• Defence Helicopter

  Iran brings in rotary firepower

  28th July 2016

  The firepower of the Iranian Army Aviation’s (IRIAA) helicopter units has been starkly illustrated during a recent counter-narcotics operation. On 21 July, the IRIAA’s 3rd …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thailand fails to sell Chinooks

  28th July 2016

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) will divest its six Boeing CH-47D Chinooks after failing to sell the 25-year-old aircraft on the second-hand market. Thailand found …

• Military Logistics

  India reverses course on MRTT

  27th July 2016

  In a flip-flop typical of Indian procurement activities, the country’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) cancelled its tender process for six A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Overhauled Chinook delivered to Iranian Air Force

  26th July 2016

  The Iranian Air Force’s (IRIAF) 11 Squadron received a freshly-overhauled CH-47C from the Iranian Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (IHSRC) on 19 July.  With the …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines awaits new cutter and frigates

  26th July 2016

  Documents were signed at Coast Guard Base Alameda, California on 21 July to hand over a decommissioned Hamilton-class cutter to the Philippine Navy (PN).  Boutwell …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus to operate German Heron 1 UAS

  25th July 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space will operate Germany’s Heron 1 UAS in support of the German Army’s mission in Mali, the company announced on 21 July. …

• Defence Helicopter

  V-280 for tomorrow's pilots

  22nd July 2016

  The V-280 Valor is a demonstrator born from many of the lessons learnt from the V-22 tiltrotor, but with the pilots of tomorrow in mind. Bell …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Navy swing loads MH-60R Seahawk

  22nd July 2016

  The US Navy has swing loaded an MH-60R Seahawk with both AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) in an …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK’s HMS Ocean trains in ASW exercise

  22nd July 2016

  The Royal Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities have been put through their paces during Exercise Deep Blue II in the Mediterranean in July. HMS Ocean took …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Facebook reaches unmanned milestone

  22nd July 2016

  Social media giant Facebook has completed the first full-scale test flight of its high-altitude UAV, Aquila, the company announced on 21 July. The test flight …

• Military Logistics

  KBR bags multiple defence contracts

  22nd July 2016

  KBR has received new defence contracts, including a multi-year contract for the Australian Department of Defence and two contract extensions with the US, it announced …

• Military Logistics

  USMC Osprey lands on HMAS Canberra

  21st July 2016

  An MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft of the US Marine Corps (USMC) successfully landed on the flight deck of the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) HMAS Canberra landing …

• Defence Helicopter

  Flightcell releases Iridium PTT for DZMx

  20th July 2016

  Flightcell International’s Flightcell DZMx aviation communications system has been integrated with Iridium push-to-talk (PTT) functionality, the company announced on 18 July. The Iridium PTT uses …

• Defence Helicopter

  Turkish coup: Helicopters central to failed operation

  20th July 2016

  As the political upheaval continues across Turkey following the attempted coup on 15 July, details have emerged of the aviation assets involved in the failed …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus Defence and Space, Roketsan sign MoU

  18th July 2016

  Plans are underway to integrate a range of weapon systems on the C295W surveillance and transport aircraft as part of a new Memorandum of Understanding …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  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 - light/training

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

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

• 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 - 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 - multirole

  H145M [Spain]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, Spain announced the National Helicopter Plan as part of the country's wider effort to rearm in response to American pressure. ...

• 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 ...

• Model 301 Fire Attack

  The Model 301 is a belly tank/refill hose system for Airbus Helicopters AS365-series helicopters.

• 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

  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 - 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 ...

• Model 316 Fire Attack

  The Model 316 is a belly tank/refill hose system for Airbus Helicopters H225 and AS332 L-series helicopters.

• AC67 Airbus Helicopters H135 interior

  Bucher has developed the AC67 medical interior for the Airbus Helicopters H135 in cooperation with ADAC Luftrettung.The lightweight, modular design features a floor with integrated ...

• 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 ...

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...