• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing to build more Chinooks for US special operations

  3rd August 2020

  Boeing is to assemble nine more MH-47G Block II Chinook  helicopters for US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (USASOAC), under a $265 million contract. This …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea looks boldly ahead in mid-term plan

  14th August 2020

  On 10 August, South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) released a KRW300 trillion ($253 billion) blueprint for defence spending over the coming five years, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed to modify three Seahawks for India

  29th July 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to configure three Lot 14 production MH-60R Seahawk helicopters for eventual use by the Indian Navy, under an $18.1 million contract modification from …

• Land Warfare

  Spanish Army releases tender to procure SF vehicle

  24th July 2020

  Spain is running a competition to procure the Light Vehicle for Special Operations (VLOE in Spanish) as the country progresses efforts to improve the mobility …

• Air Warfare

  Colombian Air Force modernises but future of Kfirs remains unclear

  30th July 2020

  Colombia has concluded the modernisation of its EMB-312 Tucano aircraft; this successful project generally puts the Colombian Air Force (FAC) in good shape as it …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army gears up for new round of RQ-7B Shadow Block III tests

  13th August 2020

  The US Army will soon move to a RQ-7B Shadow Block III Follow-On Operational Test and Evaluation (FOT&E;) phase as it looks to bolster capabilities …

• Defence Helicopter

  Romanian Pumas light up Mali with BrightNite

  7th July 2020

  The Romanian Air Force’s contribution to the UN-led peacekeeping mission in Mali has been greatly enhanced by the use of four BrightNite-equipped IAR 330 Puma …

• Land Warfare

  Russia sheds more light on Strela

  14th August 2020

  The Military Industrial Company (Voyenno-Promishlennaya Kompaniya, VPK) in Russia has revealed details about its Strela (‘Arrow’) light air-transportable armoured car. A base model, its amphibious …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army places major Hellfire order

  24th July 2020

  The US Army is buying more AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles from Lockheed Martin under a $702.88 million contract modification awarded on 22 July. Work will …

• Training

  Private simulator training beckons for Indian Mi-17V-5 helicopters

  1st July 2020

  A long-delayed $210 million project to build, operate, train and maintain simulators for some 150 Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V-5 helicopters has now been fast-forwarded. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell enhances industrial capabilities with FVL in mind

  10th August 2020

  Bell Textron officially unveiled its new 140,000ft2 (13,000m2) Manufacturing Technology Center at Fort Worth, Texas on 10 August, underlining its bullish mood regarding development and rapid …

• Defence Helicopter

  Details emerge of CH-47Fs for Singapore

  27th July 2020

  Photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), with new features such …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hip swings into trials for Russian SF

  23rd July 2020

  Flight tests have begun in Russia of the Mi-8AMTSh-VN Hip helicopter to determine its aerodynamic and flight performance characteristics. Tests will also assess the maneuverability, …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army considers light tanks…again

  19th August 2020

  Ongoing tensions in the Ladakh sector of the border between India and China have spurred the Indian Army to revisit a requirement for a light tank suitable …

• Air Warfare

  Live fire tests lie in store for Martlet

  27th July 2020

  The Martlet Lightweight Multirole Missile for the UK RN is expected to undertake live-fire tests in September ahead of IOC by the end of 2020. Martlet …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  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 - 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

  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 - light/training

  Future Aircrew Training Program (Helicopter Procurement) - Canada

  Programme Background The FAcT requires to graduate 120 pilots, 40 combat systems officers and 36 airborne electronic sensor operators per year with 15% fluctuation. Training services ...

• 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 - 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

  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 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 ...

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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...