Agusta A129 Mangusta

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A129 Mangusta
Agusta A129 Mangusta at Air 04, Payerne, Switzerland
Type Attack helicopter
Manufacturer AgustaWestland
Maiden flight 1983-09-15
Status Active service
Primary user Italian Army
Produced 1980s-present
Number built 60

The Agusta A129 Mangusta (Mongoose) is an attack helicopter manufactured by Agusta (part of AgustaWestland) of Italy. It is the first attack helicopter to be designed and produced wholly in Western Europe.

Contents

The A129 Mangusta was developed to provide an anti-tank attack helicopter for the Italian Army. An export version, the A129 International, is a lower-cost helicopter with added firepower and upgraded avionics.

Design of the A129 began in 1978. The first of five Mangusta prototypes performed its initial official flight on 15 September 1983, and the fifth prototype first flew in March 1986.

The A129 can be used in the anti-armour, armed reconnaissance, ground attack, escort, fire support and anti-aircraft roles.

In the anti-armour role, the helicopter can carry either Hellfire or TOW missiles, or a mixture of both. The A129 can also be equipped with 81 mm or 70 mm (2.75 in) in unguided rockets and has a three-barrel 20 mm cannon in a turret mounted under its nose.

For the anti-aircraft role, Stinger or Mistral missiles can be carried.

The A129 is equipped with autonomous navigation and night vision systems in order to provide both day/night and all-weather combat capabilities.

The new 15-passenger AgustaWestland AW139 utility helicopter is designed around the transmission of the A129.[citation needed]

In the Australian Army's AIR 87 project to acquire Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters, the Agusta A129, Boeing-Mesa's Apache and the Eurocopter's Tiger were short-listed from the six original tenders. In December of 2001 it was announced that the contract was awarded to the Eurocopter Tiger.[1]

T129 views
T129 views

Turkey announced on 30 March 2007 that it has decided to negotiate with AgustaWestland to purchase 52 A129 helicopters. Based on the A129 International, they will be assembled in Turkey as the T129. The deal is reported to be worth $3 Billion.[2] The T129 has several key improvements over the original A129 in line with the requirements of the Turkish Army:[3]

  • The T129 will carry 12 Roketsan developed UMTAS anti-tank missiles (Turkish indigenous development similar to Hellfire II) Page 46, Defense Technology International September 2007;
  • More powerful LHTEC T800 engines have increased the maximum hovering altitude by 20%;
  • Two launchers for Stinger AA missiles (a total of 4 can be carried) have been added to the exterior sides of the pylons;
  • Mast radar, similar to that of Apache Longbow but based on IAI/ELTA's (Israel) surveillance and targeting radar with SAR and ISAR capability, has been added on the top of the rotor. The radar can identify land and sea targets from at least 30 kilometres.

The Italian Army is currently (2007) the sole A129 operator and is equipped with 45 A129 Mangusta versions and has ordered another 15 A129 International versions. The Agusta A129 CBT (combat configuration) version in Italian service is based on the International, but retains the original Gem engines (see above). The first A129CBTs were delivered in October 2002. In January 2002, AgustaWestland was awarded a contract to upgrade the first 45 A129 Mangusta versions to the multi-role Agusta A129 CBT standard.

In Italian service, the Mangusta has successfully deployed with UN missions to former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Somalia and Angola. Three helicopters were deployed in Iraq before the Italian expedition's withdrawal. Also, some are now being shipped to Afghanistan, to reinforce the Italian Army there, which has only infantry units without Italian air support.

Agusta A129 Mangusta
Agusta A129 Mangusta

  • A129 Mangusta: Original production version, powered by two Rolls-Royce Gem 2 turboshafts.
  • A129 International: Upgraded version with five-bladed rotor, nose turret, support for Hellfire and Stinger missiles, advanced avionics equipment and two LHTEC T800 turboshafts.
  • A129 CBT(ComBaT): Upgraded version for the Italian army that incorporates the same advances as the A129 International version, but retains the original Gem turboshaft engines (although an uprated transmission system is fitted). It is reported that the cockpit layout is simpler than that of the A129 International.
  • T129: New Turkish attack helicopter based on the A129 International; will be assembled in Turkey.

  • A129 LBH: A multipurpose assault helicopter version with a structure completely different from the standard A129s, having space for carrying eight soldiers in addition to the two crew. (The acronym LBH stands for Light Battlefield Helicopter.)
  • A129 Multi-Role Proposed version, not built.
  • A129 Scout: Proposed reconnaissance version, not built.
  • A129 Shipboard: Proposed naval version, not built.
  • A129 Tonal: In 1986, the governments of Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate an improved version of the A129, called the Joint European Helicopter Tonal. (The designation "Tonal" was derived from the name of an Aztec deity.) The Tonal was to have more powerful engines, a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, improved sensors and more powerful armament. However, the project collapsed in 1990 when Britain and the Netherlands decided to obtain the AH-64 Apache instead. Spain has since acquired the Eurocopter Tiger.

Data from Augusta Westland A129 Technical Data[4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2: pilot and weapon systems officer
  • Length: 12.28 m (40 ft 3 in)
  • Rotor diameter: 11.90 m (39 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 3.35 m (11 ft 0 in)
  • Disc area: 444.9 m² (4,789 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 2,530 kg (5,575 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 4,600 kg (10,140 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2× Rolls-Royce Gem 2-1004D (license built by Piaggio) turboshafts, 664 kW (890 shp) each
  • Propellers: four blade rotor

Performance

Armament

  • Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) three-barrel gatling-type cannon (500 rounds) (only CBT version)
  • Rockets: 4 pods with
    • 38× 81 mm (3.19 in) unguided rockets or
    • 76× 70 mm (2.75 in) unguided rockets or
    • 12.7 mm machine gun-pod
  • Missiles:

Data from Augusta Westland A129 Technical Data[4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2: pilot and weapon systems officer
  • Length: 12.62 m (41 ft 5 in)
  • Rotor diameter: 11.90 m (39 ft 1 in)
  • Height: 3.35 m (11 ft 0 in)
  • Disc area: 444.9 m² (4,789 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 2,530 kg (5,580 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 5,100 kg (11,245 lb)
  • Powerplant: 2× LHTEC T800-LHT-800 turboshafts, 1,024 kW (1,373 shp) each
  • Propellers: five blade rotor

Performance

Armament

  • Guns: 1× 20 mm (0.787 in) three-barrel gatling-type cannon (500 rounds)
  • Rockets: 4 pods with
    • 38× 81 mm (3.19 in) unguided rockets or
    • 76× 70 mm (2.75 in) unguided rockets or
    • 12.7 mm machine gun-pod
  • Missiles:

  1. ^ Australian Department of Defence, DMO AIR 87 - Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters Project
  2. ^ Agusta wins Turkish attack helicopter contract
  3. ^ Verification on T-129 and modifications
  4. ^ a b Augusta Westland official site

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Related development

Comparable aircraft

Designation sequence

A.109 - A.115 - A.119 - A.129 - AW139 - AW149

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