Slovenia Orders Six AW139M Multi-Role Helicopters From Italy
Slovenia has decided to replace its existing Bell 412 helicopters with the AW139M multi-purpose helicopter from Leonardo Helicopters as part of the 2023-2026 Development Programmes Plan. This decision was formalized on November 28 by an intergovernmental agreement signed by Marjan Šarec, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Slovenia, and Guido Crosetto, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Italy.
The agreement is for the procurement of six Agusta Westland AW139M multi-purpose military helicopters for a total of 188,334,579 Euros (about $205 million), excluding VAT. The cost of certification provided by the Italian Military Aviation Authority is also included in this figure. The annual project management cost for the Italian Ministry of Defense is 425,449 Euros.
The precise delivery timeline of AW139M helicopters will be arranged in the beginning of next year, according to the Slovenian Ministry of Defense. When the new helicopters arrive, it will be operated by the 15th Helicopter Battalion headquartered at Brnik air base. This helicopter, like other helicopters in the unit’s service, will be utilized primarily for tasks such as search and rescue (SAR), cargo transportation to mountainous regions, extinguishing fires and providing air support to SAF units.
The Slovenian government’s decision to procure helicopters through the Italian government reflects a more cost-effective approach than purchasing straight from the helicopter manufacturer. In recent weeks, Slovenia also signed a contract with Italy for the supply of a second C-27J Spartan medium tactical transport aircraft, following a similar purchasing model. The first of the C-27J Spartans, which will replace Slovenia’s existing Let L-410 transport aircraft, is scheduled to arrive in the coming days, with the second arriving in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Slovenia also intends to procure an air defense system and 106 armored combat vehicles, in addition to the six AW139M helicopters and two C-27J Spartan aircraft ordered from the Italian Leonardo company, as part of the 2023-2026 Development Programs Plan adopted on July 20 this year. Negotiations to procure the IRIS-T SLM air defense system have also concluded today, with the Slovenian government and Germany signing an agreement. Patria, MOWAG, Rosomak, Otokar, and General Dynamics Land Systems are a few of the businesses with which Slovenia is reportedly in discussions over the supply of armored vehicles, according to local media.