Italian Defense Giant Unveils Revolutionary New Technology Demonstrator

Leonardo has successfully completed the first flight of its Next Generation Civil Tiltrotor - Technology Demonstrator (NGCTR-TD), a project conducted in collaboration with the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking program of the European Union. The technology demonstrator took place on December 19, 2025, at Leonardo’s facility near Milan Malpensa International Airport. Launched in 2015, the NGCTR program aims to develop a tiltrotor aircraft combining vertical takeoff and landing capabilities with horizontal flight performance. According to AeroTime, the project brings together 85 industrial partners across 15 countries, focusing on delivering environmentally efficient performance and critical aerospace capabilities in Europe. The development process has been lengthy, but Leonardo’s long-standing tiltrotor program, the AW609, has provided valuable learnings for the new NGCTR.