Indonesia and Leonardo Sign Letter of Intent for AW149 Helicopter Procurement

The Indonesian Ministry of Defence has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Italian aerospace company Leonardo for the potential procurement of AW149 multi-role helicopters. The cooperation is intended to strengthen the capabilities of the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), particularly within the Naval Aviation Centre (Puspenerbal).

According to Leonardo’s official website, the AW149 is a latest-generation multi-role helicopter. It is designed to perform a variety of missions, ranging from combat operations such as troop transport and infiltration to evacuation and search and rescue (SAR) tasks. The helicopter features a spacious, unobstructed cabin with sliding doors on both sides, allowing it to carry 19 fully equipped troops. With a gross weight of 8.6 tonnes, the AW149 offers a choice of two engine configurations: either General Electric CT7-2E1 engines or Safran Aneto-1K engines, both paired with a Safran e-APU (60 kW). The helicopter has an overall length of 5.07 metres, a rotor diameter of 14.60 metres, a maximum altitude of 6 kilometres, a top speed of 306 kilometres per hour, and a maximum range of 954 kilometres, with a flight endurance of up to 4 hours and 10 minutes depending on weather and fuel conditions.

Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, Head of the Defence Information Bureau at the Ministry of Defence’s Secretariat General, confirmed that the LoI is part of the initial exploratory phase of cooperation. He stated that the agreement covers not only procurement but also the development of technical support, maintenance, training, and the enhancement of the domestic defence industry. However, he did not provide details on the timeline for the purchase or the number of helicopters to be acquired. When asked whether the helicopters would be deployed on the Indonesian Navy’s aircraft carrier, the KRI Giuseppe Garibaldi, he declined to comment, emphasising that all defence equipment procurement is based on operational needs, technological superiority, logistical and maintenance support throughout the equipment’s life cycle, and opportunities for developing human resources and the national defence industry.