• Training

  Exercise Fire Blade 2017 concludes

  25th May 2017

  The European Defence Agency's (EDA's) exercise Fire Blade 2017, hosted by the Hungarian defence forces, has concluded, the agency announced on 22 May. Conducted at Papa Airbase …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL’s second LUH prototype takes off

  25th May 2017

  The second prototype (PT-2) of Hindustan Aeronautics’ (HAL) Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) has successfully completed its first flight at the company’s facility in Bengaluru, HAL …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commonality key for USN

  24th May 2017

  The US Navy could be using a common control system (CCS) for its unmanned assets as early as the mid-2020s. Speaking at an Unmanned Systems …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indonesia's AH-64E getting service ready

  24th May 2017

  The Indonesian Army Aviation unit’s first Boeing AH-64E Guardian is now conducting test flights in the US, according to images distributed widely on social media. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Peruvian Air Force receives aviation equipment

  23rd May 2017

  Russian Helicopters has delivered aviation components to the Peruvian Air Force for its Mi-8/17 and Mi-24/35helicopters, the company announced on 19 May. The aviation equipment …

• Defence Helicopter

  Z-19E undertakes maiden flight

  22nd May 2017

  China’s Z-19E armed helicopter has successfully completed its maiden flight in Harbin in northeast China's Heilongjiang province, the China Ministry of National Defense announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Safran to support German NH90 engines

  22nd May 2017

  Safran Helicopter Engines has signed a seven-year contract to support engines powering German NH90 helicopters with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lord placing bets on future

  18th May 2017

  Lord Corporation is a key contributor to the next-generation of rotorcraft through its participation in the build of both the Boeing-Sikorsky SB>1 Defiant and Bell …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: Curtiss Wright secures and traverses at IMDEX

  18th May 2017

  Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions has had recent success with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and is promoting its ship-borne helicopter handling systems at this year’s …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ka-52Es bound for Egypt

  15th May 2017

  The first batch of Ka-52E helicopters for Egypt are slated for delivery by the end of the summer, according to information revealed by Russian Helicopters …

• Defence Helicopter

  AHS Forum 73: Boeing puts MH-139 in spotlight

  15th May 2017

  With the recent release of another draft RFP for the US Air Force UH-1N replacement programme, Boeing is highlighting its decision to offer a variant …

• Military Logistics

  Airbus demos auto air-to-air refuelling contacts

  11th May 2017

  Airbus Defence and Space has successfully demonstrated automatic air-to-air refuelling (AAR) contacts with a fighter aircraft using the A310 MRTT's refuelling boom, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  DST ensures safe MRH90 operations

  8th May 2017

  A team of forensic engineers from Australia's Defence Science and Technology (DST) organisation is using forensic engineering techniques and computational fluid analyses of airflow to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus to study Syracuse IV ground segment

  5th May 2017

  Airbus has received a contract from the French defence procurement agency to carry out preparatory studies and definition work for the future ground segment of …

• Military Logistics

  First Pegasus delivery and Japanese contract before year end

  17th May 2017

  Boeing expects to deliver the first of its KC-46A PegasusKC-46A Pegasus multi-role tankers to the US Air Force (USAF) by the end of 2017 as …

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 ...