H145M flies with HForce
Airbus Helicopters’ H145M has performed its first flight with a complete HForce weapon system, the company announced on 8 September.
HForce is a modular weapon system being developed to enable the H145M to be equipped with a wide range of guided and ballistic armaments including missiles and laser guided rockets, guns, machine guns and rockets.
Qualification of HForce for use on the H145M is planned for 2018.
The system will be rolled out to be used on any military version of Airbus’ civil helicopter range, including the H125M, H145M and H225M, in order to enable militaries around the world to complement their fleets with specialised versions of light attack helicopters.
Jean-Luc André, HForce program manager at Airbus Helicopters, said: ‘The next steps prior to qualification include a firing campaign, testing the whole fire mission spectrum through guns, cannons and rockets in Hungary as well as tests on the laser-guided rockets in Sweden before the end of the year.
‘As the launch customer for the H145M with the HForce weapon system, the Republic of Serbia has ordered nine H145M aircraft, including four attack helicopters equipped with HForce.’
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