The US State Department has approved a $120-million sale of AgustaWestland TH-73A Thrasher military training helicopters to the Philippines.
The package includes a simulator, spare engines, fuel tanks, avionics, flight management systems, and related accessories, in addition to the rotorcraft.
Also included are technical documentation, commercial and personnel training equipment, integration and test support, and logistics services.
As part of the deal, US government and contractor representatives will be deployed to the Philippines for three years to assist with familiarization, fielding, and training.
Washington noted that Manila’s incoming fleet will serve as a primary asset for preparing rotary-wing aviators to face “current and future threats.”
The acquisition will also support America’s foreign policy and national security goals by strengthening the capabilities of its “strategic partner,” which plays a key role in promoting “political stability, peace, and economic progress” in Southeast Asia.
The Thrasher Airframe
The TH-73A Thrasher is currently used as a rotary-wing and tiltrotor aircraft training platform by the US Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
Through 2050, around 130 Thrashers will be delivered by industry partner Leonardo to replace the US military’s aging Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger fleet, in service since the 1960s.
The Thrasher measures 43 feet (13 meters) in length, with a rotor diameter of 36 feet (11 meters), and can carry up to five people including the pilot.
It is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A turboshaft engine, offering a range of 498 nautical miles (573 miles/922 kilometers) and a cruising speed of 131 knots (151 miles/243 kilometers per hour).
The system has a service ceiling of over 11,800 feet (3,597 meters) and an endurance of five hours.
