Philippine Navy to increase anti-submarine patrols with six more AW159 Wildcat helicopters.

According to MaxDefense Philippines on July 10, 2025, the Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) has confirmed that the second phase of the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Helicopter Acquisition Project for the Philippine Navy will proceed, as part of an updated Procurement Monitoring Report. This procurement method restricts the acquisition to platforms already present in the Navy’s inventory, removing the possibility of a public tender that could introduce an entirely different model. The current plan involves the procurement of six helicopters with a total project cost of ₱42,290,538,180.00 ($749 million). While a final funding decision is pending, the selected contractor is likely to be Leonardo, supplier of the AW159 Wildcat helicopters already operated by the Philippine Navy.
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The Wildcat's standard naval armament includes Martlet lightweight missiles, Sea Venom anti-ship missiles, Sting Ray or Blue Shark torpedoes, and Mk.11 depth charges, although configurations vary by user. (Picture source: British Navy)

The Philippine Navy's decision to expand its fleet of AW159 Wildcats comes despite previous internal concerns over after-sales support from Leonardo. However, operational compatibility, platform standardization, and deck space limitations aboard Philippine Navy vessels appear to have influenced the preference for the same helicopter model rather than shifting to a different type. The existing two AW159 helicopters, assigned to José Rizal-class frigates, are not sufficient to support the Navy's increasing number of surface combatants, which now include two Miguel Malvar-class frigates (with two more planned), six Rajah Sulayman-class patrol vessels, and two José Rizal-class frigates. Additional Wildcats would provide coverage across these platforms while ensuring aircraft availability during maintenance periods. The compact footprint of the AW159 allows deployment aboard the Navy’s smaller ships, unlike heavier platforms such as the MH-60R Seahawk that would require deck reinforcement and structural adjustments. Although it remains unclear whether the Phase 2 procurement will be finalized within the year, the project’s processing stage is more advanced than that of the Frigate Phase 2 acquisition, whose procurement mode and ToR have yet to be approved, despite internal efforts to have the frigate contract signed before the end of 2025.

Phase 1 of the ASW Helicopter Acquisition Project began under the Horizon 1 component of the Revised AFP Modernization Program. After an initial public announcement on 24 February 2014, the procurement moved forward with a two-stage public bidding. The only compliant offer came from AgustaWestland (now Leonardo), proposing the AW159 Wildcat naval helicopter. The competing bid from PT Dirgantara Indonesia and Airbus Helicopters, offering the AS565MBe Panther, was declared non-compliant due to failure to meet technical requirements. A Notice of Award was issued to AgustaWestland on 17 March 2016, and the contract was signed on 29 March 2016, valued at ₱5,362,762,748.56. The acquisition included two AW159 Mk.220 helicopters, Rafael Spike-NLOS air-to-surface missiles, LIGNex1 K745 Blue Shark lightweight torpedoes, Thales Compact FLASH dipping sonar, and other associated systems. These helicopters were delivered to the Philippines on 7 May 2019 after being transported in semi-disassembled condition by Antonov An-124 aircraft from Leonardo’s UK facility to Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Reassembly and testing were conducted at Danilo Atienza Air Base. The helicopters received Philippine tail numbers 440 and 441, replacing their temporary British registrations ZZ549 and ZZ550, respectively.

The Philippine Navy’s AW159s are operated by Naval Air Wing Squadron MH-40. Prior to delivery, both aircraft underwent pre-delivery inspection in the UK, which included participation from Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad and officials from the DND. These helicopters became the first ASW-capable aircraft in the Philippine Navy, marking the reintroduction of this capability after decades of absence. They were delivered alongside Spike NLOS missiles from Rafael and Blue Shark torpedoes from LIGNex1 by November 2019, completing the Phase 1 project. Since induction, the Wildcats have been tested for shipboard integration, including deck landing qualifications aboard BRP José Rizal and, more recently, aboard BRP Miguel Malvar. On 25 May 2025, Congressman Arnan Panaligan published imagery showing an AW159 aboard BRP Miguel Malvar equipped with a Spike NLOS box launcher. This indicates the helicopter's operational deployment with anti-ship missile capability, extending its function beyond traditional submarine-hunting roles. The helicopter-missile pairing enables over-the-horizon targeting, consistent with distributed lethality doctrines and increasing emphasis on long-range maritime precision strike capabilities.

