Leonardo welcomes the announcement made by the U.S. Division of Protection to award AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp. a 110.5 million USD firm-fixed worth modification to the beforehand awarded contract for the U.S. Navy’s Superior Helicopter Coaching System (AHTS). This modification workout routines an choice for the manufacturing and supply of 26 TH-73A Lot IV plane in assist of this system for the Navy. The TH-73A AHTS is the substitute for 35-year-old TH-57Bs and TH-57Cs, which can start sunset in FY22 and concludes within the FY24 timeframe. The U.S. Naval Air Programs Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting exercise. The helicopters can be produced in Philadelphia. Work is predicted to be accomplished in December 2024.
In January 2020, Leonardo was awarded a agency fixed-price contract valued at $176 million for the manufacturing and supply of an preliminary 32 TH-73A helicopters, together with spares, assist, devoted tools and particular pilot/upkeep coaching providers. In November 2020, a second lot of 36 plane had been ordered via a $171 million USD contract modification and in December 2021, a 3rd lot of 36 plane had been ordered via a 159.4 million USD contract modification. The TH-73A, made solely at Leonardo’s FAA-certified Half 21 Manufacturing line in Philadelphia, PA, will practice the following era of scholar aviators from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
Commercial
The TH-73A is a variant of the industrial Leonardo TH-119 helicopter. In September of 2022, the primary twelve college students started coaching on the TH-73A, now nicknamed the “Thrasher” by the U.S. Navy. And in November 2022, the primary of these college students accomplished their inaugural solo flights. The TH-73A incorporates a contemporary avionics suite with a completely built-in flight administration system, computerized flight management system, and unbiased, digital cockpit shows to each pilot stations. It boasts elevated efficiency in energy, velocity, payload, and endurance over the Sea Ranger, making it corresponding to fleet plane. These upgrades will assist bridge functionality and capability gaps to higher put together winged naval aviators as they transition to fleet substitute squadrons for postgraduate coaching.
The helicopter can be assigned to Coaching Air Wing (TW) 5 because the undergraduate coaching helicopter for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. The total AHTS contains aircrew coaching providers that present availability on new simulators, curriculum, and logistics assist contract for Thrasher upkeep and flight line assist.The size of the coaching is roughly the identical of the TH-57, nonetheless the Navy says it can produce stronger pilots as they benefit from the brand new know-how and energy that the plane brings. From begin to end, the aviation college students spend roughly 38 weeks within the superior coaching routine at Whiting earlier than they graduate and transfer to bigger operational helicopters within the fleet, such because the H-60, H-53 and AH-1 helicopters.
