Leonardo will deliver another 36 TH-73A turbine single helicopters under a new $171 million U.S. Department of Defense modification award in support of the U.S. Navy’s Advanced Helicopter Training System. The TH-73A will be used to train the next generation of student aviators from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
The aircraft is a derivative of the civil Leonardo AW119 series. Deliveries are expected to be completed by December 2022. In January 2020, Leonardo, through AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp., was awarded a firm, fixed-price contract valued at $176 million for the production and delivery of 32 TH-73A helicopters, initial spares, support and dedicated equipment, and specific pilot and maintenance training services.
Subsequent individual year contracts are expected to bring total deliveries to 130 aircraft by 2024, with a value of $648.1 million. The TH-73A will replace the service’s existing fleet of Bell TH-57s. In September, FlightSafety International was contracted to provide TH-73A aircrew training services in support of the Navy’s training program.