• Digital Battlespace

  Harris details new US military contracts

  19th September 2014

  Harris Corporation will supply the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) with up to 1,500 Falcon III AN/PRC-152A wideband radios and accessories under a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil’s first Super Panther helicopter passes muster

  16th September 2014

  The programme to modernise AS365 K Panther helicopters for the Brazilian Army Aviation (AvEx) to the K2 version has reached a new milestone, with the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Royal Thai Navy buys EC645s

  15th September 2014

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the acquisition of five EC645 T2 utility helicopters, it has emerged. RTN representatives …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australian Army’s Tiger FFMS gets reality boost

  5th September 2014

  The Australian Army’s Tiger Full Flight Mission Simulator (FFMS) has been upgraded to enhance its ‘out of the window’ realism, with improvements to the Visual …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters eyes Polish military opportunities

  4th September 2014

  Airbus Helicopters has used the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) in Poland to tout its Tiger HAD attack helicopter and multi-mission EC725 Caracal helicopter as …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters plans Romanian expansion

  3rd September 2014

  Airbus Helicopters has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of Romania that will see the company extend its presence in Romania and further …

• Defence Helicopter

  Patria acquires Malmskogen Aerocenter business operations

  2nd September 2014

  Patria Helicopters has acquired the business operations of Malmskogen Aerocenter based in Linköping in Sweden, strengthening Patria Helicopter’s helicopter support capabilities. The company announced the …

• Military Logistics

  Royal Air Force’s first A400M takes flight

  1st September 2014

  The Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) first A400M airlifter has moved closer to delivery, with the completion of its first flight on 30 August. The flight …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr 7 HAPS flies for 11 days non-stop

  29th August 2014

  The Zephyr 7 High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) has reached a number of new programme milestones, completing an 11 day non-stop flight in winter weather conditions …

• Military Logistics

  A400M airlifter refuels F/A-18 Hornet in flight

  28th August 2014

  Airbus Defence and Space has reported that the A400M airlifter has performed successful air-to-air refuelling (AAR) tests with an F/A-18 Hornet jet. The test campaign …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus D&S to supply MSSR 2000 I radar to Indonesia

  19th August 2014

  Airbus Defence and Space (D&S) will supply two Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radars (MSSR) 2000 I as part of a programme to improve the Indonesian Air …

• Military Logistics

  StandardAero wins RAAF Orion support contract

  19th August 2014

  StandardAero is to support the T56 propulsion systems on the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion aircraft fleet according to the terms of a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Retrofit of RNZAF NH90 TTH fleet complete

  30th July 2014

  Airbus Helicopters has completed work to retrofit four NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters (TTH) of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) fleet to bring them …

• Digital Battlespace

  Swiss soldier system development on track

  30th July 2014

  The Integrated and Modular Engagement System for the Swiss Soldier (IMESS) solution developed by Airbus Defence and Space (D&S) has been completed to the level …

• Naval Warfare

  Brazilian Air Force orders C295 SAR aircraft

  29th July 2014

  Airbus Defence and Space will supply three C295 aircraft in search and rescue (SAR) configuration to the Brazilian Air Force under a new contract announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M [Spain]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, Spain announced the National Helicopter Plan as part of the country's wider effort to rearm in response to American pressure. ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain and Colombia were jointly developing a MALE UAV to meet the ISR requirements of both countries’ ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Background IDEX 2025 At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M [Spain]

  Programme Background Spain announced the National Helicopter Plan in May 2025 culminating in five contracts awarded to Airbus on 18 December 2025, including procurement programmes ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Tanker replacement [Turkey]

  Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force currently operates a fleet of seven KC-135R tanker aircraft that it has operated since 1995.  Bids and competitors Boeing ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M [France]

  Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 Puma ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [France]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Future Combat Air System (FCAS/SCAF) [France]

  Background The governments of France and Germany have launched the demonstrator phase for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with the issue of an initial ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M / H145M Add-On [Romania]

  Methodology As part of a potential initial order for 12 H225M helicopters, Romania has included the option to acquire 30 additional helicopters from Airbus. Shephard estimates this ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration with ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [Germany]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-72C Lakota Connector

  The MQ-72C Lakota Connector is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B, primarily designed to provide contested logistics in austere expeditionary environments. Airbus has partnered with L3Harris, Shield AI, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor, or U030 Flexrotor, is a VTOL small UAS manufactured by Aerovel. It can integrate different types of payloads, including electro-optical systems and advanced sensors, to suit ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal-wingman-type fixed-wing UAV was explicitly aimed to accompany and augment ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  H145

  The light, twin-engine EC145 began as an initiative to increase the cabin size of the BK 117 C1 aircraft, involving Kawasaki of Japan and Airbus ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175 and works to fill a gap in the H175 helicopter family, as well as offer ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M

  The H145M (formerly known as the EC645 T2) is the military version of the H145 medium-sized (3.7t) helicopter (covered in a separate entry). It is ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...