Italy Leonardo
AW159 Wildcat
Twin-engine naval and battlefield helicopter optimized for anti-surface warfare and armed reconnaissance, integrating Sea Venom anti-ship missiles and lightweight torpedoes.
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-04
291
km/h
518
km range
💲 ≈ $45,000,000 (public figure)
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Italian export-licensed
UAMA authorisation; standard EU/Wassenaar controls.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$113M – $158M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 291 km/h Stronger than 38% of helicopters
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 518 km Stronger than 29% of helicopters
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $45,000,000 Stronger than 25% of helicopters
Specifications compiled from public Leonardo and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-04.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat? +
The Leonardo AW159 Wildcat has a maximum speed of 291 km/h.
What is the range of the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat? +
The Leonardo AW159 Wildcat has a maximum range of 518 km.
How much does the Leonardo AW159 Wildcat cost? +
The Leonardo AW159 Wildcat has an approximate unit cost of 45,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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