
In September 2020, Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner announced order of 18 Leonardo AW169M Löwe (Lion) helicopters valued €300M (including training and logistics) to replace the Alouette III fleet. The AW169M won the contract against the Bell 429 and the Airbus H145M. Deliveries scheduled to start in 2022.
The AW169M is a 4,600kg/10,100lb class helicopter powered by two PW&C PW210A FADEC engines that can carry 10 troops or two stretchers thru sliding doors (1.60 m/5 ft 3 in) to enable rapid entry/egress. Two 12.7 or 7.62 mm machine guns can be mounted internally in the cabin and unguided rockets or air to ground missiles can be fitted externally.
The NVG compatible cockpit display has three large Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Display (AMLCD) based on touch screen technology. The state-of-the-art navigation avionics suite uses an advanced digital dual-duplex 4-axis autopilot, incorporating Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) / Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) capabilities.
Final contract signed in January 2022 for 6 UH-169B trainers and 12 UH-169MA Advanced Multirole Variant with deliveries planned between 2022 and 2026.
First delivery took place in December 2022 with the announcement that a second batch of 18 options had been accepted, bringing the total to 36 helicopters.
The AW169M is a 4,600kg/10,100lb class helicopter powered by two PW&C PW210A FADEC engines that can carry 10 troops or two stretchers thru sliding doors (1.60 m/5 ft 3 in) to enable rapid entry/egress. Two 12.7 or 7.62 mm machine guns can be mounted internally in the cabin and unguided rockets or air to ground missiles can be fitted externally.
The NVG compatible cockpit display has three large Active-Matrix Liquid Crystal Display (AMLCD) based on touch screen technology. The state-of-the-art navigation avionics suite uses an advanced digital dual-duplex 4-axis autopilot, incorporating Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) / Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) capabilities.
Final contract signed in January 2022 for 6 UH-169B trainers and 12 UH-169MA Advanced Multirole Variant with deliveries planned between 2022 and 2026.
First delivery took place in December 2022 with the announcement that a second batch of 18 options had been accepted, bringing the total to 36 helicopters.
News |

Austria Orders 18 Additional AW169M LUH
19-Jan-23 - Austria signed € 304 M contract for additional 18 AW169M LUH helicopters bringing the total number to 36. Deliveries expected to be completed by 2028 #AW169M
Delivery of First AW169M to Austria
21-Dec-22 - Austrian Air Force takes delivery of first of 18 Leonardo AW169M LUH helicopter to replace Alouette III fleet. Italy and Austria sign G2G Agreement amendment to exercise options for additional aircraft #Austria
Austria Signed Contract for 18 AW169M
14-Jan-22 - A €346M contract for 18 Leonardo AW169M helicopters ( 6 trainers + 12 LUH ) as Austrian Air Force Alouette III replacements was signed in the framework of the Italy-Austria G2G Agreement. Deliveries between 2022-2026 #Austria Units |
Years | Units | Base |
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2022- | Fl.2 | Aigen-im-Ennstal |
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List of Aircraft |
C/N | Built | ID In this Org | In other Org | |||
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72014 | 2022 | 5M-IA Bundesheer AW169B LUH, pictured | ![]() | |||
72017 | 5M-IB Bundesheer AW169B LUH Feb23 ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ||||
72019 | 2023 | 5M-IC Bundesheer AW169B LUH | ![]() ![]() | |||
72023 | 2023 | 5M-ID Bundesheer AW169B LUH | ![]() | |||
72025 | 2023 | 5M-IE Bundesheer AW169B LUH | ||||
72027 | 5M-IF Bundesheer AW169B LUH, test serial CSX82138 |