US Clears Philippine TH-73A Training Helicopter Sale

A possible Foreign Military Sale of TH-73A Training Helicopters to the Government of the Philippines was recently cleared by the US State Department. The deal for the helicopters and support is pegged at an estimated cost of US$120 million.

The TH-73A “Thrasher” is the military variant of Leonardo’s civilian single-engine AW119T and is utilized by the US Navy for its rotary-wing/tilt-rotor pilot training.

As per the Defense Security Cooperation Agency  (DSCA), the Philippines has requested the sale of TH-73A training helicopters, aircraft simulators, spare engines, fuel tanks, aircraft hoists and lifts, commercial avionics, commercial flight management systems and commercial Global Positioning Systems, etc.

A DSCA release stated that the proposed sale would improve the Philippines’ capability to meet current and future threats by providing an aircraft platform that will serve as the primary method of improving pilot training and skills, thus helping to ensure the development of a proficient rotary wing aviator corps.

The principal contractor will be AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation (Leonardo), located in Philadelphia, PA.

The TH-73A Advanced Helicopter Training System is the replacement for the US Navy’s ageing fleet of TH-57B/C Sea Rangers. The first TH-73A was delivered to the US Navy in August 2021.

A total of 130 TH-73As are being acquired to meet advanced rotary wing and intermediate tilt-rotor training requirements for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard through 2050 and beyond.

As per the US Navy, the induction of the TH-73A will ensure it has capacity to train several hundred aviation students per year at Naval Air Station Whiting Field in Milton, Florida.