In November, the 700th American-made helicopter was delivered from Leonardo ‘s production line in Philadelphia, representing an enormous milestone achievement in the United States that speaks to the technical maturity of its industrial operations in the U.S. The actual 700th aircraft, an AW119Kx single engine, was delivered to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).

While Leonardo began operating in the United States in 1980, it was only in 2004 when the site began to fully-produce helicopters on an FAA-Certified Part 21 Production Line. Beginning first in 2004 with the AW119 and in 2005 with the AW139, a 115,000 sq/ft addition was built onto the sprawling, 26-acre campus that already included aftermarket support and administrative functions for the US.

“With the 700th aircraft delivery, Leonardo continues to grow in the U.S. market significantly,” said Clyde Woltman, Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo Helicopters US. “This milestone solidifies Leonardo as a domestic leader in the research, design, development, and production of rotorcraft for civil and military applications, using the latest technology and highest quality standards.”

In less than 20 years, Leonardo has locally produced aircraft for a multitude of mission sets, including emergency medical, homeland security, search and rescue, firefighting, offshore energy, utility missions, and corporate transportation. In 2018, the site began to include production for military programs, first with the MH-139 Grey Wolf for the U.S. Air Force with Boeing, a variant of the popular AW139, and in 2021 the TH-73 Trasher for the U.S. Navy, derived from the AW119.

“The United States remains the world’s largest market for helicopters and the constant expansion of our industrial and service capabilities in Philadelphia and other US locations over years has provided evidence of our commitment to being an in-country reliable and leading partner of US operators, industry players and authorities,” said Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters. “While the achieved results speak for themselves, we are ready to do more as testified by the continued flow of AW119/AW139 export and the start of production of the first batch of customer AW609s, the world’s first tiltrotor set to be civil certified.”

With the earlier expansions, the most current additions, and employee growth nearing 1000, Leonardo continues to maintain its high standards delivering best-in-class aircraft and comprehensive support and training services. Here’s to 700+ helicopters, produced and maintained by the Company’s finest techs in the United States.