• Defence Helicopter

  Second NH90 Sea Lion flies

  30th November 2017

  The second prototype of Germany’s NH90 Sea Lion helicopter has completed its maiden flight, Airbus announced on 28 November.  The aircraft flew from the Airbus …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heron 1 completes one year in Mali

  12th December 2017

  The Heron 1 UAS has completed one year of flight operations for the German Bundeswehr in Mali. The UAS, which is stationed at the Gao …

• Military Logistics

  HAPP for Malta Air Wing AW139s

  22nd December 2017

  Honeywell has signed a three-year agreement with the Air Wing of the Malta armed forces to enrol three AW139 helicopters in the Honeywell Avionics Protection …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hensoldt demos Xpeller counter-UAV system

  11th December 2017

  Hensoldt has demonstrated the ability of its Xpeller counter-UAV system to protect critical infrastructure such as airfields at the Airbus airfield in Hamburg-Finkenwerder, Germany, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  GDA 2017: Leonardo readies Captor-E next phase, Kuwaiti Eurofighter assembly

  11th December 2017

  Leonardo is preparing to begin the next testing phase for its next-generation Captor-E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which will eventually equip the Eurofighter …

• Defence Helicopter

  HForce to test Thales laser guided rockets

  27th November 2017

  Following on from successful ballistic development testing of its HForce weapon system on a H145M helicopter at Pápa Airbase in Hungary, Airbus Helicopters is to begin a similar operation …

• Defence Helicopter

  LifePort’s BPS approved for Bell 412EP

  14th December 2017

  Sikorsky company LifePort has received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the FAA to equip Bell 412EP aircraft with Ballistic Protection Systems (BPS), Lockheed Martin …

• Defence Notes

  GDA 2017: Show news and highlights (video)

  14th December 2017

  As the fourth edition of Gulf Defense and Aerospace comes to a close Shephard's Grant Turnbull casts a look back at some of the main …

• Military Logistics

  ONR details latest AACUS demonstration

  19th December 2017

  The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has carried out a final helicopter flight demonstration with autonomous capability at Marine Corps Base Quantico as part of …

• Defence Helicopter

  V-280 Valor makes maiden flight

  21st December 2017

  Bell Helicopter's V-280 Valor tiltrotor prototype has successfully completed its first flight at the company's Amarillo assembly facility in Texas.  In a short video released …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ukrainian MoD completes heli rocket-firing testing

  12th December 2017

  The Ukrainian MoD has completed a test campaign firing new rockets from its two new transport/combat helicopters types, the Mi-8MSB and Mi-2MSB, which, in turn, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell 412EPs bound for Argentina

  8th December 2017

  The Argentinian Air Force is to expand its fleet of helicopters with the addition of Bell 412EP helicopters and accompanying training. The $27,256,160 contract was …

• Defence Notes

  GDA 2017: What's at the show (video)

  12th December 2017

  As the year comes to a close, the tri-service Gulf Defence and Aerospace exhibition gets underway in Kuwait with a strong static display outside the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan and USMC to procure AH-1Z gun turrets

  18th December 2017

  The Pakistan government and USMC are set to procure an arsenal of 41 A/A49E-7 (V4) gun turrets for their respective Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter fleets. Contractor General …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop’s IBCS tested in joint environment

  15th December 2017

  Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) has demonstrated its ability to perform in a joint complex environment, the company …

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 ...