More Than 100 Attend Ceremony At Naval Support Activity Philadelphia

Leonardo announced the 100th delivery of the TH-73A Thrasher helicopter to the U.S. Navy on September 17.

The milestone was celebrated at the Naval Support Activity Philadelphia base in northeastern Philadelphia’s Lawncrest neighborhood. Attendees included Vice Admiral Daniel L. Cheever, Commander, Naval Forces/Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering, Deputy Commandant for Aviation for the U.S. Marine Corps.

In addition, more than 100 dignitaries from government, military, and nonprofit institutions were in attendance.

The Navy in 2020 selected the helicopter, an advanced IFR rated version of the commercial AW119Kx to replace its aging fleet of TH-57B/C Sea Rangers as its primary training helicopter to produce the next generation of rotary and tilt-rotor pilots for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

Clyde Woltman, Chief Executive Officer of Leonardo Helicopters U.S. said, “We are thrilled to deliver the 100th TH-73 to our esteemed U.S. Navy partners. This production milestone is a testament to all the collaboration and hard work between our organizations, and we remain focused on preparing for the fleet’s readiness for decades to come."

Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters commented, “We’re proud to continue to provide our contribution to the Navy as it aims at delivering the highest level of quality for their next generation naval aviators’ training.”

FMI:  www.leonardo.com/en/