Argentine Navy to receive first Leonardo AW109M search and rescue helicopter from Italy in 2027.

Argentina will restore its shipborne aviation capability in 2027 with the delivery of its first Leonardo AW109M search and rescue helicopter, marking the Navy’s return to organic airborne operations at sea. The aircraft will expand maritime surveillance, accelerate search and rescue response, and extend operational reach across the South Atlantic.

The delivery is part of a four-helicopter agreement signed with Italy in February 2026, including logistics and training support. By enabling offshore patrol vessels to deploy their own air assets, the program closes a critical capability gap and strengthens maritime control, deterrence, and sustained naval operations.

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The AW109M is the military variant of the Italian Leonardo AW109 helicopter, mainly used by military forces across the globe as a search and rescue helicopter. (Picture source: New Zealand MoD)

On March 18, 2026, Zona Militar confirmed that the Argentine Navy will receive its first Leonardo AW109M search and rescue helicopter in 2027, following the completion of the first contractual payment. The planned delivery of the four helicopters follows the contract signed in February during a meeting between Defense Minister Carlos Presti and Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Nicoletti. The acquisition is financed through a €71,676,175.26 loan, equivalent to about $86.7 million, covering aircraft, training systems, spare parts, tools, and a simulator. The current order is limited to four helicopters, reduced from an initial requirement of eight due to budget constraints, with a possible second phase not yet funded.

The Argentine Navy currently operates around seven helicopters with low availability, limiting embarked aviation operations aboard surface units. The financial structure relies on external credit rather than direct defense spending, with repayments distributed over time and aligned with delivery milestones to reduce immediate fiscal impact. The total program value results in an average cost of about €17.9 million per helicopter when including the full logistics and training package, compared to a baseline unit price between $8 million and $11 million for a standard configuration. The difference reflects the integration of naval mission systems, simulator infrastructure, spare parts stock, and long-term sustainment.

The financing package also includes a complete support ecosystem to ensure operational availability after delivery, addressing historical issues linked to maintenance and logistics. Argentine financial authorities assessed the operation and determined that its impact on the balance of payments would remain limited, as the structure allows acquisition without immediate budgetary strain while committing future payments. The AW109M will replace the AS-555 Fennec helicopters currently assigned to naval aviation units, which present low availability and limited mission capability, with only a small number remaining operational. These aircraft were originally configured for target designation, therefore lacking the capacity for sustained maritime patrol, transport, or search and rescue missions by the Argentine Navy.

The absence of suitable helicopters has prevented offshore patrol vessels from operating with organic air assets, despite being designed for such integration. The AW109M will be deployed primarily aboard these patrol vessels and other units of the Fleet of the Sea, restoring embarked aviation capability. The helicopters will support maritime surveillance, interdiction, and logistical missions across the South Atlantic, while standardizing the helicopter fleet around a single modern type. The Leonardo AW109M is a light twin-engine helicopter with a maximum takeoff weight of 3,000 kg, powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW206C engines delivering 477 kW each at takeoff and up to 546 kW in contingency conditions, coupled to a transmission rated at 671 kW.

It has an overall length of 13.04 meters, a rotor diameter of 11 meters, and a height of 3.5 meters, enabling compatibility with constrained shipboard hangars. The fuel system ranges from 605 to 835 liters, depending on configuration, supporting a maximum range of 948 kilometers and endurance of up to 4 hours and 51 minutes under specific conditions. The helicopter reaches a maximum speed of 311 km/h and a cruise speed of 285 km/h, with a rate of climb of 9.81 m/s and a service ceiling of 5,974 meters. It can hover in ground effect up to 5,059 meters and out of ground effect up to 3,596 meters. The cabin accommodates one or two pilots and up to six or seven passengers, allowing a flexible shipboard integration. 

The AW109M helicopter is configured for both land and maritime missions, with roles including armed reconnaissance, escort, tactical transport, command and control, search and rescue, medical evacuation, and special forces insertion. In maritime operations, it supports surface surveillance, counter-piracy, utility transport, and evacuation missions, as the AW109M can be equipped with internal armament such as 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine guns, as well as external stores including 70 mm rocket launchers, machine gun pods, and laser-guided rockets. Its survivability features include ballistic tolerance against 12.7 mm projectiles, optional additional protection against 7.62 mm rounds, and self-sealing fuel tanks.

The cabin allows rapid reconfiguration between roles, including troop transport, medical evacuation, and special operations support, while wide sliding doors enable fast-rope insertion and rapid embarkation or extraction. Avionics include LCD-based flight displays for pilot and co-pilot, a three-axis duplex automatic flight control system, flight director, autotrim, cockpit voice and flight data recorders, and a moving map system, all compatible with night vision equipment. Communication systems include VHF COM and NAV radios, VHF/FM, and VHF/UHF AM/FM radios, supporting integration with naval and joint forces. The aircraft is capable of single or dual pilot operations under visual and instrument flight rules, reducing workload and increasing mission safety.

Additional features include a 30-minute transmission dry run capability, allowing continued operation after lubrication loss, and high performance in hot and high conditions due to engine configuration. The helicopter’s design enables sustained operations in maritime environments with corrosion resistance and deck handling capability. These systems are integrated to maintain situational awareness, navigation, communication, and coordination during complex missions. Operationally, the AW109M will extend the surveillance and response radius of Argentine naval units by enabling detection and identification of contacts beyond the radar horizon of ships, increasing reaction time and interception capability.

The AW109M helicopter can operate at distances exceeding 100 nautical miles from the host ship, providing monitoring of the Exclusive Economic Zone, including detection of illegal fishing activities and unidentified vessels. In search and rescue operations, onboard equipment such as rescue hoists allows the recovery of personnel at sea under various conditions. The aircraft also supports the transport of personnel, light cargo, and coordination between naval units. The current acquisition of four units provides a minimum operational capability, as future expansion remains dependent on financial availability and policy decisions.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.