Milestone Aviation Group Limited (Milestone) — a major helicopter lessing company owned by GECAS — and Leonardo have announced that they have been selected to renew the medium helicopter fleet of Aramco Overseas Company, a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco (Aramco).

Leonardo and Milestone have signed a contract for 17 Leonardo AW139 helicopters plus 4 options, and Aramco expects to take delivery of a total of 21 aircraft over the next three years, starting this year.

Milestone is the largest owner or financier of civil Leonardo helicopters in the world, leasing its first Leonardo helicopter in 2010. Its fleet will exceed 100 Leonardo helicopters following the completion of this transaction. Milestone’s relationship with Aramco began in 2016 with the lease of three new AW139s, then the energy company’s first helicopter lease transaction.

One of the largest operators of Leonardo helicopters in the Middle East, Aramco has been operating a fleet of 14 AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopters since 2008 and seven AW109 light twins since 2006, mainly to perform offshore transport missions in Saudi Arabia in support of the oil and gas industry.

The AW139s delivered to Aramco will include oil & gas and search & rescue (SAR) configurations.