Boeing and Leonardo will pursue collectively the U.S. Military’s Flight College Subsequent contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) contract.
Boeing and Leonardo introduced a brand new partnership to collectively pursue the U.S. Military’s Flight College Subsequent contract, a serious program that can outline the way forward for the Military’s rotary-wing pilot coaching. The collaboration, introduced on Oct. 13, 2025, in the course of the Affiliation of the U.S. Military (AUSA) Annual Assembly in Washington, brings collectively Boeing’s deep expertise in Military aviation providers with Leonardo’s field-proven AW119T coaching helicopter.
In accordance with each corporations’ press releases, the partnership will supply a contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) answer designed to ship an environment friendly, scalable and high-readiness coaching system for brand new Military aviators. Boeing will present programs integration, simulation, and program administration experience, whereas Leonardo contributes its mature AW119T platform, already in service because the U.S. Navy’s TH-73A Thrasher coach.
“We’re bringing collectively two trade leaders to supply the Military a turnkey, revolutionary method to rotary-wing coaching with an built-in, long-term answer that will increase aviator proficiency, operational and sustainment efficiencies and delivers measurable worth all through the lifetime of this system,” mentioned John Chicoli, Senior Director for U.S. Military, Marines & Particular Operations/Missions at Boeing International Companies.
A Confirmed Coaching Platform
Leonardo’s AW119T serves because the core of the proposed coaching system. The plane’s design contains crashworthy gasoline programs and seating, and it helps full landing autorotations and in-flight emergency coaching, that are key necessities for navy helicopter pilot coaching.
The only-engine helicopter has amassed greater than 100,000 flight hours, together with over 16,000 hours underneath instrument flight guidelines (IFR) and 40,000 landing autorotations, say each corporations, demonstrating its suitability for superior flight instruction.
Leonardo already sustains a fleet of 130 AW119T plane, designated as TH-73 Thrasher, operated by the U.S. Navy close to Fort Rucker, Alabama, the place the Military’s coaching helicopters are based mostly. Ought to the service select the AW119T, this could permit for instant logistical synergies and sooner responsiveness, exploiting the work finished with the Navy.
“The AW119T is a confirmed platform that already helps U.S. navy coaching daily. With greater than 100,000 flight hours amassed and a sustainment community in place in Florida, Leonardo and Boeing are uniquely positioned to ship instant functionality and long-term worth to the Military by Flight College Subsequent,” mentioned Clyde Woltman, CEO of Leonardo Helicopters U.S.
Turnkey, Scalable Coaching Strategy
The joint proposal emphasizes a complete “turnkey” coaching bundle, together with airframes, simulators, upkeep, spare elements, validated coaching curricula, and certified instructors. In accordance with the businesses, this system shall be structured round a proficiency-based, phase-driven mannequin that blends in-aircraft coaching with superior simulation and digital teacher pilot applied sciences.
Moreover, cloud-based progress monitoring would allow adaptive coaching tailor-made to every pupil’s tempo. This and the brand new coaching program will permit to maximise flight hours and enhance the coaching output.
The partnership additionally highlights operational efficiencies by automated logistics, optimized upkeep scheduling, and adaptive coaching calendars to mitigate climate and daylight impacts. Boeing and Leonardo say these efficiencies will maximize plane utilization and maintain readiness all through the lifetime of the contract.
Leveraging Complementary Strengths
Each corporations carry distinct but complementary expertise to the desk. Boeing International Companies gives worldwide coaching and mission system help for the AH-64 Apache fleet, together with reside, digital, and constructive simulation, cockpit process trainers, and teacher growth applications. Leonardo, in the meantime, has intensive manufacturing and sustainment infrastructure for the AW119T and its variants within the U.S., together with a completely operational help facility and manufacturing capability to satisfy future Military demand.
It could even be not the primary time the 2 corporations work collectively, as the 2 have already got “a tried and trusted relationship” by previous protection collaborations, such because the U.S. Air Drive MH-139 Gray Wolf program. Boeing’s Turbo Sjogren, Vice President and Common Supervisor of Authorities Companies, famous in feedback reported by Aviation Week: “Our providers enterprise brings scale and leverage that we will definitely carry to bear.”
Leonardo’s Andrew Gappy, Vice President for U.S. Authorities Packages, additional advised Aviation Week that Boeing’s entry into the staff was pushed by the service nature of the upcoming contract: “We’re not a confirmed service supplier like Boeing International Companies is … We all know we have now the proper plane and coaching answer, however we would have liked somebody with a confirmed document with the Military.”
A part of a Broader Modernization Effort
The Flight College Subsequent competitors represents a serious transformation in how the U.S. Military trains its rotary-wing aviators. At present, the Military depends on the twin-engine UH-72A Lakota for main coaching, which changed the older OH-58 Kiowa, however the service is looking for a cheaper and practical single-engine alternative to higher develop pilots’ basic flying expertise.
As Protection Information reported, inner Military research, carried out with the Boston Consulting Group and the School of William & Mary, decided that transitioning to a single-engine platform and a COCO mannequin may save “lots of of tens of millions of {dollars}” whereas bettering coaching outcomes. The Military plans to subject a closing request for proposals in 2026, with implementation anticipated in fiscal yr 2027.
