• Digital Battlespace

  Terma launches upgraded ACMDS

  2nd May 2016

  Terma has released a re-engineered and upgraded version of its Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser System (ACMDS), it announced on 29 April. Some of the features of …

• Defence Helicopter

  First H145Ms handed over to Thai navy

  2nd May 2016

  The first two of five H145M helicopters have been handed over to the Royal Thai Navy by Airbus Helicopters, the company announced on 29 April.  …

• Defence Helicopter

  Norwegian crash grounds H225 fleet

  2nd May 2016

  Commercial flights of the Airbus Helicopters H225 remain suspended following the crash in Norway on 29 April that killed 13 people. The CHC-operated EC225LP was …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: Little Bird replacement on horizon

  1st May 2016

  Affectionately known as the 'street fighter' for its ability to operate in difficult urban terrain, the AH/MH-6 Little Bird provides capabilities to US Special Operations …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: FVL needed for Pacific theatre

  30th April 2016

  The US Army’s initiative to introduce a new generation of helicopters as part of Future Vertical Lift (FVL) will be vital for addressing growing threats …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: Chinook to reach 100 years service

  30th April 2016

  Despite a push by the US Army to introduce a new-generation of rotorcraft in the 2030s, the branch has plans to keep some of its …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: DVE solution goes in-house

  30th April 2016

  The US Army has decided to pursue existing technology being developed by the government for its Brownout Rotorcraft Enhancement System (BORES) requirement, ruling out any …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: Leadership outlines rotary challenges

  29th April 2016

  Army aviation capabilities will be vital for the US as future conflicts become more complex and fought over more dispersed regions in the world, but …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: Sikorsky defiant on SB>1

  29th April 2016

  Sikorsky and Boeing’s offering for the US Army’s Joint Multi Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator is on track to perform its first flight next year, with …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters talks Kruk

  29th April 2016

  Airbus Helicopters and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) have begun talks to identify potential areas of cooperation for Poland’s Kruk attack helicopter programme, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: US Army rolls out Apache upgrades

  28th April 2016

  The latest batch of remanufactured AH-64E Apache ‘Guardian’ attack helicopters for the US Army are beginning to roll off the production line with a comprehensive …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: Lakota FMS efforts stepped up

  28th April 2016

  With end of production on the horizon for the US Army's UH-72A Lakota, Airbus Helicopters Inc (AHI) is redoubling efforts to find international customers for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2016: Bell eyes early service for V-280

  28th April 2016

  In the lead up to this year's Quad A in Atlanta, Georgia, Bell Helicopter reaffirmed its belief that its next generation V-280 tilt-rotor could enter …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russian MoD places a contract for Mi-28UBs and Mi-26s

  26th April 2016

  The first contract for delivery of a batch of Mi-28UB attack helicopters with dual controls has been signed by Russian MoD and Russian Helicopters. The …

• Training

  H-ITC milestone

  25th April 2016

  The DCI Helicopter International Training Centre (H-ITC) has announced that it has now flown over 1,000 flight hours with its EC120 Colibri aircraft.H-ITC is a …

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 ...