Leonardo delivers the last UH-90A to Italian Army Aviation
On 25 November 2022, Leonardo helicopters delivered the 60th and final UH-90A (NH Industries NH90) to the Aviazione dell’Esercito Italiano (AvEs, Italian Army Aviation).
This final aircraft, UH-90A Matricola Militare (military registration) MM81576 and coded E.I.259 (construction/customer number ITAR60), was assembled at Leonardo’s Venice Tessera facility, and was handed over to the operator during an official ceremony in presence of representatives.
The Aviazione dell’Esercito Italiano (AvEs, Italian Army Aviation) is one of the first and largest NH90 operators, with 31,096 flight hours logged in Italy and abroad to date. The UH-90As have played a critical role for years delivering outstanding operational capabilities, both in-country and abroad in demanding conditions with impressive availability rates and mission effectiveness.
The fleet is distributed over three main Italian Aviazione dell’Esercito Italiano bases, Viterbo (3° Reggimento Elicotteri per Operazioni Speciali 'Aldebaran' / Centro Addestrativo Aviazione dell'Esercito), Casarsa della Delizia (27° Gruppo Squadroni 'Mercurio' / 5° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito 'Rigel') and Rimini/Miramare (25° Gruppo Squadroni 'Cigno' / 7° Reggimento Aviazione dell'Esercito 'Vega').
Its versatile configuration enables a range of missions, such as tactical troop transport, logistics support, special operations, cargo resupply and hoist operations, MEDEVAC (Medical Evacuation) and light tactical vehicle transport. The aircraft has also supported disaster relief and emergency response operations in years. In recent years, the collaboration between the Esercito Italiano (Italian Army) and Leonardo has further evolved with the capability to deliver NH90 crew training to other operators.
Photo by Leonardo Helicopters