The Armed Forces of Malta signed for an additional Leonardo AW139 helicopter on 22 December. (Malta Public Affairs Office)
Malta has signed for an additional Leonardo AW139 helicopter and a Beechcraft King Air B200 aircraft to bolster its search-and-rescue and maritime patrol capabilities.
The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) announced on 22 December that it had signed with Leonardo Helicopters for an AW139 to add to the three already in service. The announcement came five days after it said on 17 December that it had acquired from Aerodata AG a new King Air B200 to add to the three in service.
“This [AW139] acquisition forms part of the ongoing standardisation of the helicopter fleet operated by the AFM’s Air Wing. The AW139 helicopters play a vital role in border control, surveillance, maritime law enforcement, and search-and-rescue operations. The addition of a fourth aircraft will enable the [Malta] Air Wing to better sustain these diverse roles and maintain the continuous operational momentum required to ensure security and safety in the Central Mediterranean,” the AFM said.
“This [King Air B200] acquisition continues the ongoing standardisation of the [Malta] Air Wing’s fixed-wing fleet. The new aircraft will be primarily employed in border control, maritime surveillance, maritime law enforcement, and search and rescue,” the AFM added.
Neither announcement disclosed a delivery timeline.
Malta received its first AW139 in June 2014, with the type replacing the Aerospatiale SA 316B Alouette III. The AW139s operated by the AFM are equipped with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system, search and weather radar, cabin mission console, naval transponder, searchlight, satellite communication system, a four-axis autopilot with SAR modes, external rescue hoist, and a four-bag flotation system.
The King Air B200 aircraft were purchased by Malta under a
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