The AW139M is the militarised version of the AW139; the market-leading intermediate twin-engine helicopter – the benchmark for safety design features, performance capabilities and productivity in challenging operations all over the world. The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engined helicopter developed and produced principally by AgustaWestland (branded as Leonardo Helicopters since January 2016). The AW139 was originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, being redesignated AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project. Since entering service in 2003, the AW139 has become one of AgustaWestland’s most influential products.
The AW139M provides multi-role capability and can be configured for missions including troop transport, utility support, armed reconnaissance, close air support and personnel recovery. Operators benefit from best-in-class power reserve and outstanding power to weigh ratio, which allows OEI performance capabilities with no limitations in a wide range of operating conditions including ‘hot and high’. The cabin can be converted to accommodate additional operator stations for specific applications such as command and control. The two large sliding doors allow quick troop deployment in battlefield and recovery of stretchers in flight. The AW139M is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67C turbines driving the five-bladed main rotor. Each engine delivers a maximum continuous power of 1,252kW. The operation of the engine is controlled by Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system. The AW139M has a length of 16.66m, a height of 5.17m and a rotor diameter of 13.8m. The maximum take-off weight of the helicopter is 6,800kg. The helicopter can carry a maximum payload of 3,070kg.
Pilots benefit from leading-edge technology, including a Honeywell Primus Epic fully-integrated avionics system and 4-axis digital AFCS. The cabin is the most spacious in its class and features large sliding doors for easy access and rapid reconfiguration for mission versatility. The avionics suite integrates Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS), Helicopter Operations Monitoring Programme (HOMP), Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS II), Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera, weather/search radar, Cockpit Voice Recorder & Flight Data Recorder (CVR/FDR), satellite and radio communications, enhanced vision system, and Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS). It supports SAR modes and FMS SAR flight patterns.
The AW139M can be armed with Internal and external weapons such as general purpose machine guns, sniper rifles, heavy machine gun pods and 70mm rocket pods, forward firing rockets and machine guns, pintle mounted machine gun and Air-to-Surface Missile (ASM) system. The firing of weapons is controlled by a weapon management system equipped with head up display. The onboard missile approach warning system provides threat information to the pilot for actuating the helicopter’s countermeasures. The Counter Measures Dispensing System (CMDS) deceives incoming missiles. The low thermal and acoustic signature improves the survivability of the AW139M helicopter. The cockpit and cabin can be equipped with ballistic protection. The crew protection is further improved with armoured seats.
