Leonardo TH-73 AHTS (Advanced Helicopter Training System)

Naval Helicopter Trainer [ 2020 ]

The Leonardo TH-73A is a dedicated helicopter trainer serving the United States Navy and based in the AW119 platform.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/10/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image from the United States Navy; Public Release.

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The United States Navy (USN) has selected the Italian Leonardo AW119 "Koala" light utility helicopter to become its next helicopter trainer. The product is a further development of the earlier AW109 of 1976 and represents a more modern offering, the original models debuting in 2000. To date (2020), about 300 units of the AW119 have been produced for global use. The AW119 in USN service is designated as the "TH-73" (specific models include the "TH-73A" operational form) and is currently being evaluated by Navy airmen out of Leonardo's Philadelphia facility (2020). The project resides under the "Advanced Helicopter Training System" (AHTS) name.

The AW119 was selected by the service to succeed an aging line of TH-57 "Sea Ranger" light utility types (B- and C-models), these based in the popular Cold War-era Bell Model 206 (also operated by the U.S. Army as the "Kiowa") and having served the USN for some 35 years. The Model 206 series was itself introduced in 1967. The TH-57 fleet will begin retirement during 2022.

A TH-73 prototype form made its maiden flight on December 20th, 2018 and was formally selected by the USN on January 13th, 2020. The helicopters are produced by Leonardo, formally AgustaWestland, through the Philadelphia-based "AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation" with deliveries to the Navy expected to run from 2020 until 2024. The product will be used to serve in the training of helicopter airmen belonging to the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard branches for the next three decades.

The specific TH-73A operational model is based in the modernized, improved AW119 Mk.II form which sees an increase to Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW), improved fuel efficiency, greater overall power / performance, and sports an all-new rotor design. The Navy's version also incorporates a Genesys Aerosystems digital "glass" cockpit.

The helicopter seats a crew of two (instructor and student) in a side-by-side cockpit arrangement and can carry a further three passengers in the compartment behind. Power is from a single Pratt & Whitney PT6B-37A turboshaft engine driving a four-bladed main rotor overhead and a two-bladed tail rotor facing port side. Dimensions include a length of 42.4 feet, a diameter of 35.5 feet, and a height of 10.8 feet. Weight starts at 3,325lb unloaded. Performance specifications include a maximum speed of 152 knots, a ceiling up to 15,000 feet, and a range out to 357 nautical miles.

The helicopter's form is conventional with a heavily windowed fuselage offering excellent vision out-of-the-cockpit. Entry to the cockpit seats is by way of hinged automobile-style doors along either side of the forward fuselage section. The cockpit sits behind a short, rounded nosecone. The engine is installed in a housing over the passenger cabin and features a short mast. Passenger access is through traditional sliding doors on the fuselage sides. The tail stem houses a drive shaft running to the tail rotor. The stem also showcases horizontal planes and is capped by a dorsal and ventral vertical plane. For ground-running, the helicopter makes use of a simple four-point landing skid.©MilitaryFactory.com

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July 2020 - The United States Navy has begun early training with the TH-73A helicopter trainer out of Leonardo's facility in Philadelphia, USA.

November 2020 - The USN has ordered a second production batch of TH-73A training helicopters from Leonardo. The order covers 36 total airframes.

August 2021 - The United States Navy's Training Air Wing has received its first TH-73 helicopter trainer. Up to 130 are planned for procurement.

Specifications

Service Year

2020

Origin

United States

Status

ACTIVE
In Limited Service.

Crew

2

Production

46
UNITS

Leonardo - Italy

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Training (General)
Developed ability to be used as a dedicated trainer for student pilots (typically under the supervision of an instructor).

✓- Training (Advanced)
Dedicated advanced training platform for student pilots having graduated from basic flight training.

Length

42.5 ft
(12.95 m)

Width/Span

35.6 ft
(10.85 m)

Height

11.8 ft
(3.60 m)

Empty Wgt

3,329 lb
(1,510 kg)

MTOW

6,283 lb
(2,850 kg)

Wgt Diff

+2,954 lb
(+1,340 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the Leonardo TH-73A AHTS production variant)

Installed: 1 x Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) PT6B-37A turboshaft engine developing 1,000 horsepower driving four-bladed main rotor unit and two-bladed tail rotor unit (facing port side).

Max Speed

175 mph
(282 kph | 152 kts)

Ceiling

15,010 ft
(4,575 m | 3 mi)

Range

525 mi
(845 km | 1,565 nm)

Rate-of-Climb

1,800 ft/min
(549 m/min)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Leonardo TH-73A AHTS production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

None.

Supported Types

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

TH-73 - Base Series Designation.

TH-73A - Initial production model of 2020.

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Images Gallery

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Image of the Leonardo TH-73 AHTS (Advanced Helicopter Training System)

Image from the United States Navy; Public Release.

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Image from U.S. Navy NAVAIR.

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