AW249 Fenice

The AW249 Fenice is an attack helicopter developed by Leonardo to replace the A129 Mangusta in Italian Army Aviation service. Launched under the Italian Army Nuovo Elicottero da Esplorazione e Scorta requirement, it is a substantially larger and heavier aircraft than the Mangusta, sharing its engines and much of its drivetrain with the AW149 transport helicopter to reduce development risk and sustainment cost. The maiden flight had originally been planned for 2020 but took place on 12 August 2022.

Design

The AW249 is a conventional tandem-seat attack helicopter with a five-blade main rotor, retractable undercarriage and a maximum takeoff weight of 8,300 kg, roughly double that of the A129. Power comes from two General Electric CT7-8E6 turboshafts. It carries six hardpoints, two under each stub wing and one at each wingtip, and a Leonardo TM197B three-barrel 20 mm Gatling gun in a chin turret. The crew are equipped with an integrated helmet display, and the aircraft carries an observation and targeting system alongside a pilot night vision system. Endurance is about four hours.

Operational History

The type remains under development, with the Italian Army as launch customer. By early 2025 Italy had ordered 17 aircraft against a stated total requirement of around 48, funded through successive tranches. Leonardo is marketing the AW249 for export as a European alternative to the AH-64E Apache and the Turkish T129, with its AW149 commonality presented as a sustainment advantage for operators of that type.

Variants

Main Variants:

• AW249: The baseline Italian Army attack helicopter configuration.

• AW249 export: Proposed export configurations with customer-specific mission systems and weapons integration.