During this unprecedented health emergency in Italy, Leonardo, which is among the top 10 world players in aerospace, defense and security, is continuing to provide resources and people in support of national institutions’ management and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leonardo has undertaken a series of solidarity initiatives to support the efforts made by people who are working to guarantee the containment of COVID-19 on a daily basis, as well as assistance to those affected by coronavirus.
The company’s Helicopters Division has made available its pilots and three helicopters (two AW139s and one AW189) in different configurations providing technical support to the Armed Forces’ helicopter fleet, organizations, institutions, police forces and to all Leonardo helicopters engaged in the emergency, including maintenance and other services for “Protezione Civile” during the healthcare operations.
Three British Army AW159 Wildcat helicopters have also been deployed to support the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s efforts in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Army Air Corps’ helicopters will be operating out of RNAS Yeovilton and will look to cover the South of England as required by the U.K. government’s response to COVID-19 alongside Royal Air Force helicopters from RAF Odiham and RAF Benson.
“Leonardo is proud to support the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s COVID-19 operations with its AW159 Wildcat helicopters as the country comes together to tackle this pandemic,” said Norman Bone, chairman and managing director of Leonardo UK.
Through the use of two C-27J transport aircraft of the aircraft division and one ATR 72, and thanks to the company’s customers who have endorsed the initiative, Leonardo and its crew will support “Protezione Civile” by carrying out a series of shuttle flights between Italian airports and other destinations as required during the emergency, including international airports, to ensure the transportation of medical materials (ventilators, masks, etc.).
At the Leonardo-Grottaglie site, the aerostructures division, has launched the first production batch of valves, through additive manufacturing technology (3D printing). These will support the initiative of Isinnova, a company in Brescia, which has developed a plastic valve project which allows the modification of a particular model of snorkeling mask and, which, in turn, transforms it into respirators for sub-intensive therapies. The same activity will be carried out at the Electronics Division La Spezia site.
Starting from April 6, Leonardo will offer a two-month, free-of-charge Threat Intelligence service to companies to improve their cyber defense due to the large scale of smart-working, which poses an exposure risk. The service, guaranteed by Leonardo’s cyber division, will be provided to the first 100 companies that request the assistance and will allow the monitoring of the main cyber threats and cover any related vulnerabilities.
