Austrian Army to order 18 Leonardo AW169M helicopters.

According to information published by Bundesheer on December 4, 2021, the Australian Army will order 18 Leonardo AW169M helicopters to the Italian company.

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Leonardo AW169M helicopter (Picture source: Pinterest)

The AgustaWestland AW169 is a twin-engine, 10-seat, 4.8t helicopter developed and manufactured by the helicopter division of Leonardo.

The AW169 is a medium-sized twin-engine helicopter; upon launch, it held the distinction of being the first all-new aircraft in its weight category in over 30 years.

Weighing roughly 4,500 kg and accommodating 7-10 passengers, it is positioned between the 3,175 kg 8-seat AW109GrandNew and the much larger 6,400 kg 15-seat AW139.

The AW169 is powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210A FADEC turboshaft engines, which drive the main rotor at variable speeds to reduce external noise and increase efficiency.

Newly developed dampeners were installed between the rotor blades of the main rotor in order to reduce vibration levels for a smooth passenger experience.

The AW169 is equipped with various avionics systems, including a Rockwell Collins glass cockpit featuring three displays outfitted with touchscreen interfaces, digital maps, dual radar altimeters, automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast tracking, Health, and usage monitoring systems (HUMS), and night vision goggles (NVG) compatibility.