North Macedonia Signs Contract to Buy Leonardo AW149, AW169M Helicopters

North Macedonia has finalized a contract valued at almost €250 million with Leonardo Helicopters to supply four AW149 and AW169M helicopters each.

The agreement was signed by Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska and Leonardo Vice President Cesare Cacha in Skopje on March 26. Under the agreement, the aviation brigade of the Macedonian Army will be equipped with Italian-made helicopters.

North Macedonia announced its intention to purchase helicopters through a government-to-government agreement on January 22. Following the completion of negotiations and the identification of the necessary aircraft mission equipment, the Parliamentary Defense and Security Committee allocated a budget of approximately €250 million ($270 million) to the signed agreement.

The Ministry of Defense of North Macedonia announced that, in addition to taking delivery of new helicopters between August 2026 and the end of 2028, the contract also includes an in-service support package, simulator, personnel training, and the construction of a new hangar at Petrovec air base.

However, no details regarding the selected mission equipment have been made public, and it is unknown whether the aircraft will be armed. The helicopters will be used to replace the Mil Mi-8/17s and Mi-24V attack helicopters used for transport/attack purposes.

This contract, representing the largest defense purchase by North Macedonia, is the result of a process initiated in 2019. Other types evaluated during an evaluation activity were Airbus Helicopters H145M, H215M, and H225M, Bell 412M, and Sikorsky/PZL Mielec UH-60M/S-70 Black Hawk.