The AW609 tiltrotor program has set another major industry capability milestone after its first successful ship trial, which was recently conducted with the support of the Italian Navy. AW609 AC4 aircraft, fully representative of the final production configuration, performed demonstration trials relocating from Leonardo’s facility based in Cascina Costa (Samarate) to Maristaer Grottaglie Naval Base. The tiltrotor, with test pilots and flight test engineers from Leonardo, supported by Italian Navy personnel for the embarked operations, took off from the base inbound from the Italian aircraft carrier, 20 nm offshore, showing its effective approach, stable deck landing, and touchdown capabilities. 

The demonstration trials are the latest step taken under the activities carried out by a joint working group established in 2022 including Leonardo, the Italian Navy, the Italian Army, and Guardia di Finanza (Italy’s Customs Police). The working group is intended to evaluate the potential of tiltrotor technologies as complementary capabilities to the assets already in use among government services, providing a fast long range capability with vertical take-off and landing and fast cruise, above the weather thanks to the AW609’s unique pressurized cabin and high altitude performance. The assessment performed by the working group would help to define the benefits for logistic transport (vertical take-off/landing, long range, fast point-to-point connection with above-the-weather cruise) and, later in the future, maritime surveillance (vertical take-off/landing, fast transfer to patrolling area and larger area coverage).