Replaces Bell 412 Lost in 2019

The Leonardo AW139 will be the next presidential helicopter for the Republic of Colombia. The aircraft, in a special VVIP configuration, is expected to be delivered in spring this year and operated by the Colombian Air Force (FAC).

This will make FAC the first Colombian military operator of the AW139, which is already in civilian use by Helistar SAS. The presidential rotorcraft will seat eight passengers and the safety equipment includes a full suite of defensive aids, as is typical for Heads of State transports.

Leonardo is proposing the AW139M to meet the multi-role requirements of the Colombian armed forces and national police, as part of a programme to entirely replace the UH-1H, Huey 2 and Bell 212 fleet currently in service. With more than 400 civil and military helicopters in service in Latin America, Leonardo is a major force in the regional helicopter sector.

Santiago Rivas and Florencia Lucero Heguy in Buenos Aires for MON