• Defence Helicopter

  CH-53K King Stallion helicopter rolled out

  8th May 2014

  A roll-out ceremony for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter was held by Sikorsky in Florida on 5 May. During the unveiling ceremony, Gen Amos, Commandant …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: Sensors next step to address brownout threat

  7th May 2014

  The US Army is edging closer to a sensor-based solution to the lasting problem of landing helicopters in degraded visual environments (DVE) such as brownout …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: US Army considers endgame for Kiowas

  7th May 2014

  The US Army is now considering possible options for its OH-58 Kiowa Warrior Scout and TH-67 training helicopters being divested as part of its aviation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: Bell looks towards the future of vertical lift

  6th May 2014

  Bell Helicopter is bracing itself for some potentially difficult years as the company looks to offset declining US military revenue with increased international sales. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: Echo model Apache deploys to Afghanistan

  5th May 2014

  The AH-64E Apache attack helicopter has made its operational debut in Afghanistan with the 1-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, the army has confirmed. The battalion was …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed Martin awarded Lot 9 M-TADS/PNVS contract

  5th May 2014

  Lockheed Martin will produce and deliver 17 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) systems to the US Army under a $80.6 million …

• Defence Helicopter

  TALON LGR receives air worthiness certification

  5th May 2014

  Raytheon’s TALON Laser-Guided Rocket (LGR) has been cleared for installation on the Apache AH-64D/E Attack helicopter, following the completion of the air worthiness release (AWR) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: AVX confident about JMR/FVL

  5th May 2014

  AVX Aircraft has revealed more details about the Coaxial Compound Helicopter (CCH) it is developing for the US Department of Defense’s Joint Multirole (JMR) next-generation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: First armed 407s delivered to UAE

  5th May 2014

  The UAE’s fledgling Joint Aviation Command (JAC) has taken delivery of its first two 407MRH light attack helicopters modified by NorthStar Aviation, it has been …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky continues to next stage of CH-53K testing

  2nd May 2014

  The CH-53K heavy lift helicopter programme continues to progress, with the aircraft’s seven main rotor blades and four tail rotor blades attached for the first …

• Defence Helicopter

  AH-6i helicopter flies in production configuration

  2nd May 2014

  The AH-6i light attack/reconnaissance helicopter in development with Boeing has taken its first flight in production configuration, the company announced on 1 May. The flight …

• Defence Helicopter

  AW completes autorotation tests for AW609 tiltrotor

  1st May 2014

  AgustaWestland has successfully completed autorotation trials for its AW609 tiltrotor programme at the Arlington facility in Texas, it has been announced. The tests were carried …

• Defence Helicopter

  Northrop Grumman to supply FlightPro Gen III for H-1 programme

  28th April 2014

  Northrop Grumman will deliver FlightPro Gen III mission computers for H-1 helicopter programme flight tests, system integration laboratories and training. The company has received a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aerotec eyes Moroccan with Gazelle upgrade

  28th April 2014

  French company Aerotec Group unveiled an upgraded SA341F Gazelle with a new arrangement of modern weapons at the Marrakesh Air Show. With the Royal Moroccan …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Industry stands by for next ASTRAEA phase

  28th April 2014

  Industry bids are being prepared for the next phase of a UK effort to ease the validation and certification of UAS in national airspace, an …

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 ...