Leonardo AW101 - program supplier guide | Airframer

Leonardo AW101

In production

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Triple turboshaft medium utility helicopter. Includes Japanese KH101, and UK Merlin MK4 variants. (Previously known as AgustaWestland, now a subsidiary of Leonardo).

Lift type

Rotary wing

Assembly

Factory-built

Control

Piloted

Engine type

Turboshaft

Application

Business, Military transport, Search & rescue, Surveillance, Utility

Design & construction

The aircraft as engineered: what it is built from, the systems it flies with, and its configuration — each box a theme.

Airframe & structure

Primary structure

Mixed

Landing gear

Retractable tricycle

Pressurisation

Unpressurised

Systems & avionics

Flight controls

Full FBW digital

Autopilot

3-axis

Avionics architecture

Integrated glass suite

Configuration & certification

Rotor configuration

Single main + tail

Certification

Part 29

Minimum crew

Technical reference compiled with AI research; a value appears only where two independent research passes and a web fact-check agree. Gaps are deliberate.

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Type variants

Variant	Launch / first flight	Production end	Notes
Leonardo AW101	1984 / 1987		Production: 1 (2025) GAMA: Leonardo Helicopters AW101. Multirole helicopter with cvil and military applications, formerly EH101.
Leonardo CH-149 Cormorant	1997 / 2000		Canadian adaption of AW101.
Kawasaki KH101	2003 / 2006		Japanese variant, includes MCH-101 countermeasure variant, and CH-101 support variant.
Leonardo US101	2005 / 2007	2009	American version of AW101, made with Lockheed Martin and Bell Textron, also known as Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel.
Leonardo Merlin Mk 4	2015 / 2016		Variant made for UK RAF or RN.

Airframer

Kawasaki Aerospace		Licenced production of KH101 variant
Leonardo Helicopters	News

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The program’s dated history — milestones, contracts, supplier selections and facilities, each linked to its source. Log in to view.

Information on this page is compiled from a variety of published sources; links do not necessarily imply recommendation or confirmation by the airframe manufacturer.