Malaysia includes Italian-made Leonardo AW149 helicopters in its largest governmental rotorcraft leasing programme to date
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At the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) held in May 2025, Leonardo and Weststar Aviation Services, a Malaysian operator, jointly announced the start of a government helicopter fleet expansion and modernization programme that is the most extensive of its kind for Leonardo in Malaysia. Under the terms of the initiative, Leonardo will provide up to 28 helicopters of various types through a leasing agreement with Weststar, which will transfer the aircraft to the Malaysian Government for a period of 15 years. Most of these deliveries are expected to take place between 2026 and 2027. The agreement involves both firm orders and options and includes support and training services conducted locally by Weststar.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The leasing program will see the introduction of the Leonardo AW149 helicopter for both the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Army, for utility and combat search and rescue (SAR) roles. (Picture source: Leonardo)
Malaysia’s helicopter fleet is distributed across several government agencies and branches of the armed forces, reflecting a wide range of operational needs spanning military, law enforcement, civil protection, and maritime surveillance. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) previously operated the Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters from 1968 until their retirement in January 2020. To partially replace these, the RMAF currently fields 12 Airbus H225 helicopters and four Leonardo AW139s, which were acquired through leasing agreements. The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) operates helicopters for surveillance, transport, and law enforcement tasks, while the Fire and Rescue Department (JPBM) employs a mix of aircraft, including the AW139 and Mil Mi-17-1V, for firefighting and rescue missions.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritim Malaysia) uses helicopters for coastal and offshore monitoring, search and rescue, and interdiction roles. The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) operates platforms such as the Super Lynx Mk 300 for anti-submarine warfare and the Eurocopter Fennec for surveillance and utility tasks. Despite this diversity, many of the platforms in service are aging or limited in number, prompting the government to pursue modernization strategies, such as the AW149 leasing programme, to standardize and strengthen operational capabilities across all aviation branches.
On November 13, 2024, Malaysian Minister of Defence, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, announced to the Malaysian Parliament that the 28 leased helicopters would be distributed across six Malaysian government entities: 12 units are allocated to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), 7 to the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), 4 to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), 2 to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), and 2 to the Fire and Rescue Department (JPBM). The programme is designed to meet a wide range of operational needs, including law enforcement, utility transport, firefighting, emergency medical services (EMS), search and rescue (SAR), maritime surveillance, disaster response, and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR).
The AW149, powered by either two General Electric CT7-2E1 engines or two Safran Aneto-1K engines, is designed for missions such as troop transport, medical evacuation, special forces deployment, close air support, and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR). (Picture source: Leonardo)
The AW149 has been evaluated by the Malaysian authorities as a replacement for the retired Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters, which were withdrawn from RMAF service in January 2020 after nearly 60 years of operational use. During LIMA 2023, Leonardo promoted the AW149 as a suitable successor to the Nuri, highlighting its CSAR and utility capabilities. The Malaysian Armed Forces procurement plan includes two phases of 12 helicopters each, based on a lease-purchase model that would transfer maintenance responsibilities away from the RMAF. The selection of the AW149 followed a value management assessment conducted by the Public-Private Partnership Committee, in coordination with the Prime Minister’s Department and the National Security Council. The programme is coordinated by the same entities. According to statements from senior defense officials, this approach was selected to reduce initial capital expenditure while ensuring access to current-generation systems.
The AW149 was developed by AgustaWestland, now part of Leonardo, and had its first flight in 2009. It received military flight certification in 2014 and is classified as a medium-lift, multi-role military helicopter. The platform is powered by either two General Electric CT7-2E1 engines or two Safran Aneto-1K engines and is designed for missions such as troop transport, medical evacuation, special forces deployment, close air support, and CSAR. Its maximum takeoff weight is 8,600 kg, and it has a maximum cruise speed of approximately 294 km/h, a range of up to 1,009 km, and an endurance of up to 5 hours. The helicopter accommodates up to 16 fully equipped or 19 lightly equipped troops. Key technical features include a modular cabin, open architecture mission system, integrated avionics, ballistic tolerance in the fuselage and rotor blades, crashworthy landing gear and seating, self-sealing fuel tanks, and a defensive aids suite. Armament options include window-mounted machine guns, unguided rocket pods, guided missile pods capable of carrying up to four AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles, and auxiliary fuel tanks.
Leonardo’s strategy in Malaysia includes the use of its training and maintenance infrastructure near Kuala Lumpur, which operates as the only Leonardo helicopter Training Academy located outside the company’s home markets. The academy trains pilots and technicians for operations involving law enforcement, SAR, EMS, offshore transport, and other public and military missions. According to Leonardo, over 70 Malaysian operators currently operate more than 240 of its helicopters, accumulating over 40,000 flight hours annually. The number of personnel trained in Malaysia has doubled over the last decade. Leonardo plans to expand its local industrial activities by introducing additional Full-Flight Simulators, Interactive Trainers, and enhanced maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities. These developments are intended to support blade repair, electronic systems servicing, and mission systems integration.
