In September, we marked a major milestone with the opening of our Florida Support Center, a state-of-the-art, 73,000sq ft facility that will serve both our commercial and military customer base in the United States. This development represents the latest phase of Leonardo’s investment in strengthening our US industrial footprint.
Purposed-designed for operational excellence, the Support Center provides scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, repair services, and technical expertise through a highly-qualified team of licensed technicians. Since opening its door, the facility has already supported a growing number of commercial operators, underscoring the demand for localised, high-quality service.
Its strategic location in Pensacola is equally significant. Positioned adjacent to Naval Air Station Whiting field – the home of Training Air Wing Five and a central hub for producing the next generation of naval, marine, coast guard aviators – the Center is purpose-built to support the U.S. Navy’s fleet of TH-73A Thrasher training helicopters.
Speaking at the grand opening, Leonardo Helicopters US CEO Clyde Woltman emphasised the facility’s broader impact, calling it “a symbol of Leonardo’s enduring commitment to the United States and our customers”. He continued: “With its launch, we strengthen our U.S. presence, enhance service proximity, and reaffirm our promise to deliver performance, reliability, and rapid response where it's needed most.”
Referencing the role that the facility will play in supporting TH-73A Thrasher fleet, he added: “With 130 aircraft in active service – each of which was built at our Philadelphia plant – our dedicated team here ensures mission-readiness through expert maintenance, logistics, and technical support.”
The Navy’s selection of the TH-73A in early 2020 marked a generational shift in its training capability. The aircraft—an advanced IFR-rated variant of the commercial AW119Kx—replaces the legacy TH-57B/C Sea Ranger fleet and is now the primary training helicopter, producing the next generation of rotary and tiltrotor pilots for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and selected allied nations.
Our support capability in Pensacola extends beyond the TH-73A fleet. The facility will enable us to meet the operational requirements of all our customers, providing both line and base maintenance on an extensive product range, including the AW109, AW119, AW169 and AW139.
Elstree facility nears completion
Meanwhile, with the continued growth of our commercial and VIP corporate helicopter fleet in the UK and Ireland, we are investing in a new support facility, which is in the final stages of completion at London Elstree Aerodrome, a few miles northwest of the capital.
The new maintenance capability will be operated together with the recently established London Logistic Centre located at the South East corner of London Elstree Aerodrome.
It is part of a long-term commitment to service quality and responsiveness in the civil market, and will deliver logistics, technical and maintenance support closer to our customers’ operations. The investment is being delivered through a partnership with the aerodrome owners, Aldenham Aviation.
At the start of 2026, we will officially inaugurate a newly developed Part 145 facility on the North side of the aerodrome. Covering more than 3,000sq m and providing four maintenance bays, it will deliver OEM-quality services for commercial customers and integrate the latest technology developments introduced under the Agusta brand—tailored solutions designed specifically for passenger transport operators.
Today, more than 175 helicopters, including AW109s, AW169s, AW139s and AW189s are in service across the region, performing a variety of missions including passenger transport, offshore transport and public services. The next-generation AW09 single-engine helicopter will follow into service, further strengthening our fleet expansion.
Commenting on the investment for commercial customers in the UK and Ireland, Francesco Bellardi, VP Customer Support and Services said: “The opening of the new, purpose-built Leonardo facility at Elstree will represent a major milestone in our plan to increase customer proximity for the support of one of our most important regions for the VIP helicopter market.
“Elstree was chosen carefully as it has allowed us to position a Leonardo support hub at the heart of the VIP helicopter market in the UK. It will offer Leonardo logistics and maintenance services just a short flight from Battersea Heliport in London and central to the operating locations of a number of our important VIP clients in the South East of England.”
Stay tuned for more information on our new facility at Elstree!
Visit the AW Vertical View homepage