Austrian Armed Forces receives 12th Leonardo AW169 Lion helicopter
The Austrian Armed Forces has taken delivery of its twelfth Leonardo AW169 Lion helicopter, completing the first phase of its fleet renewal. A further 24 helicopters in different variants are expected by the end of 2028.
Austria's armed forces have received the twelfth Leonardo AW169 Lion helicopter, which arrived in Aigen im Ennstal directly from Italy. The delivery marks the completion of the first phase of the helicopter fleet renewal program. An additional 24 aircraft in different configurations are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2028.
The Austrian government decided in September 2020 to acquire 18 AW169 Lion helicopters. In December 2021, a follow-on order added 18 more helicopters in training and tactical multi-purpose variants. Total project costs, including infrastructure and simulators, increased to 873 million euros.
The AW169 Lion will replace the aging Alouette III fleet. The helicopters are intended for mountain operations, medical flights, and firefighting. The AW169 can carry two to three times more water than the Alouette III and is cheaper to operate than the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comDer zwölfte Löwe ist da: So wächst Österreichs neue Hubschrauberflotte