The　present　study　seeks　to　conduct　numerical　investigations　of　the　cavitating　flow　characteristics　around　a　sinusoidal　wavy　leading　edge　(WLE)　3-D　hydrofoil　underlying　a　NACA　634–021　profile　with　an　aspect　ratio　of　4.3.　Cavitational　and　non-cavitational　characteristics　of　hydrofoils　are　numerically　examined　at　a　chord-based　Reynolds　number　of　7.2　×　105.　The　sinusoidal　leading　edge　geometries　include　two　WLE　amplitudes　of　5%　and　25%　and　two　WLE　wavelengths　of　25%　and　50%　of　the　mean　chord　length.　We　examined　the　cavitating　flow　around　the　hydrofoils　in　different　cavitation　numbers,　namely　σ　=　0.8　and　σ　=　1.2.　The　flow　over　the　protuberances　of　the　WLE　hydrofoil　is　considered　at　varying　chord　lengths　and　a　constant　angle　of　attack　α　=　6°,　where　significant　spanwise　variations　in　all　flow　properties,　in　contrast　to　the　straight　leading　edge　(SLE)　hydrofoil,　were　observed.　Large　eddy　simulation　(LES)　and　Kunz　mass　transfer　models　are　employed　to　simulate　the　dynamic　and　unsteady　behavior　of　the　cavitating　flow.　Besides,　the　compressive　volume　of　fluid　(VOF)　method　is　used　to　track　the　cavity　interface.　Simulation　is　performed　under　the　two-phase　flow　solver　—interPhaseChangeFoam—　of　the　OpenFOAM　package.　Compared　to　the　SLE　hydrofoil,　we　provided　an　exhaustive　report　of　the　time-averaged　and　instantaneous　fluid　dynamic　characteristics　of　the　cavitating　flow　around　the　sinusoidal　leading　edge　hydrofoil,　i.e.,　pressure,　velocity,　and　vorticity　fields,　as　well　as　lift　and　drag　coefficients,　and　turbulent　kinetic　energy　are　reported.　Furthermore,　detailed　analyses　of　the　instantaneous　cavity　leading　edge　and　flow　separation　treatment,　vortical　structure　of　the　flow,　vorticity　stretching　and　dilatation,　details　of　the　spanwise　flow,　the　formation　of　a　low-pressure　zone　behind　the　WLE　hydrofoil,　streamwise　velocity　fluctuation,　and　evolution　of　the　cavity　dynamics　through　a　complete　cycle　are　reported.　Results　show　that　early　development　of　the　laminar　separation　bubble　(LSBs)　on　the　suction　side　of　WLE　hydrofoil　prevents　significant　flow　separation.　Furthermore,　the　WLE　cases　exhibit　a　significantly　reduced　level　of　unsteady　fluctuations　in　aerodynamic　forces　at　the　frequency　of　periodic　vortex　shedding.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd