AW249 Fenice: technology, weapons and Italy’s new attack helicopter

Italy is not replacing A129 Mangusta with a simple update. AW249 Fenice is intended to be attack helicopter, airborne sensor and command node at once. Leonardo publishes an 8.3-tonne maximum take-off weight, two CT7-8E6 engines and 287 km/h maximum cruise speed under stated conditions. Those figures are tangible. The harder claim to assess is the central one: combining crewed and uncrewed systems in a contested digital battlespace.

Technical essentials

Why Italy needs a new attack helicopter

A129 was a European pioneer, but payload, electrical power, sensors and growth margin are now limiting. The NEES programme—Nuovo Elicottero da Esplorazione e Scorta—therefore uses a larger aircraft for armed reconnaissance, escort, close support and interdiction. The Italian name Fenice, phoenix, fits the approach: preserve Mangusta experience while moving to a substantially heavier and more digital architecture.

Airframe, engines and published performance

Leonardo lists 8,300 kilograms maximum take-off weight, a 14.60-metre rotor and 17.63 metres overall length with rotors turning. Two GE CT7-8E6 engines provide more than 2,500 shaft horsepower each; an APU supports ground operations and electrical demand. Maximum cruise is stated as 287 km/h, or 155 knots, at average mission weight and maximum continuous power. That qualifier matters. It is not a universal speed for every weapon load, altitude and temperature.

Sensor fusion rather than a single sight

Traditional attack helicopters find targets through an electro-optical turret and helmet sights. AW249 adds tactical data links, software-defined radios, full-motion video and battlespace management intended to fuse reports from its own sensors, ground troops and other aircraft. The benefit depends on bandwidth, resistance to jamming and human-machine design. More data improve decisions only if software prioritises what matters and does not overload the two-person crew.

Crewed-uncrewed teaming and air-launched effects

Leonardo places MUM-T and air-launched effectors at the centre of the design. A drone can look beyond terrain, confirm a target or collect electronic signatures while the helicopter remains masked. Multiple uncrewed systems may divide tasks. Public material does not completely define which drones, autonomy levels and weapon-release arrangements will be delivered in the first Italian configuration. The concept is confirmed; readiness of each function must be judged separately.

Weapons and the work behind integration

The confirmed set includes a trainable 20mm gun, guided and unguided 70mm rockets, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. The Italian Army identifies a 500-round gun installation and new-generation Spike missiles. Open mission architecture should ease future effectors, but integration is not mechanical attachment. Flight testing, software, targeting logic, electromagnetic compatibility and certification determine when a weapon becomes operational.

Survivability from armour to cyber defence

Leonardo describes armoured seats, ballistically tolerant fuel tanks, crashworthiness and active and passive defensive aids. The transmission is designed for at least 50 minutes of dry-run capability after oil loss. Warning systems address radar, laser, infrared and hostile fire threats. Against modern air defence, armour is only one layer. Terrain masking, signature control, off-board sensors, expendables, electronic warfare and stand-off employment form the wider survival strategy. Cyber attacks on links and mission software also matter.

Programme status and procurement evidence

Leonardo reported a first firing campaign and participation in an Italian Army exercise in 2024. Its 2025 results identify an order for additional standard helicopters and development of further capabilities. That is evidence of movement from prototypes into early procurement, but not a declaration of full operational capability. Army material had identified deliveries from 2027; squadron readiness will depend on acceptance, crews, support equipment and logistics.

Export potential and competition

AW249 enters a small politically sensitive market alongside Apache, Tiger upgrades, T129/T929 and armed utility helicopters. Its pitch is a new airframe with European interfaces, growth margin and uncrewed teaming. Buyers will also judge weapon availability, export approvals, delivery time, industrial participation and life-cycle cost. Without sufficient production volume, a capable modern design may remain expensive to support.

Editorial assessment

Fenice matters because Leonardo does not treat the attack helicopter as an isolated gun platform. It is designed as a crewed node directing uncrewed sensors and effectors, supported by engine power and payload growth. Much of the hardware is credible and published. The critical unknown is software: resilience, usability and interoperability under jamming can be proven only in operational testing and large exercises.

Video: AW249 manufacturer overview

Primary sources and method

This assessment uses armed-forces, procurement and manufacturer documents. Corporate figures are identified as such; missing or classified data are not replaced with estimates.

• Leonardo – AW249 product data
• Italian Army – AH-249 Fenice capabilities
• Leonardo – 2025 annual results and AW249 order
• Leonardo – AW249 brochure

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