The H225M is a multi-role military helicopter ordered by Thailand from Airbus. (Photo: Airbus)
Progress has stalled across multiple helicopter modernisation programmes in African and Asian countries, as traditional supply chains have been disrupted since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Shephard Defence Insight has identified 13 helicopter programmes in Africa and Asia which feature Soviet or Russian helicopters in need of replacement but of which little has been heard for several years.
Following the outbreak of the Ukraine-Russian war, the US passed the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which has slowed progress for many of these programmes. As a result, Shephard believes that there is a gap in the market
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The revised funding allocation will see up to 23% of the additional budget put towards stockpiles of munitions, with the country’s GDP spending expected to reach 2.5% by 2030.
The design and development contract is set to run until the end of June and will now enable the partnership to drive the programme forward as it targets its 2027 demonstrator date.
The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.
Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.
The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.
The disagreement between French-German industry continues as both governments work to keep the programme alive and on track to develop and deliver a sixth-generation fighter jet.
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