The AW159 Wildcat is based on the earlier Super Lynx and was developed by AgustaWestland under the UK Ministry of Defence’s Future Lynx program. Production began following a £1 billion contract awarded in June 2006 for 70 aircraft, later reduced to 62. The Wildcat incorporates 95% new components and was designed for a 12,000-hour service life. It is powered by two LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft engines, each generating 1,361 horsepower, and uses BERP IV rotor blades to enable a maximum takeoff weight of 6,000 kg. It has a top speed of 311 km/h, a range of 777 km, and a ferry range of 963 km. Endurance can be extended to four and a half hours with auxiliary fuel tanks. Its avionics suite includes the Thales Compact FLASH sonar, Wescam MX-15Di EO/IR sensor, and the Seaspray 7400E AESA radar. The cockpit features four multifunction displays and digital open architecture compatible with General Dynamics and BAE Systems mission processors. The Bowman communication system enables secure voice and data links. Defensive systems include missile approach warning, infrared exhaust suppressors, and countermeasure dispensers.

The Wildcat's standard naval armament includes Thales Martlet lightweight missiles, MBDA Sea Venom anti-ship missiles, Sting Ray or Blue Shark torpedoes, and Mk.11 depth charges, although configurations vary by user. The UK Royal Navy's HMA2 version omits dipping sonar, relying instead on external data sources, whereas the Philippine and South Korean variants include FLASH sonar and Blue Shark torpedoes. South Korea selected the AW159 in 2013 for its Navy’s MOH Batch 1 requirement and received eight units fitted with Seaspray radar and Spike NLOS missiles. These aircraft operate from Incheon-class frigates and are used for both anti-surface and anti-submarine missions. South Korean operational profiles show up to three hours endurance with sonar alone, two hours with sonar and one torpedo, or one hour with sonar and two torpedoes. The Philippines became the second export customer, with deliveries completed in May 2019. Algeria signed a contract in 2022 for three Wildcats to be deployed aboard C28A Adhafer-class corvettes, equipped with MU90 torpedoes, FLASH sonar, and LMMs, as confirmed by Leonardo in 2025.

The future of the AW159 production line remains uncertain. Leonardo has not secured major follow-on orders beyond the Philippine and Algerian contracts. Managing Director Gian Piero Cutillo stated that the company is evaluating other opportunities, including a possible replacement of New Zealand’s SH-2G(I) fleet by 2027, but acknowledged that current volumes are low and maintaining production for small batches raises per-unit costs. The Yeovil facility, where the AW159 is produced, is currently sustained by other programs such as the UK’s New Medium Helicopter initiative and potential production of the uncrewed Proteus demonstrator. Final assembly and testing operations represent around 25% of Yeovil’s turnover. Leonardo is also working with the UK Ministry of Defence to define long-term support arrangements for the domestic Wildcat fleet, which includes 62 aircraft split between the British Army and Royal Navy. No immediate plans for line closure have been announced, but a lack of orders beyond 2027 may require strategic decisions in the near future.

In parallel with the AW159 expansion, the Philippine Armed Forces continues a broad acquisition strategy under Horizon 3. This reportedly includes the delivery of twelve FA-50 aircraft signed on 2 June 2025, twelve recommended L39NG SkyFox trainers, two aerial refueling tankers, up to two AWACS platforms, two additional frigates with ₱43 billion in funding, two corvettes for FY 2026, additional shore-based and surface-to-air missile systems, 12 units of 155mm/52 self-propelled howitzers, and ten additional fast attack interdiction craft. The Navy is also preparing to inspect up to six Abukuma-class ships in Japan in August. The procurement of six more AW159s, if finalized, will align the Navy’s aviation capabilities with the expansion of its surface fleet and meet the rotational requirements of shipboard helicopter deployment. With the contract process already more advanced than other parallel programs, the acquisition could be completed before year-end, depending on funding approval and contract award. If awarded to Leonardo, deliveries could begin within the following three years, bringing the Philippine Navy’s Wildcat fleet to eight units.