As the pandemic tightened its grip around the world, and the UK adjusted to life under lockdown, Leonardo teams worked hard to continue to provide support to our customers around the world and to support key workers in as many areas as possible.

With millions of key workers working around the clock to fight the virus, we answered the national call to respond to a shortage of PPE by manufacturing thousands of pieces of equipment using our 3D printing facilities across the country.

Meanwhile, an Aviation Task Force was set up by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) in response to the emergency, making use of Leonardo AW101 and AW159 helicopters. The AW159 Wildcat supported the British Army by flying government officials and senior NHS Staff around the country to Nightingale hospitals and urgent meetings. The AW101 Merlin successfully supported the MOD’s daily flying commitments. The pandemic also changed the way we operated our helicopters, as we had to learn how to practise social distancing in the skies, with our test pilots managing to follow procedures while flying our helicopters to ensure crew safety in the cockpit.

Despite the all challenges, Leonardo employees – including our own amazing key workers given special dispensation to work onsite – continued supporting the helicopters of Aviation Task Force, and enabling the UK Typhoon fleet to remain on quick reaction alert as our defences are probed during the crisis. Our cyber security specialists continue to protect NATO networks while opposing forces take advantage of the emergency to ramp up phishing and other attacks.

All parts of our business were affected by the new restrictions, including our outreach programmes to promote STEM engagement. In light of cancelled visits to schools, universities and events like the Big Bang Fair, we started our STEM@Home series, with our amazing STEM ambassadors providing instructions for challenges and projects on our social media channels. The series was met with great enthusiasm and engagement, resulting in hundreds of followers taking part in our weekly lockdown quizzes and activities, all of which can still be accessed on our Instagram channel. One of the lead ambassadors of our STEM@Home challenges, Anna Hart, had a particularly memorable April as she picked up the prestigious Engineering Weekly ‘BrightSpark’ Award, which recognises the talent of some of the UK’s brightest young electronics engineers.