• Defence Helicopter

  Mexican Navy receives final Panthers

  8th December 2017

  Airbus Helicopters has delivered the final two AS565 MBe Panther helicopters to the Mexican Navy during a delivery ceremony in Marignane, France, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Second NH90 Sea Lion flies

  30th November 2017

  The second prototype of Germany’s NH90 Sea Lion helicopter has completed its maiden flight, Airbus announced on 28 November.  The aircraft flew from the Airbus …

• Land Warfare

  GDA 2017: Kuwait National Guard modernisation continues

  15th December 2017

  The Kuwait National Guard is pushing forward with an extensive modernisation agenda with ground vehicles, command and control (C2) infrastructure and airborne assets at the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Active digital map contract for Airbus D&S team

  27th November 2017

  A team led by Airbus Defence and Space has received a ten-year contract from the French Armament Procurement Agency for the production of the SI …

• Defence Helicopter

  HForce to test Thales laser guided rockets

  27th November 2017

  Following on from successful ballistic development testing of its HForce weapon system on a H145M helicopter at Pápa Airbase in Hungary, Airbus Helicopters is to begin a similar operation …

• Military Logistics

  Five C295 aircraft ordered by UAE

  20th November 2017

  The United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence has ordered five Airbus C295 medium transport aircraft, Airbus Defence and Space announced on 15 November.The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mexican Navy roaring to go with more Panther deliveries

  22nd November 2017

  The Mexican Navy received its seventh and eighth Airbus Helicopters AS565MBe Panther aircraft on 13 November at Naval Air Base Minatitlán, Veracruz. The aircraft was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr soars into the commercial market

  16th November 2017

  The Zephyr UAS is set to enter the commercial market at the end of 2018 as Airbus Aerial touts the platform as part of its commercial …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: DiSTI launches GL Studio v.6.1

  23rd November 2017

  Visualisation and 3D virtual maintenance trainer (VMT) specialists, Orlando-based DiSTI Corporation has released v.6.1 of its GL Studio product, the first major iteration of v.6 that …

• Defence Helicopter

  HForce-equipped H145M tested

  14th November 2017

  Airbus Helicopters has completed a ballistic development test of an HForce weapon system on the H145M helicopter at Pápa Airbase in Hungary, the company announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Laser communications the solution to SATCOM woes

  15th November 2017

  Laser communications technology is rapidly being developed as a means of enhancing the resilience of satellite communications and providing global, on-demand data to ever-more connected …

• Special Operations

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Not SOFt on C-130J

  21st November 2017

  Lockheed Martin is positioning its C-130J-SOF export variant as the go-to aircraft for special operation forces helicopter and fixed-wing refuelling needs. Pushing hard on the …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2017: UK foresees growth in Asia-Pacific

  6th November 2017

  The Defence and Security Organisation (DSO), under the UK’s Department for International Trade, promoted broader opportunities in defence sales and technology transfers at the Defence …

• Military Logistics

  ​Dubai Airshow 2017: Atlas Aerospace expects opportunity from French focus

  12th November 2017

  France’s interest in developing its civil and military markets in the UAE is helping companies like Abu Dhabi-based Atlas Aerospace explore new business opportunities in …

• Training

  Polish C295 FFS enters service

  2nd November 2017

  The Polish Air Force has accepted into service a CAE-built C295 full-flight simulator (FFS) at the 8th Air Base Krakow-Balice in Poland, CAE announced on …

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 - 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 UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain and Colombia were jointly developing a MALE UAV to meet the ISR requirements of both countries’ ...

• Transport

  A-400M [United Arab Emirates]

  Background IDEX 2025 At IDEX 2025, two Airbus representatives shared insights into a possible offer from the United Arab Emirates for the A-400M aircraft. The ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

• 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 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Tanker replacement [Turkey]

  Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force currently operates a fleet of seven KC-135R tanker aircraft that it has operated since 1995.  Bids and competitors Boeing ...

• 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 UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [France]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Future Combat Air System (FCAS/SCAF) [France]

  Background The governments of France and Germany have launched the demonstrator phase for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with the issue of an initial ...

• 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 UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration with ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [Germany]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-72C Lakota Connector

  The MQ-72C Lakota Connector is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B, primarily designed to provide contested logistics in austere expeditionary environments. Airbus has partnered with L3Harris, Shield AI, ...

• 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 UAS - MALE

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal-wingman-type fixed-wing UAV was explicitly aimed to accompany and augment ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• 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 ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• 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 ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...