Following the developments reported last February, with confirmation of the signing of the contract with the Italian company Leonardo, the Argentine Navy now appears to be finally on track to receive the first of its new AW109M helicopters. This emerges from sources consulted by Zona Militar, which indicated that the first payment under the established schedule has been made, enabling delivery of the first aircraft on a date yet to be confirmed in 2027.
The renewal of the Argentine Navy Aviation Command’s helicopter fleet has been a long-standing requirement. As of today, it is made up of a limited number of aircraft operating from ships of the Sea Fleet.
In the case of the new AW109Ms acquired from Leonardo, these are intended to replace the current AS-555 Fennec helicopters, whose operational availability is limited, in order to serve as the main embarked aerial asset aboard the offshore patrol vessels acquired from France several years ago.
Prior to this first payment, it was the Ministry of Defense of the Argentine Republic itself that confirmed the signing of the contract for a total of four aircraft last February, במסגרת an official meeting between the head of the ministry, Lieutenant General Carlos Presti, and the Italian Ambassador, Fabrizio Nicoletti.
During the meeting held at the Libertador Building, the parties highlighted “new opportunities for cooperation between the Armed Forces, with emphasis on the exchange of training and instruction and on production and defense industry initiatives, including the recent signing of the contract for the acquisition of four Leonardo AW109 helicopters for the Argentine Navy.”
Lastly, with this first payment completed, after a process marked by back-and-forth delays that slowed the incorporation of the new helicopters, the Argentine Navy would, barring any new developments, receive the first of its four AW109Ms during 2027, thus beginning the delivery schedule set by the Italian company, which is seeking for this operation to serve as the starting point for pursuing other projects and programs with the Argentine Armed Forces.
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