• Defence Helicopter

  Bell 407GXi issued FAA instrument rating

  19th August 2019

  The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an instrument flight rules (IFR) supplemental type certificate for the Bell 407GXi, a requirement for the helicopter …

• Defence Notes

  India’s budget shortfall is thwarting modernisation

  8th August 2019

  India’s defence budget for April 2019-March 2020 presented by the re-elected government has fallen short of expectations, with planned modernisation of the military i likely …

• Defence Helicopter

  R&S radios for German NH90s

  7th August 2019

  The German Navy’s NH90 Sea Lion helicopters will be equipped with Rohde & Schwarz software defined airborne radios, the company announced on 6 August. Each …

• Defence Helicopter

  Trakka to provide searchlight for Black Hawk

  16th August 2019

  Trakka Systems has been awarded a contract by Sikorsky to supply its high intensity, multi-mission TrakkaBeam A800 searchlight for the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter. ‘We are …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bird receives UN AMPS order

  5th August 2019

  Bird Aerosystems will supply additional Airborne Missile Protection Systems (AMPS) for UN Air Operations, the company announced on 5 August. Under the contract, BIRD will …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus to run UK MoD C4ISR test centre

  19th July 2019

  Airbus will run the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) land C4ISR test centre under a £22 million, five-year contract announced on 19 July. The contract …

• Military Logistics

  A400M in paratrooper testing

  23rd July 2019

  The Airbus A400M airlifter is undergoing paratrooper testing at the Ger Azet drop zone in southern France, the company announced on 23 July. In a …

• Defence Helicopter

  German confirms NH90 NFH transition

  2nd August 2019

  The German Federal Ministry of Defense has announced that the NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) will be the successor to the Sea Lynx Mk 88A …

• Defence Helicopter

  Northrop Grumman awarded CIRCM contract

  5th August 2019

  Northrop Grumman has received a contract from the US Army for Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) systems and support services, the company announced on 1 August. …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE Systems to support US Army countermeasures

  2nd August 2019

  BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration has received a $242 million contract to support countermeasure systems used on US Army aircraft. The contract will …

• Defence Helicopter

  India receives its first Apaches

  29th July 2019

  The first batch of four Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters reached Indian shores ahead of schedule on 27 July. They were airlifted into Hindan …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon to support Sentinel radar

  2nd August 2019

  Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems will support the US Army’s Sentinel radar systems under a $160 million contract announced by the US Department of Defense on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Germany switches to private mode for heavy-lift helicopter competition

  2nd August 2019

  The German Federal Ministry of Defence (MoD) has privately handed RfP solicitations for its heavy-lift helicopter programme to Sikorsky and Boeing, Shephard can exclusively reveal.  The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing opens new V-22 facility

  2nd August 2019

  Boeing has invested in a facility outside Philadelphia to support its V-22 and MV-22 programmes. The 350,000 square foot site has been transformed into a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia kicks off Tiger replacement effort

  10th July 2019

  The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the troubled Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the Capability …

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 ...