100th TH-73A Thrasher delivery to the US Navy
September 17, 2024
Leonardo has celebrated a significant milestone with the 100th delivery of the TH-73A Thrasher helicopter to the United States Navy on 17 September at a ceremony in Northeast Philadelphia.
Attendees included Vice Adm. Daniel L. Cheever, Commander, Naval Air Forces/Commander, Naval Air Force, US Pacific Fleet and Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering, Deputy Commandant for Aviation for the US Marine Corps, along with a crowd of over one hundred dignitaries representing government, military, and nonprofit institutions.
The Navy selected The Leonardo TH-73A is an advanced Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) rated version of the commercial AW119Kx, selected by the US Navy in 2020 to replace its ageing fleet of Bell TH-57B/C Sea Rangers. The Thrasher will be the primary training helicopter for the next generation of rotary and tilt-rotor pilots for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and selected allied nations.
The TH-73A Advanced Helicopter Training System represents a pivotal modernization in Navy helicopter training technology, shifting from analogue to digital avionics, with its modern digital avionics provided by Genesys Aerosystems. This enhanced training capability will help maintain the highest standard of military flight training through the use of more current and relevant training platforms. The type is more representative of what students will encounter on the frontline, and the new Thrashers are projected to serve the US Navy through 2050 and beyond. The TH-73A will facilitate a higher quality and more proficient naval aviator who will be ready to meet the operational challenges faced in the fleet.
By mid-August, of more than 317 total Student Naval Aviators (SNAs) undergoing advanced helicopter training, 185 (58%), are currently in the TH-73A training curriculum. This number is expected to peak at 66% when the second of three squadrons completes its transition this fall. The third and final squadron, Helicopter Training Squadron (HT) 28, is expected to begin the transition to the TH-73 later this year.
More than 43,000 flight hours have now been flown in support of the Navy’s training requirements, and to support this, some 133 instructor pilots from Training Air Wing (TW) 5 have qualified in the TH-73A, including 86 conversion instructors and 47 new Instructors Under Training (IUTs).
More than 200 SNAs have now completed the TH-73A syllabus and have received the ‘Wings of Gold’ that mark them as qualified Naval Aviators.
Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, Commander Naval Air Forces observed that: “The advanced capability of the TH-73 Thrasher is a great training addition for our warfighters. This means our newest Naval Aviators arrive ready to preserve the peace, respond in crisis, and win in war.”
Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters said that his company was: “proud to continue to provide our contribution to the Navy as it aims at delivering the highest level of quality for their next generation naval aviators’ training. We’re committed to sustaining this capability with our technology to make sure our partners’ needs are met as frontline capabilities and operational requirements keep evolving.”
“We are thrilled to deliver the 100th TH-73 to our esteemed U.S. Navy partners. This production milestone is a testament to all the collaboration and hard work between our organizations, and we remain focused on preparing for the fleet’s readiness for decades to come,” added Clyde Woltman, Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo Helicopters US.
