approved to perform main gearbox work in April 2021. During October 2012, the Royal Thai Army ordered a pair of AW139s; a further eight were produced in October 2015. In September 2021, the privately-owned company Thai Aviation Services arranged the delivery of three AW139s to undertake a multi-year contract to support oil and gas extraction activities in Malaysia. In 2021, following the retirement of the Royal Malaysian Air Force's Sikorsky S-61 fleet, the service leased four AW139s as an interim replacement. Qatar-based firm Gulf Helicopters has become one of the largest AW139 operators worldwide, first ordering the type in 2007 for offshore transport duties; it has since become an authorized service center and training center for the AW139. Malaysian operator Weststar Aviation has the distinction of being the biggest operator of the AW139 in the Asia Pacific region; by February 2014, the company hah ordered a total of 34 helicopters. Since taking delivery of their first AW139 in December 2010, Weststar has typically employed the type in support of offshore oil and gas operations. Numerous AW139s have been produced for operators in Russia, mainly via the HeliVert initiative. In September 2014, Exclases Russia ordered three in VIP configurations. During December 2021, it was announced that HeliVert had supplied four AW139s to the Russian state-owned defense conglomerate Rostec. In March 2022, shortly following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Leonardo Helicopters suspended its business in Russia and restricted the support available to existing operators of the type in the country. In July 2014, AgustaWestland announce that the global fleet had accumulated in excess of one million flight hours; by this milestone, a total of 770 AW139s had been produced. On 24 May 2016, AugustaWestland parent Leonardo-Finmeccanica announced that Pakistan had signed a contract for an undisclosed number of AW139s as part of a fleet renewal programme spread over several batches, including a logistic support and training package, to perform search and rescue (SAR) operations across the country. At the time of the announcement, a total of 11 AW139s were already in service in Pakistan, five of which were being operated for government relief and general transportation duties. Chinese operators have also imported the type. By February 2010, two AW139s had been ordered by both the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau for law enforcement, disaster relief, and general transportation duties. In July 2022, it was stated that