westland. Is it to respond to the emergence of new technologies such as those implemented in the United States as part of the US Army's Future Vertical Lift program? or the upcoming arrival of China and its Z-20 on the international market? anyway, these 4 countries are home to European helicopters, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, joined in this by…

Read the article

Italy wants to participate in US Army FVL program with European help

September 28, 2020September 30, 2020

The Italian authorities have announced that they have included measures to support its defense industry in its plan to use part of the €209 billion allocated by the European Union as part of the post-Covid recovery plan. While Rome's objective is obviously to support innovation and develop new technologies, the stated ambition goes well beyond declarations of principle, and identifies very specific areas, such as participation in the British new fighter program generation Tempest, the development of a new offer of naval engines and, in a way that may seem surprising, the participation in the Futur Vertical Lift program of…

Read the article

Sale of helicopters: Italy presents itself as the new privileged partner of Egypt

May 22thJune 17, 2020

Italian official sources confirmed this week that the Leonardo group will sell 24 AW149 helicopters and 8 AW189 helicopters to the Egyptian armed forces. Worth 871 million euros, this contract could be the first in a series of Italian arms sales to Egypt. Indeed, since the beginning of the 2010s, Cairo has multiplied the acquisition of heavy weapons. Located between a particularly turbulent North Africa since the collapse of the Libyan regime and a Middle East in turmoil since the Arab Springs of 2011, Egypt intends to quickly establish itself as a key regional player, both militarily and diplomatic. However, if the first contracts…

Read the article

Italian army to acquire military version of Leonardo's AW169 helicopter

April 20thApril 22th

It was discussed since January, but it is now confirmed: the Italian army will acquire the latest addition to Leonardo's range of helicopters, the AW169. If it was already established that the device would be used in its civilian variant for the training of Italian military pilots, the declaration of purchase published by the Italian Ministry of Defense also mentions the development of an armed variant of the device, the AW169 Multi-role Advanced, or AW169MA. At the beginning of the year, the Italian armies had announced their purchase intentions in order to modernize their equipment. The Esercito Italiano (Italian Army) had then mentioned the acquisition in the years to come of helicopters…

Read the article

Leonardo buys Swiss Kopter and its SH09 light helicopter program

February 3 2020February 5 2020

The announcement fell last week, during the Heli-Expo show in California: the Italian aeronautical group Leonardo has decided to acquire the Swiss company Kopter Group, formerly known as Marenco-Swisshelicopter and today managed by an investment fund. investment held by Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut. With just over 300 employees, Kopter is only a start-up compared to the Italian giant. However, this particularly innovative Swiss company had a strong argument: its new SH09 light helicopter, which should therefore integrate the Leonardo catalog. For this purchase, Leonardo will pay a minimum of $185 million, but a ten-year earn-out clause should probably lead...

Read the article