The United Kingdom is not only procuring AW149 medium multirole helicopters for its own needs but is also organizing production aimed at export to other countries. This raises the question of whether such aircraft could also be useful for Ukraine's helicopter fleet.
As a reminder, the UK has ordered 23 helicopters from Leonardo under the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) program. They will be manufactured at the company's plant in Yeovil. In addition to meeting domestic requirements, the program places significant emphasis on export opportunities.
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Overall, the AW149 is a multirole helicopter capable of performing a wide range of missions, including cargo and troop transport, medical evacuation, and other operational tasks.
The aircraft can carry between 16 and 19 troops or up to 3,380 kg of payload. Of this, up to 2,800 kg can be carried externally on a cargo hook. Its maximum range is around 1,000 km, with an endurance of up to five hours.
In terms of capability, the AW149 is somewhat less capable than heavier helicopters such as the H225 or the Mi-8/17, which are already in service with Ukraine's Defense Forces. However, it is closer in class to the American UH-60 Black Hawk. The latter has become a popular platform within Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (HUR), suggesting that this class of medium helicopter may be more practical than heavier alternatives.
In terms of armament, the AW149 features four external hardpoints capable of carrying machine gun or cannon pods as well as rocket systems. These can include AGM-114 Hellfire II missiles as well as 70-mm unguided and guided rockets from Thales. Among them are the FZ275 LGR guided rockets, which have been used from other platforms to intercept drones.
This means the helicopters could potentially also be used to hunt russian unmanned aerial vehicles, similar to how Ukraine currently employs some of its existing helicopter fleet. Modern electro-optical systems for target detection would further support such missions.
Another notable factor is that AW149 production is localized not only in the United Kingdom but also in Poland, which has ordered 32 helicopters. This could potentially allow Ukraine to achieve a degree of interoperability with a neighboring country.
At the same time, the most difficult question is cost. The United Kingdom paid about $1.34 billion for 23 helicopters, while Poland spent approximately $2.04 billion for 32 aircraft. That corresponds to roughly $57 million and $63 million per helicopter respectively, based on a rough estimate. The higher Polish figure is likely related to the need to establish local production, whereas British manufacturing infrastructure already existed.
At present, Ukraine likely does not have the financial resources to independently purchase such helicopters. Moreover, given the immediate needs of the front line, there are far more urgent priorities requiring funding. Therefore, any potential acquisition would likely depend on assistance from international partners.
Negotiations have already officially begun regarding the possible purchase of the American Bell AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters. However, given the current geopolitical situation, it appears highly unlikely that the United States or the European Union would finance such a project.
Regarding European funding, Ukraine receives assistance through several programs, but the British defense industry is not eligible for those funds because the United Kingdom is not part of the EU. Therefore, AW149 procurement could potentially be financed only if production took place in Italy or Poland. In theory, the UK could also contribute financially, but given its current budgetary constraints this scenario appears unlikely.
At the same time, even if not manufactured in the UK, AW149 helicopters could theoretically be ordered for Ukraine. However, the key question remains whether allocating funds to such a project makes sense compared with other, more critical needs. These include air defense systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, armored vehicles, and modern fighter aircraft.
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