Leonardo: the opening of a new AW101 & NH90 helicopter transmission MRO & test facility

• Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, under agreements with Leonardo, has opened a new AW101 and NH90 helicopter transmission Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) and multipurpose test facility in Norway 
• The new facility expands the availability of MRO and test services for the growing number of AW101 and NH90 helicopters in service 
• The 25 year agreement with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace confirms Leonardo’s commitment to customer satisfaction while supporting the sustainable growth objectives of its industrial plan  

Leonardo congratulates Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace on the opening of its new AW101 and NH90 helicopter transmissions MRO and test facility in Kongsberg, Norway. The new facility will provide an in-country capability for the Norwegian AW101 and NH90 helicopter fleets as well as supporting other AW101 and NH90 helicopters throughout Scandinavia and for other international fleets. A new Multi-Purpose Test Rig within the facility will enable gearboxes to be fully tested before being returned to service, helping to reduce the time and cost of MRO activities.

The new facility and the 25 year agreement satisfy Leonardo’s Industrial Participation commitments in Norway for the NH90. The Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace facility will also be an integral part of Leonardo’s comprehensive support solution for the AW101 Norwegian All-Weather SAR Helicopter (NAWSARH), 16 of which are in the process of delivery.

Gian Piero Cutillo, Leonardo Helicopters’ Managing Director, said “We are very pleased to have signed a 25 year agreement with Kongsberg, expanding and extending our collaboration to ensure we deliver efficient in-country support for Norway’s AW101 and NH90 helicopters and other operators in the region.” 

He added “The opening of this new facility and our agreement with Kongsberg confirms our long term commitment to Norway and delivery of the industrial participation plan we committed to when we signed the original helicopter contracts. We look forward to working together to ensure we deliver the MRO services our customers require.” 

Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Leonardo have been working together for more than 30 years on the MRO of Sea King and Lynx helicopter transmissions.

“We are proud of this new state of the art helicopter MRO facility. The expanded co-operation with Leonardo demonstrates KONGSBERG’s position as provider of high end helicopter MRO services and secures in-country support for the Norwegian helicopter fleet as well as efficient support for international end users”, said Eirik Lie, President, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.