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Airbus to deliver 19 H135 training helicopters to Royal Canadian Air Force

4th November 2024 - 16:25 GMT | by Shephard News Team

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This contract marks Airbus Helicopters’ first entry into the Canadian military market. (Photo: Airbus)

The agreement includes H135 acquisition, support and services, support for the development of a ground-based training solution and advanced engineering support. Deliveries for the aircraft are expected to commence in the first half of 2026.

Airbus has signed a contract with CAE and KF Aerospace to provide the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with 19 Airbus H135 military training helicopters.

The agreement forms part of the Canadian Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) Programme and, according to Airbus, will be the first time Airbus helicopters will fly in the Canadian Armed Forces. Deliveries are expected to start in the first half of 2026.

The 19 aircraft will be customised with a number of Canadian Supplemental Type Certificates STCs, Airbus have said, which include modifications to the avionics and communications systems.

The H135 will join other Airbus aircraft currently operating for the RCAF, including the Airbus 310, the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport, and the Airbus C295.

“SkyAlyne is excited at the successful conclusion of negotiations between our partners at KF Aerospace and Airbus Helicopters in Canada, and we extend our gratitude to everyone involved. Securing the Airbus H135 fleet for the RCAF is an important milestone for SkyAlyne and the FAcT programme as it solidifies a core element of the programme schedule,” commented Kevin Lemke, senior executive at SkyAlyne.

Dwayne Charette, president of Airbus Helicopters in Canada, added: “We thank the Royal Canadian Air Force for placing their trust in Airbus and the H135, joining 12 other militaries around the world that employ the twin-engine H135 to train future aviators.”

The two Canadian defence companies were awarded a C$11.2 billion (US$8.2 billion) 25-year contract in May 2024. The aim of the contract was to provide the RCAF with state-of-the-art aircrew training for the FAcT programme. The Airbus H135 is one of five fleets Canada is focused on acquiring, joining four fixed-wing trainer aircraft: Pilatus PC-21, Beechcraft King Air 260, De Havilland Dash8-400 and the Grob G120TP.