• Digital Battlespace

  USSOCOM EW contracts awarded

  5th January 2016

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has issued funding to two companies to further develop new electronic warfare equipment for C-130J aircraft, it was announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  India makes Mi-25 Afghan donation

  5th January 2016

  The Afghan Air Force (AAF) is now in receipt of the first example of four Mil Mi-25 attack helicopters that are being donated by India. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia confirms Egyptian Ka-52 order

  4th January 2016

  Russian Helicopters has acknowledged for the first time the existence of a contract for 46 Ka-52 coaxial rotor attack helicopters for Egypt. Alexander Mikheev, director …

• Defence Helicopter

  Royal Navy says SAR-onara

  4th January 2016

  The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm has officially ended its role in UK search and rescue (SAR) operations, concluding nearly 60 years of service. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thailand conducts H225M CSAR trials

  4th January 2016

  After the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) received a batch of four Airbus Helicopters H225M (EC725) Super Cougar helicopters last year, the type conducted its …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL to manufacture Ka-226T

  4th January 2016

  An indigenous helicopter production deal between India and Russia was signed in late December after more than a year of negotiations.  The contract, sealed when …

• Digital Battlespace

  France awards Comsat NG contract

  28th December 2015

  The French defence procurement agency has awarded a contract to a consortium formed by Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space to build and deliver …

• Defence Helicopter

  France orders more Tiger HAD helicopters

  24th December 2015

  The French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) has awarded a contract to Airbus Helicopters to supply seven additional Tiger HAD attack helicopters, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  US considers CH-47F aircraft sale

  22nd December 2015

  The US State Department is considering a potential foreign military sale (FMS) to Australia for CH-47F Chinook aircraft, related equipment and support worth up to …

• Defence Helicopter

  M-TADS/PNVS systems for India

  18th December 2015

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a foreign military sale contract from the US Army to provide Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) …

• Defence Helicopter

  AW101 on hold for Indonesia, for now

  18th December 2015

  Catering to domestic concerns, Indonesia’s president has overturned a decision by the national air force (TNI-AU) to acquire three AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters for VVIP use. …

• Defence Helicopter

  NHI delivers ASW NH90 to Sweden

  18th December 2015

  NHI has delivered the first NH90 in full anti-submarine warfare (ASW) configuration to the Swedish defence procurement Agency (FMW), the company announced on 17 December.  …

• Defence Notes

  Philippines boosts defence spending

  18th December 2015

  The Philippine Congress gave the Department of National Defence (DND) a shot in the arm with a 9.2% increase for the 2016 defence budget. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit announces C-MUSIC order

  17th December 2015

  Elbit Systems will supply multi-spectral infrared countermeasures to an unnamed customer in the Asia-Pacific region under a two-year $26.5 million contract announced on 16 December. …

• Military Logistics

  HII supports US Navy’s San Antonio class

  17th December 2015

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division will provide life-cycle engineering and support services for the US Navy's USS San Antonio (LPD 17) class of …

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 ...