This announcement adds Malaysia to the list of AW149 users, which currently includes Egypt, Thailand, and Poland, and potentially North Macedonia and the United Kingdom. (Picture source: Leonardo)
Weststar Aviation Services, Leonardo’s Malaysian partner in the leasing programme, is the largest helicopter operator in Southeast Asia and operates across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. It provides aviation services to the energy sector, as well as for defense support, VIP transport, EMS, SAR, and aerial utility operations. Weststar currently operates the AW189, a civil derivative of the AW149. The company’s operations are based in key regional hubs to ensure logistical reach and support. The current agreement represents the most extensive collaboration between Leonardo and Weststar to date and is based on a leasing model intended to enable broader inter-agency utilization of helicopter capabilities under a shared acquisition framework.
This initiative follows the cancellation of a previous contract for the lease of four Black Hawk helicopters, which was terminated by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence due to non-fulfillment of contractual obligations. The leasing agreement with Leonardo is part of a broader effort by the Malaysian Government to ensure operational capability across its defense and emergency agencies through equipment modernization, with a focus on asset availability, performance accountability, and cost control. The AW149’s military configuration selected by Malaysia is distinct from civil-use versions, according to statements by RMAF Chief General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan, who confirmed that the platform meets national defense requirements in the categories of SAR, CSAR, and utility roles.
The AW149’s operational history includes confirmed orders and deliveries to several countries. The Egyptian Navy ordered 24 units in 2019, with deliveries starting in 2020. The Royal Thai Army operates five units. Poland ordered 32 helicopters in 2022 under a $1.85 billion contract, with deliveries planned through 2029. A production line for the AW149 was established in 2024 at PZL-Świdnik in Poland, which produced its first helicopter in early 2025 as part of an industrial transfer agreement. Approximately 20 of the Polish helicopters will be assembled locally. The AW149 has also been proposed for the United Kingdom’s New Medium Helicopter programme, where it remains the only official candidate following the withdrawal of Airbus and Sikorsky in 2024. The helicopter’s integration in Poland supports the replacement of aging Soviet-era platforms such as the Mi-8, Mi-17, and Mi-24, and complements the country’s broader rotary-wing modernization efforts.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
At the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) held in May 2025, Leonardo and Weststar Aviation Services, a Malaysian operator, jointly announced the start of a government helicopter fleet expansion and modernization programme that is the most extensive of its kind for Leonardo in Malaysia. Under the terms of the initiative, Leonardo will provide up to 28 helicopters of various types through a leasing agreement with Weststar, which will transfer the aircraft to the Malaysian Government for a period of 15 years. Most of these deliveries are expected to take place between 2026 and 2027. The agreement involves both firm orders and options and includes support and training services conducted locally by Weststar.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The leasing program will see the introduction of the Leonardo AW149 helicopter for both the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Army, for utility and combat search and rescue (SAR) roles. (Picture source: Leonardo)
Malaysia’s helicopter fleet is distributed across several government agencies and branches of the armed forces, reflecting a wide range of operational needs spanning military, law enforcement, civil protection, and maritime surveillance. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) previously operated the Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters from 1968 until their retirement in January 2020. To partially replace these, the RMAF currently fields 12 Airbus H225 helicopters and four Leonardo AW139s, which were acquired through leasing agreements. The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) operates helicopters for surveillance, transport, and law enforcement tasks, while the Fire and Rescue Department (JPBM) employs a mix of aircraft, including the AW139 and Mil Mi-17-1V, for firefighting and rescue missions.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritim Malaysia) uses helicopters for coastal and offshore monitoring, search and rescue, and interdiction roles. The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) operates platforms such as the Super Lynx Mk 300 for anti-submarine warfare and the Eurocopter Fennec for surveillance and utility tasks. Despite this diversity, many of the platforms in service are aging or limited in number, prompting the government to pursue modernization strategies, such as the AW149 leasing programme, to standardize and strengthen operational capabilities across all aviation branches.
On November 13, 2024, Malaysian Minister of Defence, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, announced to the Malaysian Parliament that the 28 leased helicopters would be distributed across six Malaysian government entities: 12 units are allocated to the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), 7 to the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), 4 to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), 2 to the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), and 2 to the Fire and Rescue Department (JPBM). The programme is designed to meet a wide range of operational needs, including law enforcement, utility transport, firefighting, emergency medical services (EMS), search and rescue (SAR), maritime surveillance, disaster response, and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR).
