• Defence Helicopter

  Saudi Arabia’s helicopter inventory bolstered

  5th July 2017

  The skies above Saudi Arabia are soon to be filled with AH-6is and Black Hawks as deliveries begin from Boeing and Sikorsky as part of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thai army to buy four more Black Hawks

  3rd July 2017

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) will order four more UH-60M Black Hawks from Sikorsky after receiving US congressional approval. This acquisition will enable the RTA …

• Defence Helicopter

  SKCG receives Second S-92 helicopter

  30th June 2017

  The South Korea Coast Guard (SKCG) has received its second S-92 search and rescue helicopter from Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin announced on 27 June. The unit will …

• Defence Helicopter

  German armed forces receives final H145M

  29th June 2017

  Airbus Helicopters has delivered the 15th and final H145M multi-role helicopter to the German armed forces (Bundeswehr), the company announced on 26 June.  Stationed in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Saab’s IDAS for H225M Caracal helicopters

  28th June 2017

  Saab will supply its Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (IDAS) to Airbus Helicopters for use on H225M Caracal multi-role utility aircraft, the company announced on 23 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters receives H125, H215 orders

  28th June 2017

  Airbus Helicopters Japan has received contracts from Akagi Helicopter and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for the supply of one H125 single-engine helicopter and one …

• Defence Helicopter

  Analysis: New Indian naval helicopters dashed again

  26th June 2017

  An Indian Navy (IN) deal valued at over $1 billion for 16 Multirole Helicopters (MRH) was given a quiet burial after being scrapped by the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Hot off the press (video)

  23rd June 2017

  Despite this year's Paris Air Show being a scorcher, with temperatures unseasonably high, the Shephard team worked to provide all the aviation news from the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales’ helicopter FFMS for Kuwait forces

  22nd June 2017

  Thales will provide the Kuwait military with flight and mission training solutions for the H225M Caracal helicopters on order from Airbus Helicopters, the company announced on …

• Military Logistics

  Nepal orders single CN235

  21st June 2017

  PT Dirgantara (PTDI), the Indonesian aerospace company, has sold its first transport aircraft to Nepal in a deal for a solitary CN235-220M that was signed …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mexican Navy receives new Panthers

  13th June 2017

  The Mexican Navy has received a further two AS565MBe helicopters bringing the total of aircraft it now has in service to six. The two helicopters …

• Defence Helicopter

  Diminished returns for UK equipment

  7th July 2017

  A reduction in platform numbers is a recurring theme in the UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations publication, with the headline loss being a 37% …

• Defence Helicopter

  MANPADS threat pushes AMPS development

  4th July 2017

  BIRD Aerosystems has further developed its Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) and Aeroshield Pod due to the increased proliferation of MANPADS, the company told Shephard at the Paris …

• Defence Helicopter

  Apache Helicopter fires high-energy laser

  29th June 2017

  A high-energy laser mounted on an Apache AH-64 attack helicopter acquired and hit an unmanned target during a recent firing test conducted at White Sands …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Striker II from testbed to head

  28th June 2017

  BAE Systems showcased for the first time a new modified version of its Striker II Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) at Paris Air Show last week. …

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

  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

  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 - 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 - 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]

  Bids and suppliers Airbus Helicopters Though not involved in the final bid stage, Airbus Helicopters had originally put the H225M forward to meet the Polish ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW169M [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and Bell Helicopters had all put bids in for ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AW149 [North Macedonia]

  Background Bids and suppliers Prior to Leonardo's award of the North Macedonian contract, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and Bell Helicopters had all put bids in for ...

• 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 ...

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 ...