The Leonardo AW109 TrekkerM, also known as AgustaWestland A109, is a three-tonne military helicopter suitable for various battlefield and maritime missions, including troop transport, cargo resupply, Casualty/Medical Evacuation CASEVAC/MEDEVAC, Search and Rescue SAR, and special forces operations. It is also suitable for training missions , from ab initio to Instrument Flight Rules IFR, providing students with an ideal platform to hone their skills and prepare them for the transition to advanced military aircraft. The helicopter is also suitable for overflights of residential areas, with the further great advantage of not being dependent on airport structures for landings and take-offs.
The AW109 was developed in the late 1960s by the Italian helicopter manufacturer Agusta, founded by Count Giovanni Agusta in Samarate, Northern Italy. AgustaWestland was established in 2006, by merging Agusta and UK's Westland. In April 2016, Finmeccanica acquired AgustaWestland and merged it into a single entity, Leonardo.
The AW109 is the first all-Italian helicopter to be mass-produced. Initially designed as a single-engine helicopter, it was reoriented to a twin-engine rotorcraft in 1969. The first prototype made its maiden flight in 1971.
The AW109 received certification from the FAA in 1975, allowing service entry in 1976. Military models feature strengthened engines, expanded fuselages, and equipment fittings. In September 2023, the Argentinian Minister of Defense, Jorge Taiana, signed .
