Leonardo Secures $120M+ Baggage Handling Contracts to Bolster U.S. Airport Security
Leonardo strengthens airport security in the USA through two major baggage handling system (BHS) contracts exceeding $120 million USD, awarded for Houston Hobby Airport (HOU) and Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB).
The company’s latest achievements signal a growing demand for high‑resilience, technology‑driven systems capable of supporting the next phase of global aviation growth.
The projects place a strong emphasis on operational continuity, security integration and long‑term efficiency—core priorities for major players in the global security and airport‑technology industry.
At Houston Hobby Airport, Leonardo will completely replace the existing baggage‑handling infrastructure with a new system engineered to enhance capacity, improve reliability and integrate seamlessly with U.S. federal screening requirements. The upgrade features advanced cross‑belt sorters extending over several hundred feet, designed to accelerate baggage flow and maintain performance even during peak demand.
This fully renewed system also includes an Early Bag Storage capability to better manage transfer traffic and early check‑ins, an automated bag‑aligning function that optimises presentation ahead of Explosive Detection System scanners and a significantly expanded conveyor network to support continuous, high‑volume operations.
These new systems reflect the broader evolution of U.S. airport operations, where security compliance, automation and energy efficiency increasingly define procurement strategies. Both airport programmes incorporate sustainability‑focused engineering, reducing energy consumption and maintenance needs while supporting long‑term resource optimisation. This alignment with environmental goals has become an essential requirement for infrastructure owners seeking future‑ready solutions that balance performance with reduced ecological impact.
For global security and infrastructure integrators, Leonardo’s recent wins underscore a strategic shift in how airports approach mission‑critical upgrades. Operators are prioritising modernisation projects that can be executed without disrupting daily activities, and they increasingly seek suppliers capable of delivering robust automation, predictive‑maintenance readiness and highly interoperable security systems. Leonardo’s ability to replace entire baggage infrastructures while keeping airport operations running highlights a competitive capability that resonates strongly across the sector.
These contracts also reflect a broader trend in the U.S. market, where airports are preparing for rising passenger volumes expected from 2026 onward. The focus is shifting from incremental improvements to comprehensive overhauls that deliver long‑life performance, enhanced security screening accuracy and significantly improved stakeholder efficiency—from airlines to ground‑handling teams. By embedding advanced screening integration and large‑scale automation into its solutions, Leonardo is helping U.S. airports adopt the next generation of operational resilience.
In essence, Leonardo’s expansion in the U.S. with these multimillion‑dollar projects illustrates how global leaders in aviation security and infrastructure are expected to evolve: toward systems that combine capacity, security, sustainability and continuity into a single technological framework. As competition intensifies in the airport‑modernisation market, these contracts reinforce Leonardo’s positioning as a major contender in delivering high‑performance, security‑integrated baggage‑handling systems for some of the world’s most demanding airport environments.
