• Defence Helicopter

  Crowsnest edges closer to assessment phase

  9th July 2013

  After a two-year delay in funding, the UK’s development of a new helicopter-based early warning radar system is gathering momentum – although critical capability gaps …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia seeks MK 54 Torpedoes for MH-60R helicopters

  4th July 2013

  The Australian Department of Defence has expressed interest in acquiring 100 MK 54 All-Up-Round Torpedoes from the US government in a possible foreign military sale …

• Defence Helicopter

  First Australian MH-60R Seahawk Romeo takes flight

  3rd July 2013

  The first MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopter in production for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has completed its first test flight at Sikorsky’s Production Facility in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia revives $4.3 billion Iraq arms deal

  3rd July 2013

  Russia plans to deliver ten Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopters to Iraq within the next few months, it has been revealed. Speaking to Russian press …

• Military Logistics

  Norway picks BMT design for its new logistics ship

  1st July 2013

  The Aegir logistics support vessel (LSV) design from BMT Defence Services has been selected by Norway for its logistics support ship requirement – known as Project …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spirit AeroSystems wins CH-53K structures contract

  1st July 2013

  Spirit AeroSystems is to supply Sikorsky with the major structural cockpit and cabin components of four additional CH-53K heavy lift helicopters as part of a …

• Defence Helicopter

  First USAF Ospreys arrive in UK

  30th June 2013

  The first US Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to be permanently based in the UK have arrived at RAF Mildenhall, England. …

• Defence Helicopter

  First CH-147F Chinook delivered to Canada

  28th June 2013

  The Royal Canadian Air Force took delivery of the first CH-147F Chinook helicopter from Boeing on 21 June, making Canada the operator of one of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lockheed Martin to support US Army helicopters

  26th June 2013

  Lockheed Martin will provide field and sustainment-level maintenance for US Army helicopters under a new contract awarded by the US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal. …

• Defence Helicopter

  First Italian Army ICH-47F Chinook takes flight

  26th June 2013

  The first ICH-47F Chinook built for the Italian Army has successfully accomplished its maiden flight in Vergiate, Italy. AgustaWestland said the 24 June flight saw …

• Defence Helicopter

  RNLAF tests acoustic gunshot detection system

  26th June 2013

  The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has conducted a series of trials with a Microflown AVISA prototype acoustic gunshot detection system installed onboard a Eurocopter …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thailand seeks UH-72A Lakota helicopters

  25th June 2013

  The government of Thailand has expressed interest in acquiring the UH-72A Lakota helicopter from the US government at an estimated cost of $77 million. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show 2013: New safety devices for AgustaWestland helicopters

  21st June 2013

  Aero Sekur has been awarded a contract by AgustaWestland to provide emergency helicopter flotation devices. They will be used on-board AW139, AW169 and AW189 helicopters …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show 2013: Elbit Systems unveils helicopter products

  19th June 2013

  Israeli company Elbit Systems has introduced two of its latest offerings in the fields of degraded visual environments (DVE) navigation and laser-guided rockets at the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show 2013: AgustaWestland’s Project Zero makes debut in Paris

  19th June 2013

  AgustaWestland has displayed its ‘Project Zero’ all-electric tiltrotor technology demonstrator for the first time at the Paris Air Show.  James Wang, AgustaWestland’s vice president 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 ...