The AW-109 is a three-tonne light twin-engine helicopter family built by AgustaWestland and Leonardo. Armed and utility AW109 variants are documented in Philippine close-support and reconnaissance missions at Marawi and in Nigerian Air Force Operation Lafiya Dole mobility, patrol, evacuation, and support missions during the Boko Haram insurgency.
Philippine Air Force AW-109 attack helicopters were used extensively during the five-month 2017 Battle of Marawi, while Philippine Navy AW-109 helicopters were separately reported on reconnaissance and air-strike missions supporting ground troops.
Nigerian Air Force Agusta 109 LUH/A109 LUH helicopters were listed among Operation Lafiya Dole aircraft and reported in Chibok-related extraction, liaison, casualty evacuation, tactical airlift, logistics, and patrol missions during Boko Haram counter-insurgency operations.
The AW109 military configurations represented here use the same light twin-engine helicopter family for armed support, reconnaissance, maritime security, air mobility, casualty evacuation, and training roles.
The Philippine Air Force AW109 Power contract specified homeland security, armed reconnaissance, close-support duties, and a mission package with weapon systems.
Leonardo's AW109 TrekkerM material lists optional defensive aids, multi-band radios, EO/IR equipment, searchlight, loudspeakers, FLIR, hoist, cargo hook, and internal or external weapons.
Thales Belgium documents A109 LUH compatibility with the FZ231 12-tube 70 mm rocket launcher and FZ90 rocket motor family.
This entry covers the AW109/A109 family as fielded in armed and military utility configurations rather than every civil GrandNew or Trekker derivative.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| AW109E Power | Three-tonne light twin armed and utility configuration | Leonardo's Philippine Air Force release identifies the ordered aircraft as AW109 Power light twin-engine helicopters with an armed mission package. |
| A109LUH | Light utility helicopter configuration | Nigerian Air Force reporting and fleet references identify A109 LUH/A109LUH aircraft in Nigerian service and in Operation Lafiya Dole support missions. Sources: NAF Acquires Sophisticated Attack Helicopters, A109LUH in Nigerian Air Force |
| AW109 TrekkerM | Military version of the AW109 Trekker | Leonardo describes the TrekkerM as a military AW109 variant for battlefield, maritime, and training missions with optional mission equipment and weapons. Sources: AW109 TrekkerM military helicopter |
| AW109 Power armed configuration | Philippine Air Force armed configuration | Philippine Air Force AW-109 attack helicopters were documented in Marawi-related maintenance reporting, and Balikatan imagery shows the rocket and machine-gun-pod armed fit; AW109AH appears as an image/file designation rather than a formal Leonardo variant in the sources checked. Sources: 2 PAF AW-109 attack choppers up for maintenance, AW109 - RMP Pod (Balikatan 2016).JPG |
Thales Belgium shows the AW109 family fitted with the FZ231 12-tube 70 mm rocket launcher on the A109 LUH page.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Composite 70 mm rocket launcher | Thales Belgium's A109 LUH compatibility page shows the AW109 family fitted with FZ231 12-tube lightweight composite rocket launchers. Sources: A109 LUH compatibility page |
Thales Belgium documents the AW109 family with 70 mm rocket launcher fit suitable for guided and unguided rounds.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Laser-guided 70 mm rocket | Thales' A109 LUH compatibility page shows the AW109 family fitted with the FZ231 launcher, and the FZ275 LGR page says the rocket can be fired from standard FZ rocket launchers and integrated on rotary-wing platforms. Sources: A109 LUH compatibility page, Laser guided rocket FZ275 LGR |
Thales Belgium's A109 LUH compatibility page also lists the FZ90 rocket motor within the AW109 family's 70 mm rocket system.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | 70 mm rocket motor | Thales Belgium lists A109 LUH variants fitted with FZ231 12-tube lightweight composite rocket launchers and the FZ90 rocket motor in the 70 mm system. Sources: A109 LUH compatibility page |
GlobalSecurity lists TOW and HOT among the A109's antitank missile options.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Anti-tank guided missile | GlobalSecurity lists TOW among the A109's antitank missile options. Sources: GlobalSecurity A109 specifications |
 | Anti-tank guided missile | GlobalSecurity's A109 specifications page lists HOT among the helicopter's antitank missile options. Sources: GlobalSecurity A109 specifications |
GlobalSecurity lists Mistral among the AW-109's air-to-air missile options.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Short-range air-to-air missile | GlobalSecurity lists Mistral among the AW-109's air-to-air missile options. Sources: GlobalSecurity A109 specifications |
AgustaWestland announced a Philippine Air Force contract for eight AW109 Power light twin-engine helicopters configured for homeland security, armed reconnaissance, close support, and weapons-system missions.
Sources: AW1101 Philippine Air Force AW109 Power
Philippine News Agency later reported that the first two Philippine Air Force attack AW-109s were commissioned on August 17, 2015, with the remaining six accepted in December 2015.
Sources: 2 PAF AW-109 attack choppers up for maintenance
Nigerian Air Force activity reporting listed Agusta 109 LUH/E among aircraft used in 2016 operations and named A109 LUH participation in liaison and Chibok extraction missions.
Sources: NAF Acquires Sophisticated Attack Helicopters
Philippine government reporting documented Air Force AW-109 attack helicopters and Navy AW-109 combat utility and attack helicopters in the five-month 2017 Battle of Marawi.
Sources: 2 PAF AW-109 attack choppers up for maintenance, Newly-acquired Navy assets deployed in Marawi siege
