• Naval Warfare

  Type 076 apparition emerges from the Chinese mist

  29th July 2020

  Speculation has been rife on the internet about an innovative new class of ship for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN): a landing helicopter dock …

• Air Warfare

  Airbus delivers first MRTT to NATO group

  29th June 2020

  On 29 June Airbus confirmed that it had delivered the first A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft to the NATO Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF). …

• Training

  Italian Army receives initial UH-169Bs

  13th July 2020

  Leonardo has delivered its first UH-169B basic training helicopters to the Italian Army, as part of the broader AW169MA Light Utility Helicopter acquisition programme. ‘Two AW169 …

• Military Logistics

  First A330 MRTT arrives at main operating base

  2nd July 2020

  The first A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for the NATO Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) arrived at its main operating base in the Netherlands …

• Air Warfare

  India tests Dhruvastra helicopter missile

  30th July 2020

  India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted three ground-based tests of its Nag/Helina helicopter-launched missile on 15-16 July in direct and top-attack modes. To …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bullish Boeing foresees new CH-47F Middle East and Asian sales

  15th July 2020

  Boeing is confident it can capture a host of new orders for the CH-47F Chinook and the company has a number of active campaigns in …

• Air Warfare

  FCAS leads the next-generation combat aircraft market

  25th June 2020

  The development of sixth-generation combat aircraft is in its infancy, yet competition to supply prospective global requirements is already ramping up. Projects already initiated by …

• Special Operations

  Defenture completes Vector deliveries for Dutch SOF

  13th July 2020

  Netherlands Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM) has received its final Vector Air Transportable Tactical Vehicle (ATTV), manufacturer Defenture revealed via social media on 11 July. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lithuania requests six Black Hawks

  7th July 2020

  The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 6 July notified Congress of a possible FMS of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment to Lithuania, …

• Air Warfare

  Indonesian interest in Osprey wavers

  10th July 2020

  The 6 July announcement of a potential FMS deal for eight Bell-Boeing MV-22B Block C Ospreys to Indonesia took many by surprise. Including some in …

• Defence Helicopter

  IAF receives final five Apaches under 2015 order

  10th July 2020

  Boeing has completed deliveries of its AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The final five of 22 Apaches were handed over to …

• Defence Notes

  101 deletions - India promotes self-reliance by banning defence imports

  12th August 2020

  In an attempt to promote indigenous defence production, India has created a list of 101 items that can no longer be imported from overseas suppliers. This …

• Defence Helicopter

  Jordan to buy another Black Hawk

  8th July 2020

  Jordan is set to receive another UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter from Sikorsky, after the US State Department on 7 July approved a $23 million FMS …

• Digital Battlespace

  LIMWS moves on to first production lots

  16th July 2020

  BAE Systems has received $179 million in contract awards from the US Army as part of the Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) Quick Reaction …

• Defence Helicopter

  JGSDF officially receives first Osprey

  15th July 2020

  The first Bell-Boeing MV-22B Block C Osprey tiltrotor aircraft for the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) was officially handed over on 10 July at Camp Kisarazu. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M - France

  Programme 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M [Ireland]

  Programme Background On 30 December 2024 Ireland announced a contract with Airbus for four new H145M helicopters to replace the Air Corps existing fleet of ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145 Helicopter [Honduras]

  Programme Background  The Honduran Government has purchased a total of four H145 Helicopters manufactured by Airbus to develop the armed forces preparedness against natural disasters ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW4 Puszczyk Replacement [Poland]

  Programme Background  In 2002, Poland order 47 SW4 training helicopters from Italian manufacturer Leonardo; as of Spring 2025, the Ministry of Defence is looking to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Bell 412EPI-Indonesia

  Programme Background PTDI is assembling Bell helicopters in its factory in Bandung.  The first Bell 412EPI was delivered to Indonesian Army on 29 December 2020 ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Kondor Naval Helicopters (Poland)

  Programme Background In 2018, the Polish MoD announced its requirement to purchase up to eight naval helicopters to replace in-service SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters. Polish ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Army First Batch

  HT-29 Caiman GSPAs (NH90 TTH) will be assembled at Airbus Helicopters’ facility in Albacete and will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service. Even though ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101 [Poland]

  According to the media reports, Airbus couldn't provide a competitive offer for the programme due to the offset requirements.  The deliveries were to be completed ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-X [Japan]

  There is no mention of the AH-X in the 2019-2023 Medium Term Defence Plan, so it is possible that the requirement has quietly been postponed. ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H135 (UK)

  Programme BackgroundAirbus Helicopters UK announced on 2 February 2022 that it has won an order to provide five additional H135 twin-engine helicopters for the MoD. The ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH-90 [Spain]

  Programme Background Along with a range of other air programmes, the Spanish Government announced the nation has set aside 1 billion euros (USD$1.162 billion) to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T-India-Air Force

  An official contract announcement is expected during the Aero India 2021 exhibition in Bangalore, although negotiations have dragged on for more than five years and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M (Contracted) [Germany]

  Programme Background Previous Usage The German Armed Forces ordered 15 H145M helicopters, with the initial two delivered in December 2015, for the Kommando Spezialkräfte. These ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Model 301 Fire Attack

  The Model 301 is a belly tank/refill hose system for Airbus Helicopters AS365-series helicopters.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Model 316 Fire Attack

  The Model 316 is a belly tank/refill hose system for Airbus Helicopters H225 and AS332 L-series helicopters.

• AC67 Airbus Helicopters H135 interior

  Bucher has developed the AC67 medical interior for the Airbus Helicopters H135 in cooperation with ADAC Luftrettung.The lightweight, modular design features a floor with integrated ...

• 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

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175, a seven-tonne class aircraft powered by twin PT6C 67E engines. The civilian variants produced by Airbus ...

• 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. ...

• Helicopter engines

  Arriel 2+/2D

  Unveiled in 2011, the Arriel 2+ is an upgrade of the Arriel 2 and is intended for single- and twin-engine helicopters. It incorporates a new ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Viviane

  Viviane is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised night and adverse weather observation system with missile sight.  Manufactured by Safran, it was fitted to French Army Gazelles. It contained a ...

• Air: mission management systems

  APM 2000

  The current generation of autopilots is the APM 2000 family, fitted on major worldwide platforms. The APM 2000 is based on an integrated digital computer. ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H125M

  The H125M, formerly the AS550 C3e Fennec, is a military version of the civil H125. The helicopter platform is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters, through the manufacturer's ...