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last mo.

HeliOperations Prepares AW139 Deployment at Portland After £41m Royal Navy Contract Award

Building new hangar facilities at Portland, the Dorset-based SME is integrating two AW139 helicopters ahead of spring 2026 operations.

Image
HeliOperations Sea King HU5 XV666 at RNAS Yeovilton in 2018. This airframe, known during its UK service as 'Damien', was later transferred to Ukraine. (Image credit: author)
A HeliOperations AW139 helicopter. Credit: © HeliOperations.

Overview

  • DE&S awarded HeliOperations a five-year, £41 million Fleet Helicopter Support Unit contract to replace the existing Dauphin N2 with two Leonardo AW139s.
  • The company has hired crews and begun technical set-up and hangar construction at the former RNAS Portland to support its transition phase.
  • Initial operating capability is scheduled for spring 2026, when the AW139s will provide maritime rotary wing support for Fleet Operational Standards and Training and ship personnel transfers.
  • The contract supports regional economic growth by creating 15 new jobs and sustaining 80 existing positions in south-west England.
  • Options within the agreement allow for extensions through 2036, potentially increasing its value to £68 million.