Leonardo AW119 (Koala)

Leonardo AW119 (koala) story

The AW119 "Koala" is a light single-engine helicopter developed by the Italian company Leonardo. The series first flew in prototype form in February 1995 and entered production in 2000. As of this writing (2020), it is in active production and has been numbered by various government and military-grade organizations, including most recently the United States Navy (USN).

To date, about 300 helicopters have been produced.

The aircraft is in the same class as the Bell Model 407, Airbus Helicopters Ecureuil and MD Helicopters MD600 competitors.

The AW119 owes its design and inherent capabilities to its predecessor, the AW109 (described in detail elsewhere on this site), which debuted in the 1970s and achieved global success in military and civil aviation. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW206 series turboshaft engines, the AW109 is the strongest in its class and features a twin turboshaft layout, four-blade main rotor and retractable tricycle landing gear.

The newer AW119 simplifies design by opting for a single engine layout, reducing maintenance obligations as well as system operation. A simpler landing skid was also introduced, replacing the original retractable wheeled tricycle configuration.

The four-blade main rotor is located above the passenger cabin, while the two-blade tail rotor unit is located in the port-facing stern. The cockpit accommodates two people in a traditional side-by-side layout, while the cabin can comfortably carry up to eight passengers.

As a user-focused platform, the helicopter is also certified to carry external slings of up to 3,086 pounds if required.

Power comes from a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A turboshaft engine producing 1,002 hp for a four-bladed main rotor and two-bladed tail rotor. Performance specs include a cruising speed of 152 mph (never exceeding 175 mph), a range of up to 515 nautical miles and a service ceiling of nearly 15,000 feet.

The climb rate is 1,790 feet per minute.

Series variants beyond the original production brand "AW119" (originally released as "A119" under the Agusta brand label) include the upgraded "AW119 Ke" and the successor "AW119 KXe". Ke products improve fuel efficiency, increase cargo capacity and improve rotor design.

The KXe follows as a more modern offering and is manufactured in the US and India to expand market coverage.

Current military operators of the Koala range include the Algerian Air Force, Bangladesh Air Force, Ecuadorian Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Portuguese Air Force and the United States Navy. Australia, Brazil, Finland, South Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, and the United States (including the Phoenix Police Department) have government-level operators.

AW119 was proposed by the US Navy as "TH-119" for their TH-57 "Sea Ranger" (Bell 206) training helicopter replacement competition. It has been officially selected for service (decision announced on January 13, 2020) and will operate as "TH-73A". In development form, the helicopter made its first test flight on December 20, 2018, beating out bids from Airbus Helicopters (H135) and Bell Helicopter (model 407GXi). A total of 130 helicopters were procured (all powered by PWC PT6B37A 1,000 hp turboshaft engines), of which the base agreement will cover the first 32 airframes.

Deliveries are expected to begin in 2020 and end around 2024.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes