Photos Algerian People's National Armed Forces

[Chakib Larbi]

Algerian army Buk-M2E shot down an Akıncı drone belonging to the Malian Air Force that had crossed the southern Algerian border...


Algerian Ministry of Defense statement


Shooting down an armed drone that violated national borders As part of efforts to protect our national borders, a unit of the Territorial Air Defense of the 6th Military Region, on the night of April 1, 2025, around midnight, detected and shot down an armed reconnaissance drone near the border town of Tin Zaouatine in the 6th Military Region, after it had penetrated airspace for a distance of 2 kilometers. This qualitative operation confirms once again the high vigilance and constant readiness of the National People's Army units to protect our land, air, and sea borders from any threat to national sovereign

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[Chakib Larbi]

Algeria orders 3 AW-159 Wildcat helicopters for its navy​

After news broke that a North African country had contracted for this helicopter in March 2023, which was expected to be Egypt, it recently emerged that the unknown customer for the Wildcat is none other than the Algerian Navy, which has ordered three of these helicopters to bolster its fleet of ASuW/ASW helicopters, which are expected to be delivered by 2027.


Leonardo Helicopters continues to assess the future of its AW159 Wildcat programme in light of a dwindling backlog and a challenging sales environment.
At present, the airframer is building three examples for Algeria, its only outstanding customer for the naval helicopter.
Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters, says the AW159 is “suffering” as additional orders are “not easy” to realise.

Although the company is pursuing “a couple of opportunities”, with the exception of a requirement from New Zealand, “none of these are really hot” and do not involve “big numbers”.

Wellington is seeking a replacement for its navy’s fleet of eight Kaman SH-2G Seasprites from 2027.

“That’s why I believe if something doesn’t happen in terms of material orders, that’s something we got to think about,” he said, speaking to FlightGlobal at the Verticon event in Dallas.

Deliveries to Algeria are scheduled to complete around 2027 but Cutillo says the manufacturer will have to “decide a bit sooner” on the Wildcat’s future.

“We are not going to wait. It is one of the strategic items we have got on the table.”

The Algerian deal saw Leonardo Helicopters restart AW159 production following a break after the completition of previous export deals.

But Cutillo says the effort required to reactivate the line and its supply chain, particularly if order volumes are low, increases the cost of the helicopter, “making it really out of the market”.

A complicating factor for Leonardo Helicopters is the need to support the UK’s Wildcat fleet in the future.

Its domestic customer operates 62 examples, split between the British Army (34) and Royal Navy (28).

“We have important obligations towards that. We are trying to understand with the customer how we sustainably support that,” says Cutillo.

Besides the Wildcat, the Yeovil factory also builds the larger AW101 Merlin, which has in recent years benefited from orders for new helicopters from Poland and Norway, plus work to support mid-life upgrade (MLU) activities for Canada and Italy.

However, with the bulk of the MLU work set to transfer to those countries, Leonardo Helicopters is banking on new programmes to support Yeovil’s long-term future.

Negotiations with the UK Ministry of Defence on the New Medium Helicopter requirement are ongoing. If successfully concluded, this would see the AW149 built at Yeovil.

Additionally, the Proteus uncrewed helicopter – currently a demonstrator – could offer another workstream for the site if it becomes a production programme.

Nonetheless, with final assembly and test activities representing around 25% of Yeovil’s turnover, there remains a question about its long-term future if new business does not emerge.

Cutillo says the company is not considering “this worst-case scenario”, adding: “At this stage it does not feel realistic.

“But in a couple of years from now, without any products, we will have to take extraordinary action,” he says.

Leonardo mulls Wildcat’s future amid dwindling backlog

Leonardo Helicopters continues to assess the future of its AW159 Wildcat programme in light of a dwindling backlog and a challenging sales environment.

www.flightglobal.com

Previous news regarding the deal that was believed to be for Egypt

Leonardo Helicopters chief upbeat on Yeovil prospects as new contracts land

Leonardo Helicopters managing director Gian Piero Cutillo believes the company's UK site in Yeovil will remain a "centre of excellence" for the company, amid an expansion of its production footprint elsewhere.

www.flightglobal.com