Valued at USD $209.8 million, the agreement marks a major step in Ecuador’s defense modernization program and will support missions including border protection, maritime security, search and rescue, tactical transport, medical evacuation, and government transport.
- The Ecuadorian Navy will receive three aircraft for maritime surveillance, SAR, and coastal security.
- The Ecuadorian Army will operate two helicopters for troop transport, border patrol, and internal security missions.
- The Ecuadorian Air Force will receive one aircraft for multi-role defense and medical evacuation duties,
- One AW139M will be configured for presidential VVIP transport.
The VVIP aircraft will accommodate 8 to 10 passengers and include enhanced cabin finishes, soundproofing, satellite communications, and advanced security systems.
The AW139M is the military variant of Leonardo’s successful AW139 platform. It offers a spacious cabin, strong performance, extended range, modern Honeywell Primus Epic avionics, a four-axis digital automatic flight control system, and ballistic protection options. The type is also equipped with a run-dry main gearbox designed to continue operating for more than 60 minutes without oil.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin in December 2027 with the presidential aircraft, followed by the military variants during 2028. The full fleet is expected to be delivered by May 2028.
The acquisition will replace aging aircraft and provide Ecuador’s armed forces with a modern, reliable, and versatile helicopter platform for national security, emergency response, and public service operations.
Part of a Long-Term Fleet Modernization Strategy
The AW139M acquisition represents the latest phase of Ecuador's effort to rebuild and modernize its military helicopter capabilities. The program follows years of fleet restructuring after the retirement of several legacy aircraft and the well-documented difficulties experienced with a previous generation of helicopters acquired during the late 2000s.
To restore operational capability, Ecuador first turned to Airbus Helicopters, ordering six H145M light twin-engine helicopters for the Ecuadorian Air Force in 2019. Delivered between 2020 and 2021, the H145Ms significantly enhanced the country's search and rescue, disaster response, and border surveillance capabilities and have since accumulated thousands of flight hours in operational service.
More recently, Ecuador further strengthened its rotary-wing capabilities through the acquisition of five Airbus H225M helicopters for the Ecuadorian Army. The heavy twin-engine helicopters provide substantially greater transport capacity and are intended to support troop movements, disaster relief operations, logistics missions, and national security requirements.
While the H145M fleet successfully addressed many light utility requirements and the H225M added heavy-lift capability, Ecuador continued to seek an intermediate-class helicopter capable of carrying greater payloads, conducting extended maritime and border patrol missions, supporting search and rescue operations, and fulfilling secure government transport requirements.
Following a competitive evaluation process, the Leonardo AW139M was selected to fulfill these requirements. Its larger cabin, increased payload capacity, extended range, and multi-mission flexibility provide capabilities beyond those of light utility helicopters while complementing the heavier H225M fleet. The platform also offers the space and performance required for tactical troop transport missions and a dedicated VVIP presidential configuration.
The seven new AW139M helicopters will complement Ecuador's existing H145M and H225M fleets, creating a modern and balanced rotary-wing force capable of supporting military, security, humanitarian, and government missions throughout the country.