Italian Air Force receives first HH-139B helicopter
The delivery of the HH139B will enhance the Italian Air Force’s emergency response and homeland security capabilities.
Leonardo announced on 3 December the recent delivery of the first HH-139B twin engine helicopter to the Italian Air Force.
A customised variant of the AW139 platform, the aircraft is the first of 17 HH-139Bs and deliveries are expected to be completed by 2021.
The helicopter will be operated by the Italian Air Force’s 15th Wing which is in charge of SAR duties and supports the country in the event of disaster relief operations.
The HH-139Bs join an existing fleet of 13 multirole HH-139As and four VH-139As, with the latter used for government transport missions.
Compared to the HH-139A, the 7-tonne HH-139B variant features new electro-optics, new radar, a new rescue hoist and a mission console in the cabin. Core avionics will feature the Phase 8 software release allowing for safer all-weather navigation and mission capabilities.
Each aircraft can be quickly reconfigured from SAR to MEDEVAC or fire-fighting.
According to Leonardo, this latest Italian Air Force programme brings the total number of AW139s chosen by Italian government operators to nearly 80.
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