• Training

  SEA delivers flight deck simulator

  14th December 2015

  SEA has delivered a new Flight Deck Training Simulator for the Royal Navy to train crew for the new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Orbital ATK’s HAPS granted patent

  14th December 2015

  Orbital ATK has been granted a patent for its Helicopter Active Protection System (HAPS) by the US Patent and Trademark Office, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  TLUH engine contract signed

  11th December 2015

  CTS800 turboshaft engines for the Turkish Light Utility Helicopter programme will be supplied by the Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC) under a contract with …

• Defence Helicopter

  Japan’s SH-X merits internal investigation

  11th December 2015

  The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) had planned that development of its next-generation SH-X naval multipurpose helicopter would occur from 2015-20. However, Defence Minister Gen …

• Military Logistics

  USAF begins Airbus tanker testing

  10th December 2015

  The US Air Force has begun refuelling trials on the A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) as part of efforts to fully certify its fleet to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Shadows and Apaches team for Iraq ops

  10th December 2015

  Unmanned RQ-7B Shadow aircraft teamed with US Army Apache AH-64 attack helicopters have made a ‘significant impact’ during their first operational tour of Iraq, army …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr could fit data link solution

  9th December 2015

  The Zephyr high altitude pseudo satellite (HAPS) is ‘an obvious candidate’ for a new high altitude cellular communications technology being developed by Roke Manor Research …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus Helicopters delivers German H145Ms

  9th December 2015

  Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first two H145M military multi-role helicopters to the German armed forces, the company announced on 8 December.  The helicopters will be …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia strengthens support for Egyptian helicopters

  9th December 2015

  Russian Helicopters will retool its repair base located in Heluane, Egypt to provide after-sales services and maintenance to its helicopters operated by the Egyptian Air …

• Land Warfare

  NZ Army modernisation continues

  9th December 2015

  The New Zealand government has confirmed the acquisition of new Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) assault rifles in an announcement on 8 December. Some 8,800 of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing completes Chinook Mk6 deliveries to UK

  8th December 2015

  Boeing has delivered the fourteenth Mk6 Chinook aircraft to the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF), the company announced on 7 December.   The delivery marks …

• Military Logistics

  HII preps for LPD 28

  7th December 2015

  The US Navy has awarded an advance procurement contract to Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) for LPD 28, the 12th amphibious transport dock of the San …

• Defence Helicopter

  H225M integration with AM39 begins tests

  7th December 2015

  In-lab testing of the Exocet AM39 missile integrated with the H225M helicopter for the Brazilian Navy has begun, with several simulated missile launches undertaken during …

• Defence Helicopter

  NH90 upgrades continue as H145M launches

  2nd December 2015

  The first NH90 multirole helicopter delivered to the German armed forces in 2006 is undergoing an 18-month retrofit at the Airbus Helicopters Donauwörth facility after completing …

• Military Logistics

  C295W flies in Antarctica

  1st December 2015

  An Airbus Defence and Space (D&S) C295W aircraft has undertaken flight demonstrations to Antarctica for the first time as part of its tour of South …

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 ...