• Defence Helicopter

  Land Forces 2016: Viper bares fangs in Australia

  6th September 2016

  Bell Helicopter executives believe their AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter is shaping up as a strong contender for the Australian Army. While officials at Land Forces …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Bell plans advance on Kielce

  2nd September 2016

  Polish defence officials are understood to be planning to outline their defence modernisation priorities to industry on 7 September at MSPO in Kielce. With uncertainty …

• Defence Helicopter

  Auditors savagely criticise Australian Tigers

  2nd September 2016

  Australia’s Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) fleet has come under severe criticism in a report issued by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) on 1 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Insurgencies shape ME rotary procurement

  1st September 2016

  Jordan’s geographical positioning in the Middle East is likely to be heavily influencing its military procurements in recent years. The country’s neighbouring borders are Iraq …

• Defence Notes

  MSPO 2016: Israeli companies target Polish market

  1st September 2016

  Poland’s ambitious programme to modernise its armed forces is one of the biggest in Europe, and with billions of dollars likely to be spent over …

• Defence Helicopter

  Cobras over Sirte – AH-1Ws enter the conflict

  31st August 2016

  In an echo of the role British Apache attack helicopters played in the 2011 intervention in Libya, US Marine Corps (USMC) AH-1W Cobras have entered …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sensors heading for Middle Eastern UH-60s

  31st August 2016

  An undisclosed Middle Eastern country is to receive eight Wescam MX-10D EO/IR designating turrets, L-3 Communications has announced. The delivery of the payloads, which started …

• Defence Notes

  China moves to master aero engines

  31st August 2016

  China has set up the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) to administer all of China’s aircraft engine development and production efforts in both the …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Kiowa Warriors bolster Croatian Armed Forces

  30th August 2016

  The sale of ex-US Army OH-58D Kiowa Warriors to international militaries is gaining momentum, with deliveries in Croatia, sightings in Tunisia and an Excess Defense Article …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Russia advances helicopter modernisation

  30th August 2016

  Russia continues to breathe new life into its various helicopter programmes, with several projects reaching key milestones recently. At the end of July, the latest …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2016: Helicopter opportunities abound

  30th August 2016

  As the defence industry roadshow rolls into glitzy Kielce, Poland for the 24th outing of the MSPO exhibition, Western companies will be closely eyeing several …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australian Chinook flies in cold weather

  30th August 2016

  The Royal Australian Navy has been conducting cold weather aspects of the first-of-class flight trials of the Boeing Chinook CH-47F twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter, …

• Military Logistics

  USMC gets 50th KC-130J

  26th August 2016

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) has taken delivery of its 50th KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refuelling aircraft at the Lockheed Martin facility, it was announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  TACIP takes command

  26th August 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (DS) has demonstrated the first iteration of its Tactical IP (TACIP) deployable information solution following its launch in 2015.  Current work …

• Defence Helicopter

  Final MD 530Fs arrive in Kabul

  26th August 2016

  The final batch of MD 530F Cayuse Warriors have arrived in the Afghan capital for delivery to the Afghan Air Force (AAF), MD Helicopters has announced. The …

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

  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 - 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 - 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 - 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. ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...