One year after completing the acquisition of Swiss company Kopter Group, Leonardo has welcomed the SH09 single-engine helicopter as a full member of its product range by rebranding it as the AW09.

The AW09 will continue to be developed by Kopter in Switzerland. The programme is progressing further with the contribution of joint Leonardo-Kopter teams. The third prototype (P3) has now logged in excess of 40 flight hours in Switzerland since mid-January in its new configuration. This includes enhancements in the main rotor head, gearbox, an extended rotor mast and a new design of the flight controls, combined with the modern Garmin G3000H cockpit. All of this brings better flight characteristics, performance and ease of maintenance. The AW09's next prototype, PS4, is expected to fly this year, followed by the PS5.

Kopter is set to become a centre of competence for new light helicopters and an incubator of new technologies for vertical flight. As such, it will contribute to the development of new hybrid and electrical propulsion systems and will play an important role in the framework of Leonardo's Be Tomorrow 2030 strategic plan, which aims to be in the leading position on the civil rotorcraft market and modern air mobility.

The AW09 complements the existing product range of Leonardo, allowing the company to increase its share in the strategic single-engine market, which is one of the largest and most dynamic segments.

Leonardo MD Gian Piero Cutillo says: “The product with the people and their skills were all important reasons for the acquisition of Kopter. As we make the Kopter team part of our family through the ongoing integration, we now have the latest addition to our product range fully identified with Leonardo, while preserving its invaluable distinguished features. With the AW09, we're more than ever fully committed to pursuing a revolution in the single-engine market and setting an all-new standard.”

The single-engine, turbine-powered AW09 offers increased modularity, modern electronic systems, high digitalisation and the largest cabin and cargo hold in its category. Fast cruise speeds and excellent hot-and-high capabilities are combined with a low noise signature resulting from the newly-developed dynamic assembly and shrouded tail rotor.