Leonardo has opened a new helicopter maintenance and support facility at Elstree Aerodrome, marking a further expansion of its presence in the UK aerospace sector.
The new site, Leonardo’s tenth operational location in the UK, represents a multi-million-pound investment focused on high-value engineering capability. It will provide manufacturer-approved maintenance, logistics and technical support for Leonardo civil helicopters operating across the UK and Ireland, improving customer access to direct support and strengthening operational resilience.
The facility follows Leonardo’s recent £1 billion contract linked to the UK’s New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme and forms part of the company’s broader effort to strengthen sovereign industrial capability in the UK.
Leonardo said the Elstree hub will support the large fleet of its commercial helicopters operating across Britain, serving commercial operators as well as emergency and specialist services. Around 30 aircraft within the UK fleet are currently used for critical community roles, including air ambulance and emergency medical services.
By expanding its original equipment manufacturer presence within the country, Leonardo aims to provide faster and more responsive support while continuing to work alongside established UK service providers.
The company also plans to create highly skilled engineering positions in Hertfordshire, with further workforce growth expected as operations expand over the coming years. Leonardo said it will place particular emphasis on developing early-career engineers and technicians to help strengthen the UK’s aerospace skills base and create long-term employment opportunities.
As part of this effort, Leonardo will collaborate with the University of Hertfordshire to help shape engineering courses and ensure graduates leave with skills aligned to industry requirements.
The facility will operate through Leonardo Belgium, the group’s European civil and public service helicopter support division, combining continental logistics expertise with UK engineering capability to support Leonardo helicopter operators across Britain and Ireland.
