Austria ordering 18 Leonardo helicopters in deal with Italy

VIENNA, Sept 21 (Reuters) – Austria is ordering 18 Leonardo AW169M helicopters in a deal with Italy, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner said on Monday.

The Italian deal beat out rival efforts by the United States and Germany, Tanner told a news conference. The new models will replace Austria’s fleet of 50-year-old Alouette III helicopters. (Reporting by Francois Murphy, editing by Louise Heavens)