The prototype Bell Agusta BA609 tiltrotor, N609TR, made its first flight on March 6, 2003 at the Helicopter flight test center at Arlington Municipal Airport (KGKY), Texas. The program was launched by Bell and Boeing in 1996, but in 1998 Boeing pulled out of the program and Agusta of Italy signed on a development partner on the BA609 tiltrotor and Agusta Bell AB139 helicopter. The first customer demonstration flights, in both airplane and helicopter modes were conducted from a temporary at HAI Heli-Expo 2014 heliport established in the parking lot of Anaheim's Angel Stadium.

First flying as N629JS with AgustaWestland in 2008, this Koala was delivered to Air Mercy Service in South Africa as ZS-RRN in 2009. Re-acquired by Leonardo Helicopters in 2018, it was upgraded for the US Navy TH-73 competition to replace the Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger. Certified for single engine IFR, it won the contract against the Bell 407 GXi and Airbus H135.