• Defence Helicopter

  Black Hawk goes optionally piloted

  7th June 2019

  Sikorsky has embarked on a flight test programme to operate the Black Hawk helicopter in optionally unmanned mode. Sikorsky is taking an optionally piloted vehicle …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed Martin develops Rely3D

  13th June 2019

  Lockheed Martin has launched a new version of its Rely3D visualisation and training tool for Apache AH-64 sensor system maintainers. Rely3D leverages capabilities from commercial …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Swedish Air Force holds back on helicopter modernisation

  17th June 2019

  Unlike plans to refresh fighter jet capabilities with a forthcoming Gripen E fleet, the Swedish Air Force is in no hurry to change the look …

• Naval Warfare

  RFA Argus heads for ​Baltic Protector 2019

  11th June 2019

  RFA Argus has deployed for Baltic Protector 2019 with Royal Marine helicopter squadrons embarked as part of a Royal Navy amphibious task force.The deployment, led …

• Land Warfare

  Russian Army trains with Typhoon-K

  10th June 2019

  The Russian Army has carried out an exercise using the new Typhoon-K mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle for the first time. The exercise, which involved more …

• Defence Helicopter

  SENER, Babcock complete AB-212 LEP

  31st May 2019

  SENER and Babcock have officially completed the Spanish Navy's AB-212 helicopter life extension programme (LEP). Under the PEVH AB-212 programme, carried out in a joint …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia to develop upgraded Ka-52 Alligator

  31st May 2019

  Russia plans to develop an upgraded version of the Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter by 2022, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 28 May. …

• Naval Warfare

  SEA develops lightweight torpedo trolley

  7th June 2019

  SEA has developed a fully qualified and tested lightweight (LW) torpedo trolley that can transport any LW torpedo.Initially commissioned by Leonardo Helicopters, SEA was tasked …

• Defence Helicopter

  Optionally piloted Black Hawk begins flight tests

  7th June 2019

  Sikorsky has begun flight testing a UH-60 Black Hawk equipped with a new retrofit kit designed to turn the helicopter into an optionally piloted vehicle …

• Defence Helicopter

  Raytheon to produce more AMNS

  5th June 2019

  The US Department of Defense has elected to exercise an option under a previously awarded contract with Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems for the Airborne Mine …

• Defence Notes

  Defence Capability Plan expands NZ’s military

  10th June 2019

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) will increase the size of its military and acquire new amphibious ships under the latest Defence Capability Plan (DCP) …

• Defence Helicopter

  SNC to provide HH-60G DVES

  6th June 2019

  Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has been awarded a contract by the US Air Force for system design, development, integration and test of the Degraded Visual …

• Defence Helicopter

  Austrian AB212s get new caution panels

  4th June 2019

  The Austrian Air Force’s AB212 helicopter fleet will be fitted with AEM's MCP01 next-generation master caution panel.The plug-and-play replacement of the panel will help extend …

• Training

  A rocky road ahead for Canada's future aircrew trainer

  30th May 2019

  Since starting discussions with industry in 2013 concerning its Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) requirement, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has now selected five companies …

• Defence Notes

  UTair Helicopters Services grows its fleet

  28th May 2019

  One of Russia's helicopter operators, UTair Helicopters Services has embarked on a new drive to expand its fleet and is planning to take delivery of more than …

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 ...