Final TH-73A contract
On 24 December 2022, the US Department of Defense (DoD) awarded the Leonardo subsidiary AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corp. a USD 110,5 million modification to the previously awarded contract in which it will exercise the option for the production and delivery of 26 TH-73A Thrasher Lot IV training helicopters.
The TH-73As will be produced in Philadelphia (PA) and all work is expected to be completed in December 2024.
With this final Lot, the US Navy's total requirement for 130 training helicopters to replace the TH-57B/C Sea Ranger will be completed. The previous three contracts (Lot) were in January 2020 (Lot I) for 32 TH-73As (USD 176,5 million), November 2020 (Lot II) for 36 helicopters (USD 171 million) and December 2021 (Lot III) for 36 helicopters (USD 159 million).
The TH-73A, made solely at Leonardo’s FAA-certified Part 21 Production line in Philadelphia (PA), will train the next generation of student aviators from the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard with Training Air Wing (TAW) FIVE ("E-xxx") at NAS Whiting Field (FL).
In September 2022, the first twelve students began training on the TH-73A, nicknamed the “Thrasher” by the US Navy. In November 2022, the first of those students completed their inaugural solo flights.
Photo by Marcos V Oliveira (via Jetphotos.com)