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# UK awards Leonardo GBP 1 billion contract for 23 AW149 helicopters
- URL: https://sovereigntymonitor.eu/news/2026-03-02-uk-leonardo-aw149-contract/
- Published: 2026-03-02T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-01T10:51:03.000Z
- Description: The UK Ministry of Defence awarded Leonardo UK a GBP 1 billion contract for 23 AW149 helicopters under the New Medium Helicopter programme, replacing the retired Puma fleet and moving AW149 export production to Leonardo's Yeovil site.
- Author: Reidar Balstad
- Tags: Defence and space, Industry, investment and R&D, #news, #verified

Verified [UK government (gov.uk) press release, 2 March 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/billion-pound-helicopter-deal-secures-3300-british-jobs-boosts-battlefield-kit-and-unlocks-up-to-15billion-in-ukexports?ref=sovereigntymonitor.eu)

**What it does not test.** Does not establish that any helicopter has been delivered; production and rollout follow over subsequent years.

**How this item counts.** Towards autonomy: it changes who made the parts. Binding 2 of 3 (agreed or funded), scale 2 of 3 (medium), Verified counts in full: weight +4 of 36 possible. GBP1bn contract moves AW149 export production to UK (Yeovil) site. [European Sovereignty Index](https://sovereigntymonitor.eu/sovereignty-index/)