ROME – The U.S. Air Force has selected MH-139 helicopters, based on Leonardo’s AW139 model, for Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Protection, said Italian aerospace and defence company Leonardo Spa in a press statement.

Italian aerospace and defence giant Leonardo, formally known as Finmeccanica, in partnership with American aerospace company Boeing will supply the U.S. Air Force with 84 MH-139 helicopters worth $2.4 billion replacing the old UH-1N “Huey” helicopter fleet.

 The new fleet will start operations in 2021 taking over the role of protecting the nation’s ballistic missile bases and entitled with the transportation of U.S. government officials and security forces.

 “We are extremely proud of this outstanding result. Major customers continue to rely on Leonardo to meet the most stringent requirements like the critical mission of protecting missile bases. This selection is also testament to Leonardo as a strong, reliable partner and long-established contributor to the U.S. industry,” said Leonardo group CEO Alessandro Profumo.

 The AW139 helicopter programme, assembled at the Leonardo Philadelphia Plant, is seen as the most successful in 15 years. It is the ideal solution to operate in harsh environments with high performance, reliability and flexibility. The AW139s are operated by over 270 governments and armed forces worldwide.

 “We are happy that the U.S. Air Force has selected our team to deliver a new fleet of Philadelphia - built MH - 139s. Our Air Force deserves the best tools; this is the right helicopter for their mission. The more than $ 1.25 million investment made by Leonardo in the Philadelphia facility demonstrates that we are fully prepared to execute in support of this contract. We look forward to working with Boeing on this programme,” said William Hunt, CEO of AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation, a subsidiary of Leonardo Spa.

 Domestically, the AW139 model is employed by the government of Italy through its military corps. Prime operators include the Air Force, Costal Guard, police force (Polizia di stato) and financial police (Guardia di Finanza).

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