The AW149, powered by either two General Electric CT7-2E1 engines or two Safran Aneto-1K engines, is designed for missions such as troop transport, medical evacuation, special forces deployment, close air support, and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR). (Picture source: Leonardo)
The AW149 has been evaluated by the Malaysian authorities as a replacement for the retired Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters, which were withdrawn from RMAF service in January 2020 after nearly 60 years of operational use. During LIMA 2023, Leonardo promoted the AW149 as a suitable successor to the Nuri, highlighting its CSAR and utility capabilities. The Malaysian Armed Forces procurement plan includes two phases of 12 helicopters each, based on a lease-purchase model that would transfer maintenance responsibilities away from the RMAF. The selection of the AW149 followed a value management assessment conducted by the Public-Private Partnership Committee, in coordination with the Prime Minister’s Department and the National Security Council. The programme is coordinated by the same entities. According to statements from senior defense officials, this approach was selected to reduce initial capital expenditure while ensuring access to current-generation systems.
The AW149 was developed by AgustaWestland, now part of Leonardo, and had its first flight in 2009. It received military flight certification in 2014 and is classified as a medium-lift, multi-role military helicopter. The platform is powered by either two General Electric CT7-2E1 engines or two Safran Aneto-1K engines and is designed for missions such as troop transport, medical evacuation, special forces deployment, close air support, and CSAR. Its maximum takeoff weight is 8,600 kg, and it has a maximum cruise speed of approximately 294 km/h, a range of up to 1,009 km, and an endurance of up to 5 hours. The helicopter accommodates up to 16 fully equipped or 19 lightly equipped troops. Key technical features include a modular cabin, open architecture mission system, integrated avionics, ballistic tolerance in the fuselage and rotor blades, crashworthy landing gear and seating, self-sealing fuel tanks, and a defensive aids suite. Armament options include window-mounted machine guns, unguided rocket pods, guided missile pods capable of carrying up to four AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles, and auxiliary fuel tanks.
Leonardo’s strategy in Malaysia includes the use of its training and maintenance infrastructure near Kuala Lumpur, which operates as the only Leonardo helicopter Training Academy located outside the company’s home markets. The academy trains pilots and technicians for operations involving law enforcement, SAR, EMS, offshore transport, and other public and military missions. According to Leonardo, over 70 Malaysian operators currently operate more than 240 of its helicopters, accumulating over 40,000 flight hours annually. The number of personnel trained in Malaysia has doubled over the last decade. Leonardo plans to expand its local industrial activities by introducing additional Full-Flight Simulators, Interactive Trainers, and enhanced maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities. These developments are intended to support blade repair, electronic systems servicing, and mission systems integration.
This announcement adds Malaysia to the list of AW149 users, which currently includes Egypt, Thailand, and Poland, and potentially North Macedonia and the United Kingdom. (Picture source: Leonardo)
Weststar Aviation Services, Leonardo’s Malaysian partner in the leasing programme, is the largest helicopter operator in Southeast Asia and operates across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. It provides aviation services to the energy sector, as well as for defense support, VIP transport, EMS, SAR, and aerial utility operations. Weststar currently operates the AW189, a civil derivative of the AW149. The company’s operations are based in key regional hubs to ensure logistical reach and support. The current agreement represents the most extensive collaboration between Leonardo and Weststar to date and is based on a leasing model intended to enable broader inter-agency utilization of helicopter capabilities under a shared acquisition framework.
This initiative follows the cancellation of a previous contract for the lease of four Black Hawk helicopters, which was terminated by the Malaysian Ministry of Defence due to non-fulfillment of contractual obligations. The leasing agreement with Leonardo is part of a broader effort by the Malaysian Government to ensure operational capability across its defense and emergency agencies through equipment modernization, with a focus on asset availability, performance accountability, and cost control. The AW149’s military configuration selected by Malaysia is distinct from civil-use versions, according to statements by RMAF Chief General Tan Sri Mohd Asghar Khan Goriman Khan, who confirmed that the platform meets national defense requirements in the categories of SAR, CSAR, and utility roles.
The AW149’s operational history includes confirmed orders and deliveries to several countries. The Egyptian Navy ordered 24 units in 2019, with deliveries starting in 2020. The Royal Thai Army operates five units. Poland ordered 32 helicopters in 2022 under a $1.85 billion contract, with deliveries planned through 2029. A production line for the AW149 was established in 2024 at PZL-Świdnik in Poland, which produced its first helicopter in early 2025 as part of an industrial transfer agreement. Approximately 20 of the Polish helicopters will be assembled locally. The AW149 has also been proposed for the United Kingdom’s New Medium Helicopter programme, where it remains the only official candidate following the withdrawal of Airbus and Sikorsky in 2024. The helicopter’s integration in Poland supports the replacement of aging Soviet-era platforms such as the Mi-8, Mi-17, and Mi-24, and complements the country’s broader rotary-wing modernization efforts.
