Helicopter from a Company Linked to the Former Finmeccanica is Purchased by the Panama Ministry of Security.

The Ministry of Public Security (Minseg) is set to receive the Agusta-Westland helicopter, a division of Leonardo, formerly Finmeccanica, acquired directly for $10,197,000 by the government of José Raúl Mulino.  The purchase financed by Minseg funds, reserves the use of this aircraft for the Presidency of the Republic.  The contract signed by Leonardo’s subsidiary in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and the Minister of Public Security, Frank Ábrego pictured below, contains, as usual a confidentiality clause:

“The contractor acknowledges that all information generated as a result of or the execution of this contract belongs to the Panamanian State; therefore, it will be kept confidential, with the right of disclosure belonging exclusively to the contracting entity, unless required by a competent authority.”  This confidentiality does not end with the expiration of the contract; rather, it begins at that point and extends for 20 years from the date the contract’s legal term expires. In other words, the confidentiality would expire in 2047, after four presidential terms. The direct purchase of the aircraft approved by Cabinet Council Resolution No. 127, dated December 16, 2025, was made public months later, on March 6, 2026.

‘Official Missions’.

According to the document, the helicopter is for “the execution of humanitarian operations.  These would be in the most remote communities with the least capacity for basic resources for their subsistence”; “to carry out medical evacuations in hard-to-reach places”; “timely air transport of medical personnel, educators, as well as the supply of food and medicines and care in emergency situations, natural disasters or priority social needs.” 

Photograph of a Scale Model of the Aircraft Purchased by the Ggovernment of José Raúl Mulino.

The Ministry of Security issued a “well-founded technical report”.  This report bears the signatures of Deputy Commissioner Gino Cedeño, head of the Presidential Flight Squadron, along with the Deputy Minister, in his capacity as acting minister, Luis Felipe Icaza.   All the technical features and systems of the aircraft, existing, and for the future, including the shade of paint on the exterior of the aircraft for its delivery are noted.  So far, that is the official version.  However, what is really behind this purchase? Is it really for transporting doctors, teachers, cargo, or farmers? Why are there confidentiality clauses that extend for twenty years? 

The Unofficial Version.

The helicopter ordered by the Ministry of Security from Agusta-Westland is an AW169, serial number 69009. This last number appears on all the purchase documents.  It is unique: it is the equivalent of a car’s vehicle identification number (VIN), which allows investigators to trace the helicopter purchased by the Ministry of Security. In addition, it was not difficult, despite the confidentiality clause imposed on Agusta-Westland by Ábrego.  According to HeliTrader (a website specializing in helicopter sales), this AW169 aircraft, serial number 69009, was registered in the United States with the registration number N169R. This information confirmed on the website of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Leonardo AW169 N169R Turbine Helicopter from 2015.

The aircraft manufactured in 2015 is equipped with a luxurious executive VIP configuration. The website AvPay.aero at https://avpay.aero/ has published 10 photographs of the helicopter for operation by the Presidential Flight Squadron.  The website aircraft.com enthusiastically announced the sale of the aircraft: “Serial number 69009 is a 2015 model with a VIP configuration, featuring seven seats plus two crew members. This is the only AW169 VIP and one of the few genuine VIP helicopters in the United States, ready for immediate delivery with a current N registration.

Ready to fly and prepared for your VIP mission!”  In contrast, the Ministry of Security speaks of very different things.   They speak of missions of “cargo transport and search and rescue”, as well as to “increase cargo and passenger transport capacities, maritime patrol and border surveillance…”; “to enforce the law and thus be able to guarantee the protection of life, honor, property and other rights and freedoms of those who are under the jurisdiction of the State…”

Frank Ábrego, Minister of Public Security since July 1, 2024 and Formerly with Senan. 

The AW169 helicopter has a market price range of between $6.5 million and $8.5 million for basic standard configurations to carry more passengers, but the price tends to increase when VIP specifications are added, which, in turn, reduces the number of people it can carry. 

Revelations.

In its offer letter, the manufacturer provides details that confirm this aircraft was not new. For example, it reveals that it would undergo “maintenance, repair, and overhaul to bring the helicopter into airworthy condition and update its maintenance records…”  Furthermore, the company cautioned that the execution of the contract was not entirely dependent on it. It depended “on confirmation of the delivery date by the current owner… The delivery schedule may vary depending on the owner’s operational requirements and the progress of any maintenance and repairs necessary to ensure the helicopter is fully operational and up-to-date according to its maintenance schedule.”

$10.1 Million

Amount that the Ministry of Security will pay for the aircraft.

2015

Year of construction of the device.

9 Positions

That’s the helicopter’s capacity: 7 passengers and 2 crew members.

The company that would sell the helicopter to Panama was not in possession of the aircraft at the time of the offer, according to documents addressed on February 12 to Commander Luis A. De Gracia, Director General of the National Aeronaval Service (Senan): “Once the ownership has been transferred to AWPC [AgustaWestland Philadelphia Corporation], we will be able to execute the corresponding purchase contracts with the entity you designate.”

No Answers.

A questionnaire by news media was delivered to Minister Ábrego on the night of October 7 to get his version of this purchase, but he did not respond.  However, hours later, on Thursday, October 8, the minister went accompanied by other officials to the Budget Committee of the National Assembly to manage the transfer of budget items for the Panamanian air fleet.  Ábrego is asked for details of the Helicopter purchase by Congressman Luis Duke pictured below of the Vamos Coalition. The minister, who had received the questionnaire the day before, refused to answer, even though he was the one who signed the purchase agreement for the aircraft. Instead, he asked a subordinate to answer. 

The head of Finance at Senan, Deputy Commissioner Felix Irving, replied to Duke that the helicopter is in the process of being delivered by the manufacturer; that this type of aircraft is not obtained overnight, but rather is adapted with basic and special equipment and paint, the latter being the stage in which the aircraft finds itself, in a workshop of the manufacturer in the United States, he said.  True to the rhetoric outlined in the documents justifying the purchase, Irving resorted to generalizations to avoid mentioning the helicopter’s specific use. He stated that the aircraft would be used for national security, humanitarian aid, and social development. Not a single word about the aircraft’s original or current VIP configuration. 

Finmeccanica.

Finmeccanica is the former name of Leonardo S.p.A., a major Italian multinational company that specializes in aerospace defense and security.

Key Facts About Finmeccanica / Leonardo.

• History: Founded on March 18, 1948, by the state-controlled Instituto per la Ricostruzione Injdustriale (IRI) to restructure post-WWII mechanical and shipbuilding industries.

• Rebranding: The company operated under the Finmeccanica name for decades before renaming itself Leonardo-Finmeccanica in 2016 and officially rebranding as Leonardo S.p.A. in 2017, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci.

• Ownership: Headquartered in Rome, Italy, the company is publicly traded on the Borsa Italiana, with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance acting as its largest shareholder (holding roughly 30.2%).

• Core Operations: It ranks among the top global defense contractors, organizing its business across key divisions including Helicopters, Aircraft, Aerostructures, Electronics, and Cybersecurity, alongside major joint ventures like MBDA, ATR, and Thales Alenia Space.