Leonardo CEO hints UK’s New Medium Helicopter decision could come within days
February 26, 2026
During Leonardo’s earnings call yesterday, CEO Roberto Cingolani indicated that a long-awaited decision on the UK’s New Medium Helicopter (NMH) procurement may be forthcoming very soon.
In response to an analyst question referencing the “jumbo helicopter order,” Cingolani said the company has been working “very, very intensively” with its UK arm and government counterparts.
“Wait 24 hours,” he told analysts, before adding that developments could come within “one or two days.”
While stopping short of confirming an award, he framed the programme’s outcome as strategically important to Leonardo’s multinational footprint and described himself as “very, very optimistic” about progress.
Cingolani went further, describing the UK and US as Leonardo’s “second and third domestic countries” and insisting he wants a “powerful, complete, committed Leonardo in the UK.” The framing underscored that NMH is not just a platform competition, but central to the group’s ambition to operate as a genuinely multinational defence company.
The remarks signal that the UK MoD’s NMH decision — which has been delayed for months and is crucial to the future of Leonardo’s Yeovil helicopter facility — could be imminent.
What Leonardo is pitching for the UK’s New Medium Helicopter
Leonardo is offering its AW149 medium-lift helicopter to meet the UK’s New Medium Helicopter requirement, positioning it as a modern, low-risk replacement for the RAF’s ageing Puma fleet.
The twin-engine AW149 is designed for troop transport, logistics, casualty evacuation and utility missions, with a modular architecture that allows mission systems, survivability equipment and communications to be adapted over time. Leonardo presents it as a mature platform, already certified and in service, reducing technical and schedule risk.
The proposal goes beyond aircraft supply. Central to Leonardo’s pitch is final assembly and production at its Yeovil site in Somerset, the UK’s last remaining end-to-end military helicopter manufacturing facility. The company argues that an NMH award would sustain high-value engineering and manufacturing jobs, reinforce the UK rotorcraft supply chain, and maintain sovereign industrial capability in medium-lift helicopters.
Leonardo is also proposing a comprehensive in-country support and sustainment package, including training, maintenance and long-term fleet management. By anchoring AW149 production and support in the UK, the company suggests Yeovil could serve as a future export hub, supporting potential international customers and extending the programme’s industrial life beyond the initial domestic order.
Why the UK’s NMH decision is so delayed
The delay to the UK’s New Medium Helicopter decision appears to stem from budget pressure, strategic reassessment and industrial sensitivity rather than any technical issue with the aircraft on offer.
The Ministry of Defence is managing competing demands across air, land and maritime programmes within a tightly constrained equipment plan. NMH, as a support and utility platform rather than a frontline combat system, has been exposed to debates over sequencing and affordability, particularly amid shifting NATO commitments and ongoing support to Ukraine.
Originally, the NMH competition pitted Leonardo against Airbus Helicopters and Sikorsky. Airbus had been expected to offer a militarised H175M, while Sikorsky was preparing a variant of the UH-60 Black Hawk.
However, both rivals ultimately withdrew before final bids were submitted, citing concerns over commercial conditions and the structure of the requirement. Their exit left Leonardo’s AW149 as the only compliant bid remaining in the race, effectively turning NMH into a single-supplier procurement.
Even with rival bidders withdrawn, finalising pricing, industrial participation and long-term support arrangements can take time. The absence of competition does not automatically translate into rapid contract signature.
Featured image: Leonardo
