Leonardo Helicopters AW249 Fenice
| Industry | Aerospace, Defense |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1948 |
| Headquarters | Rome , Italy |
| Products | AW249 Fenice attack helicopter |
| Website | www |
AW249 Fenice Overview
The AW249 Fenice, developed by the Italian aerospace company Leonardo, is an attack helicopter currently in the development phase. The name Fenice translates to Phoenix in English.
Development of the AW249 commenced following the Italian Army awarding a contract valued at €487 million to replace the aging Agusta A129 Mangusta. This new helicopter is designed to be larger and more resilient, offering enhanced operational range compared to its predecessor. It integrates advanced stealth features alongside sophisticated mission systems capable of managing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The AW249 incorporates several established technologies, including the OTO Melara TM197B 20 mm chin-mounted cannon, the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Toplite targeting system, and the Spike missile. A key objective is to reduce operational expenses relative to the Mangusta. Leonardo has actively pursued international collaboration, formalizing a letter of intent with the Polish Armaments Group in July 2018 to explore partnership opportunities.
Initially slated for its maiden flight in 2020, the AW249 achieved its first flight on 12 August 2022 at Leonardo’s facility in Vergiate. The production plan includes one prototype and three pre-serial production units prior to full-scale manufacturing. According to timelines published in 2017, the helicopter was expected to enter service by 2025, facilitating the phased retirement of the Mangusta fleet.
By early 2025, the Italian Armed Forces had placed an order for 17 AW249 helicopters. At that point, four units had been constructed—comprising one prototype and three pre-production models—all designated for development purposes rather than active deployment.
Development
In January 2017, the Italian Army contracted Leonardo with a €487 million ($515 million) agreement to develop a new attack helicopter intended to replace the Agusta A129 Mangusta. The overall investment for the AW-249 program was reported to be €2.7 billion, which includes the initial development budget of €487 million.
The Italian Army inducted 59 A129 Mangusta helicopters starting from 1990; however, by 2018, only 32 units were reportedly still operational. When the contract was awarded, plans were in place to retire the Mangusta fleet by 2025, coinciding with the introduction of 48 AW249 helicopters, which the Italian military refers to as the AH-249. Before finalizing this contract, both Leonardo and the Italian Army explored alternatives for replacing the Mangusta. One option considered was an attack variant of the AgustaWestland AW149, but this was ultimately dismissed. Instead, a strategy involving incremental upgrades to the existing A129 was adopted to enhance endurance, situational awareness, and data management capabilities as an interim solution.
At the November 2017 Dubai Airshow, Leonardo announced its intention to seek international partners for the AW249 project. Among potential collaborators was the state-owned Turkish Aerospace Industries, which is independently developing a successor to its Mangusta-based T129 ATAK helicopter, known as the T929 ATAK 2. In July 2018, Leonardo and the Polish Armaments Group signed a letter of intent to jointly pursue Poland’s Kruk combat helicopter program using the AW249 platform. Discussions included possible local production involvement through Leonardo’s subsidiary PZL-Świdnik. This partnership could cover various phases such as design, manufacturing, and lifecycle support.
The initial 2017 agreement encompassed one prototype, three pre-production units, and the first serial production helicopter; all but the prototype were planned to meet initial operational capability (IOC) standards. The AW249’s first flight was originally projected for sometime in 2020. However, on 12 August 2022, the prototype successfully completed its maiden flight at Leonardo’s facility in Vergiate.
Design
The Leonardo Helicopters AW249 is designed as a state-of-the-art attack helicopter. It aims to surpass the Mangusta in both survivability and offensive capabilities, featuring enhanced autonomy and the integration of cutting-edge digital communications alongside advanced battlefield management systems. Among its functionalities, the mission system will enable remote control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and include multiple situational awareness tools to minimize pilot workload and improve operational safety. The AW249 is built with an open architecture to facilitate seamless integration of mission systems from diverse suppliers with the onboard avionics suite. Its defensive suite will include electro-optical countermeasures and additional protection systems such as the DIRCM (Direct InfraRed Counter Measures) ELT\577 QUIRIS and the ELT\162 radar warning receiver.
Leonardo has emphasized that the AW249 will exhibit greater stealth characteristics compared to its predecessor, featuring a reduced radar cross-section and diminished infrared signature. Additionally, this helicopter is designed to have lower operating expenses than the A129, achieved through the incorporation of newer technologies and design enhancements. The Italian Ministry of Defence has mandated the use of proven technologies like the OTO Melara TM197B 20mm chin-mounted cannon, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems' Toplite targeting system, and Spike missiles inherited from the A129. The aircraft will be equipped with a versatile weapons system featuring six wing store stations capable of carrying a mix of air-to-ground or air-to-air missiles, guided or unguided rockets, or external fuel tanks.
In a 2017 presentation by the Italian Army at a conference in Kraków, the AW249 was shown to have a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) between 7 and 8 tonnes, exceeding the 5-tonne MTOW of the AW129. Its weapons payload capacity more than doubled from 800 kg to nearly 2000 kg, alongside improvements in cruise speed, service ceiling, and endurance. Many dynamic components—including transmission and rotors—derive from those used on the AgustaWestland AW149 medium utility helicopter. During early development stages, two engine options were evaluated for the AW249: the General Electric T700 and the Safran Aneto turboshaft engines, with the latter recently selected for the commercial AgustaWestland AW189K. In February 2021, it was confirmed that General Electric’s T700 engine was chosen by the Italian Army to power the AW249.
Prospective operators
Italy- The Italian legislature has sanctioned the acquisition of 48 AW249 helicopters intended to replace the current A129 fleet.
- Confirmed orders:[1]
- 7 units procured in the Initial Operational Capacity (IOC) configuration. These will be upgraded during the third procurement phase involving 29 AW249 FOC helicopters.[2]
- An additional 12 helicopters ordered in the IOC variant, with plans for modernization aligned with the third batch of 29 AW249 FOC units.[2]
- A further 29 units are scheduled for order between 2025 and 2026 in the Final Operational Capacity (FOC) version.[1]
Specifications
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cavanna, Giacomo (2025-10-28). "Terza fase del programma AW249 per l'Esercito Italiano". Ares Osservatorio Difesa (in italiano). Retrieved 2025-10-29.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cavanna, Giacomo (2025-10-28). "Terza fase del programma AW249 per l'Esercito Italiano". Ares Osservatorio Difesa (in italiano). Retrieved 2025-10-29.
External links
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