A Leonardo subsidiary has won a potential $648.1M contract to build up to 130 helicopter trainers designed to replace the U.S. Navy's TH-57 Sea Ranger platform.
AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp. will initially manufacture 32 TH-73A aircraft under the contract base period, valued at $176.5M, the Navy said Monday.
The service branch received five offers for the Advanced Helicopter Training System program through a source-selection approach called "best-value tradeoff."
According to the Department of Defense, AgustaWestland Philadelphia will also provide spare and flyaway kits, sling loads, hoists and other support equipment as well as help train ancillary instructor pilots and maintenance personnel.
The Navy expects the manufacturer to begin delivering the new helicopters this year and to continue deliveries through 2024. Aircraft assembly efforts will take place at the contractor's Federal Aviation Administration-certified facility in Philadelphia.
TH-73A will be built to address rotary-wing and intermediate tiltrotor training requirements at the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard over the next three decades.
