• Defence Helicopter

  SB>1 Defiant blades issue appears solved

  22nd August 2018

  The Sikorsky-Boeing in-development SB>1 Defiant demonstrator team appear to have resolved production issues concerning the future medium class helicopter's blades. Manufacturing issues of the components, being …

• Defence Helicopter

  UN to begin medevac helicopter process

  13th August 2018

  Beginning on 30 August, the UN is to open a formal tender process for the procurement of two SAR/medevac helicopters for its Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission …

• Defence Helicopter

  Luxembourg orders two H145M helos to boost security missions

  27th July 2018

  Airbus has received an order for two H145M light-twin multipurpose helicopters from the government of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, with both aircraft to be used …

• Naval Warfare

  PMSA’s largest patrol ship soon to arrive in Pakistan

  24th August 2018

  The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) is set to imminently receive its largest OPV, the Chinese-built PMSS Kashmir, after it departed China on 26 July. …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK helicopter manufacturing sits at a political crossroads

  14th August 2018

  As the UK’s parliament is in the midst of its annual summer recess, now is the time to take stock and see through the political …

• Training

  NZ to purchase NH90 simulator

  13th August 2018

  NH90 flight training for Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) pilots is to move in-country, the New Zealand government announced on 9 August. The training, …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL orders more IDAS-2 for Dhruv

  10th August 2018

  Saab will supply the Integrated Defensive Aids Suite 2 (IDAS-2) self-protection suite for the Indian Army’s Dhruv helicopter under a follow-on order announced on 8 …

• Special Operations

  Army SOF responds to multi-domain threats

  22nd August 2018

  US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) is responding to a range of emerging threats in the multi-domain battlespace. Some representative examples of those responses were …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazil on the attack in two decades time

  23rd July 2018

  According to the Brazilian Army, a branch of the armed forces will have to wait until the 2030s before it can operate its attack helicopters, Shephard has …

• Defence Notes

  US Army continues to question AI role in modernisation plans

  22nd August 2018

  Just days before the US Army activates its new Futures Command in Austin, Texas, top brass is urging that the service come to terms with …

• Defence Helicopter

  New tool for servicing Apaches developed

  9th August 2018

  InventHelp has announced the development of a new tool to simplify the rigging of horizontal stabilisers on Apache AH-64D helicopters. When installing the horizontal stabiliser, …

• Land Warfare

  Tor-E2 SAM system introduced

  16th August 2018

  Rostec’s JSC Rosoboronexport has introduced the new Tor-E2 short range air defence system for the protection of military and other critical facilities. The Tor-E2 combat …

• Defence Helicopter

  Latvia requests UH-60M Black Hawks

  7th August 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible foreign military sale of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment to Latvia, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Industry awaits ITEP manufacturing decision

  15th August 2018

  A downselect decision for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the US Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Programme (ITEP) is to be made by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Overhaul of AAF’s first Mi-17V-5 complete

  8th August 2018

  Slovakian aircraft repair company Trenčín (LOTN) has completed the general overhaul of the first Afghan Air Force (AFF) Mi-17V-5 helicopter, the Slovak Ministry of Defence …

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 - 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 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 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 - multirole

  H135 [UK]

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

• 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 - multirole

  H145M [Ireland]

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

• 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 [Canada]

  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 are ...

• 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 - light/training

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

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

• 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. ...

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 ...

• 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 - 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 - 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

  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 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Armed Helicopter

  The South Korean government selected Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in July 2014 to develop the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) and the related Light Civil Helicopter ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AS365 N3+ Dauphin

  The AS365 N3+, manufactured by Airbus Helicopters (formerly Eurocopter), was developed from the Dauphin series of medium, twin-turboshaft rotorcraft. The AS365 N3+ was launched at the 2009 ...

• 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 helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH

  Developed as a multinational programme between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the European NH90 was designed to meet NATO requirements for multirole capability from ...