Greece favours Leonardo AW139 over Black Hawk and H175 as Super Puma replacement
The AW139 features self-protection equipment, heavy-duty landing gear and a digital avionics system integrated with a four-axis digital autopilot. (Photo: Leonardo)
The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) has named the Leonardo AW139 multirole helicopters as the favourable replacement for the 12 H214M/AS332 Super Puma helicopters that have been carrying out search and rescue (SAR) missions.
At the recent Council of Chiefs of General Staff (SAGE), the HAF recommended the acquisition of 14 new AW139 helicopters, with CNN Greece breaking news of the development.
SAGE has yet to approve the procurement, after which the General Directorate for Defense Investments and Armaments (GDDIA) would need to draft the official Letter of Request to Leonardo and the Italian government.
Once an agreement has been reached with
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Air Warfare
-
UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns
The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.
-
Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition
Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.
-
March Drone Digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics
The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.
-
Franco-German alliance aims to resolve FCAS woes by end of April as dispute rolls on
The disagreement between French-German industry continues as both governments work to keep the programme alive and on track to develop and deliver a sixth-generation fighter jet.
-
US Air Force is eyeing cost-effective automated counter-drone solutions
The USAF is seeking on-the-move systems, subsystems or technologies capable of defending airbases and fixed and semi-fixed sites against small drone attacks.
-
Long-range drone acquisition axed as Norway announces $11.75 billion spending uplift
Norway’s funding boost will help the country reach 3.5% of GDP on defence spending by 2035, with autonomous systems part of the long list of priorities alongside frigate acquisition and development of a new Finnmark Brigade.