The Italian National Fire Corps (Vigili del Fuoco, part of the Ministry of the Interior) will introduce eight AW139s in a special configuration dedicated to mountain operations and firefighting. These aircraft, which will add to an existing fleet of 28 AW139s, are expected to be delivered starting before the end of 2025, with handover completion before mid-2026, providing a further boost to mountain rescue operations and countering fire across the country.

The Italian National Fire Corps introduced the AW139 to replace the decades-old AB412 helicopters and to guarantee optimal coverage and increased responsiveness across the country. The introduction of the AW139 marks a significant enhancement of airborne multirole capabilities with the world’s most modern helicopter for maritime and mountain Search and Rescue (SAR), medical rescue, firefighting, and disaster relief duties. In this latest special configuration, the Italian National Fire Corps AW139 helicopters feature a wide range of mission equipment for specific tasks, including various optional kits to counter fire. These alternatively encompass a belly tank, a traditional bambi bucket, or a bambi bucket max, allowing multiple water drops with variable water quantity. A hover pump is also available to ease water refilling in confined areas.