• Training

  Changes for SAR training unit

  9th May 2016

  Following the end of UK military Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in January the Royal Air Force (RAF) Search & Rescue Training Unit (SARTU) based …

• Naval Warfare

  ADMM-Plus conducts largest exercise

  9th May 2016

  Participants in the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) performed a counterterrorist assault aboard a ship in the South China Sea on 8 May as …

• Digital Battlespace

  SharpEye radar on SA support vessel

  9th May 2016

  The Kelvin Hughes SharpEye radar system has been installed and commissioned on board the South African Navy’s fleet replenishment ship, SAS Drakensberg, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Tight race for Singapore helicopters

  9th May 2016

  International OEMs are looking to secure a lucrative contract and bragging rights as the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) replaces two squadrons of AS332/532 …

• Military Logistics

  BAE Systems to maintain USS Gettysburg

  6th May 2016

  The US Navy has awarded a $29.4 million contract to BAE Systems to maintain the USS Gettysburg (CG 64) Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: Sikorsky eyes K-MAX technology

  5th May 2016

  Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky are set to leverage each other’s autonomous technologies following their merger last year, potentially creating a powerhouse in the industry for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell mates V-280 wing to fuselage

  5th May 2016

  Bell Helicopter has successfully mated the wing and nacelles to the aircraft fuselage of the V-280 Valor tilt-rotor Joint Multi Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD), the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Nuri to receive cockpit upgrade

  5th May 2016

  Airod signed an MoU with Heli-One on 20 April that will pave the way for Sikorsky S-61A-4 Nuri helicopters of the Royal Malaysian Air Force …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2016: CybAero touches down on Swedish corvette

  4th May 2016

  CybAero and Airbus Defence and Space (DS) have successfully teamed up to perform a test launch and recovery of the Apid One VTOL UAV from …

• Defence Helicopter

  Tunisia seeks OH-58 equipment

  4th May 2016

  The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale to Tunisia of equipment for the Bell OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter, the Defense Security Cooperation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Saab to continue supporting Helicopter 15

  4th May 2016

  Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, FMV, for continued delivery of support and maintenance for Helicopter 15, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky details CRH progress

  4th May 2016

  Sikorsky has successfully executed the air vehicle preliminary design review (PDR) for the Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) programme, it announced on 2 May. The training …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF orders first lot of AN/DAS-4

  3rd May 2016

  A first lot production contract awarded to Raytheon by the US Air Force will see the company start production of the AN/DAS-4 Multi-Spectral Targeting (MTS) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Switching to BrightNite

  3rd May 2016

  Elbit Systems believes it has made a significant breakthrough in night vision technology, following a series of demonstration flight tests of its BrightNite system in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Longbow radar for Indian Apaches

  3rd May 2016

  Longbow will provide Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) systems for the Indian Air Force’s Apache AH-64E helicopters, it was announced on 30 April. The radars …

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 ...