Page 7 - FARNBOROUGH 2022 SHOW REVIEW

INTERACTION
MAKING TOMORROW

HAPPEN TODAY

LEONARDO LOOKS TO THE FUTURE WITH THE
AMBITION OF PLAYING A LEADING ROLE IN THE DIGITAL ERA
− JAY MENON

Leonardo was the protagonist of the first day of the latest edition
of the Farnborough Airshow. The company’s CEO Alessandro
Profumo participated in the Aerospace Global Forum on the
sidelines of the show, and then talked to few select journalists.
“We want to be a company that is solid, global and driver of
innovation” said Profumo, describing the company’s strategic
vision for the next ten years. Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo
Innovation, will include the flight of an advanced
“We are in full execution of the strategic plan. In the past two uncrewed VTOL prototype referred to by the UK
years, our growth was based on two principles: on the one hand MOD as “Proteus”.
an international strategy of mergers & acquisition, allowing the The award supports the company’s strategic goal
optimization and strengthening our business portfolio; on the for its site in Yeovil, Somerset, already the ‘Home
other hand, a strong push towards advanced and transformative of British Helicopters’, to expand and also become
solutions in both our core business and in new areas,” he said. the UK’s hub for uncrewed military VTOL aircraft.
In the UK, Leonardo is a close partner of the MOD
“I see opportunities in all our market segments. We continue and has already invested substantially in uncrewed
to look for export customers for our Eurofighter program. The military capabilities onshore. In Yeovil, the special-
second area for aircraft is training—not only our aircraft but also ised helicopter design and engineering skills have
our International Flight Training School (IFTS), which has been made the site a focus for uncrewed systems.
a success. So those fit with two needs: the demand for fighters
and the demand for pilots. We also have a role on the F-35 with “Leonardo is the only company in Europe able
the final assembly and check out facility.” to provide complete solutions by designing and
developing all the elements of uncrewed systems:
What About Helicopters?
platforms, sensors, mission systems, control sta-
“We are strong in helicopters, with our AW family and our military tions and offer customers a certified low risk, high
helicopters, including the NH90, AW101, the AW 159 and of course effective, fully integrated capability. The continu-
the AW149 multirole helo. We are also in the process of certifying ous development and integration of cutting-edge
the AW609,” he said. Leonardo recently announced that Poland solutions across all domains of remotely piloted
has signed a US$1.82 billion contract to acquire 32 AW149 heli- and autonomous/semi-autonomous systems
copters, and the company has established an assembly line in and technologies is a key element of Leonardo’s
Poland to support Warsaw’s acquisition deal. The Polish order is BeTomorrow2030 Strategic Plan,” Profumo said.
the first AW149 deal to be formally declared by Leonardo.
Leonardo is also pitching the AW149 for the UK’s £1.2 billion Company’s Performance
(US$1.5 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement. “The Leonardo is well-positioned for increased military
production of the AW149 could also be transferred out of Italy spending, after reporting a first-quarter rise in
should the type be chosen by the UK,” he said. The company has orders and core profit, according to its 2022 fore-
already begun establishing a production line at its Yeovil plant in cast. A potential increase in spending after Russia’s
the UK for the AW149 and could be in a position by year-end to invasion of Ukraine could add to growth estimates.
begin building the super-medium-class platform at the facility. The company is forecasting 15 billion euros in new
Profumo also indicated that it may soon stop production of the orders and an EBITA of 1.18-1.22 billion euros at the
AW 149 helicopters in Italy in a bid to concentrate on the order end of this year. Leonardo closed the first half of
from Poland and potentially the UK. 2022 with revenues of EUR6.576 billion and show a
positive trend (+ 4 per cent) compared to the first
Proteus Demonstration Flight half of 2021 (EUR6.3 billion), mainly thanks to the
This July the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Equipment performance of the helicopters. The company’s
and Support (DE&S) Future Capability Group (FCG) awarded net profit rose to EUR267 million (US$271.3 million),
a four-year contract valued at EUR71 million (£60 million) to from EUR177 million a year earlier. ‘The solid results
Leonardo to deliver the Rotary Wing Uncrewed Air System of the first half allow us to confirm the guidance
(RWUAS) Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP), “RWUAS for 2022, Profumo said. “We already have a very
CCD Phase 3 TDP”. This programme funded through Defence important growth plan ... everything that arrives
will come on top of this,” he added.
FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW 2022 AUGUST 2022 7