• Defence Helicopter

  Swiss Air Force receives 20th Eurocopter EC635 Helicopter

  22nd December 2009

  The Swiss federal procurement, technology and real estate competence centre, armasuisse, handed over the last of 20 EC635 helicopters to the Swiss Air Force. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Swiss Air Force takes final EC635

  22nd December 2009

  The last of 20 EC635 helicopters for the Swiss Air Force has been assembled and is ready for delivery. The Swiss Government's procurement agency, armasuisse …

• Defence Helicopter

  QinetiQ brings Combined Aerial Target Service for Mirach online

  22nd December 2009

  QinetiQ has officially brought into service the Mirach advanced sub-sonic aerial target, as part of the Combined Aerial Target Service (CATS) contract for the UK's …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mexican Air Force takes delivery of Bell 412s

  22nd December 2009

  Mexican Air Force pilots gather with US dignitaries and officials for a group photo in front of one of the five Bell Helicopters delivered to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Albania signs up for Cougars

  21st December 2009

  The Albanian Defence Ministry has signed a contract to purchase five Eurocopter AS532AL Cougars for its armed forces. The contract was signed during a ceremony …

• Defence Helicopter

  AVIC hails first flight of the EC175/Z-15

  21st December 2009

  Chinese congomerate, AVIC has celebrated the first flight of the EC175/Z-15 helicopter. The new seven-ton helicopter, has been jointly built by Eurocopter and long-term partners …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing Delivers 1st Mk3 Chinook to UK Royal Air Force

  18th December 2009

  Boeing Defence UK have confirmed the November 30 delivery of the first converted Chinook Mk3 helicopter to the Royal Air Force (RAF). Following the delivery, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Norwegian Bell 412s celebrate 100,000 hours in the air

  18th December 2009

  The Norwegian Air Force's fleet of Bell 412s have celebrated a milestone 100,000 flight hours. The event was marked with the celebratory signing of a …

• Defence Helicopter

  MV-22 Osprey arrives at MCAS Miramar

  18th December 2009

  Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161 entered a new era in aviation Saturday as the MV-22 Osprey landed to begin the replacement of the CH-46 “Sea …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF helicopters scramble to aid of capsized ship

  18th December 2009

  84 Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, were called out to search for survivors from a Panamanian registered ship, the Danny F2 carrying livestock …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dutch Apaches get new ammunition

  18th December 2009

  Royal Netherlands Air Force Apache attack helicopters will be equipped with greater precision munitions, the Dutch government has announced. The intention is to replace Hellfire …

• Defence Helicopter

  Warhorse performs troop insertions at Camp Pendleton

  18th December 2009

  As the sun set over California’s colorful horizon, pilots of two steel-gray CH-53E “Super Stallions” revved up and taxied down Marine Corps Air Station Miramar’s …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE Systems secures Australian Army Black Hawk helicopter deeper maintenance contract

  18th December 2009

  A contract awarded to BAE Systems to carry out deeper maintenance on the Australian Army’s Sikorsky S-70A-9 Black Hawk helicopter fleet will support nearly 100 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Gallantry Award for Culdrose Aircrewman

  18th December 2009

  Chief Petty Officer Aircrewman Dave Rigg, serving in 771 Naval Air Squadron based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall, has been awarded the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Royal Navy Medic United With Top Russian Medal

  18th December 2009

  Eight years is a while in anyone’s language and for Medical Assistant Alan Jackson he has watched two Royal Navy postings come and go, completed …

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]

  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 Puma ...

• 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 - multirole

  H135 [UK]

  Programme Background Airbus Helicopters UK announced on 2 February 2022 that it has won an order to provide five additional H135 twin-engine helicopters for the ...

• 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 - multirole

  H145M [Ireland]

  Background On 30 December 2024 Ireland announced a contract with Airbus for four new H145M helicopters to replace the Air Corps existing fleet of light ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Future Aircrew Training Program [Canada]

  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 are ...

• 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 - 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 - 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]

  Bids and suppliers Airbus Helicopters Though not involved in the final bid stage, Airbus Helicopters had originally put the H225M forward to meet the Polish ...

• 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

  SW4 Puszczyk Replacement [Poland]

  Background  Requirement 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 - 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. ...

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 ...