AW609 tiltrotor completes inaugural ship trial campaign
Leonardo’s AW609 tiltrotor programme has successfully conducted its first ship trial, a major industry capability milestone performed in conjunction with the Italian Navy.
Demonstration trials using an AW609 AC4 aircraft…
June 26, 2024
Leonardo’s AW609 tiltrotor programme has successfully conducted its first ship trial, a major industry capability milestone performed in conjunction with the Italian Navy.
Demonstration trials using an AW609 AC4 aircraft in its final product configuration were performed in early April, alongside earlier missions developed and executed in a fully synthetic environment; leveraging the benefits of a digital twin setup. Alongside the Italian Navy, the trials were also supported by the Italian Army and Guardia di Finanza.
During airborne flight tests, the AW609 relocated to Maristaer Grottaglie Naval Base from where it subsequently flew to the Italian aircraft carrier ITS CAVOUR. Alongside demonstrating its “effective approach, stable deck landing, and touchdown capabilities,” the flights also provided a “unique opportunity to further strengthen the awareness of the outstanding advantages of Leonardo’s tiltrotor in a dedicated maritime environment,” explained its manufacturer.
Managing director of Leonardo Helicopters Gian Piero Cutillo explained that “the success of these trials set a major capability milestone to show the unique advantages of tiltrotors,” with the experience able to “truly revolutionise a range of missions or even new operational possibilities”.
Lorenzo Mariani, co-general manager of Leonardo, concluded that fast rotorcraft technologies as continue “to be core to [Leonardo’s] forward-looking capability development”. Following the first ship trials campaign, the manufacturer will now analyse and evaluate the data gathered, paving the way for “possible follow-on trials to better refine approaches as well as drive further platform enhancements to operate in the naval / embarked environment”.
