Mark Huber is an aviation industry veteran who has worked in the flight training, aircraft sales, aircraft component, and airport development businesses. He has flight time in more than 50 different and diverse aircraft, including helicopters, aerobatic aircraft, vintage warbirds, jet fighters, business jets and turboprops, and transport-category aircraft. He has jumped out of several of these—on purpose—with a parachute. His defense and aviation journalism has been published in a variety of national and international periodicals.

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Mark Huber

Leonardo has received a $159.4 million order from U.S. Department of Defense for an additional 36 TH-73A U.S. Navy training helicopters. The order will take the TH-73A fleet up to 104 aircraft.

 


The Navy eventually plans to acquire 130 TH-73As by 2024. The most recent order is the company’s third. In January 2020 Leonardo, through AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp., was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $176 million for the production and delivery of an initial 32 TH-73A helicopters, along with spares, support, dedicated equipment, and specific pilot and maintenance training services. In November 2020, the second lot of 36 aircraft were ordered through a $171 million contract modification.&nbsp;

 


The TH-73A will be used to train the next generation of student aviators from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard and is manufactured at Leonardo’s FAA-certified Part 21 production line in Philadelphia. The helicopter is based on the AW119Kx turbine single and features&nbsp;Genesys Aerosystems avionics, a Pratt &amp; Whitney Canada PT6B engine, an adjustable observer seat that provides a full view of the cockpit, reinforced skids with removable shoes, and the ability for “hot” pressure refueling without shutting the engine down.

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

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