• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus eyes growing UAV market

  20th June 2016

  As the UAV industry continues its apparent exponential growth and new applications appear in the commercial sector, Airbus Defence & Space will look to explore …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hose about that for AAR capability

  20th June 2016

  Airbus Defence & Space is advancing plans to provide a helicopter air-to-air refuelling (AAR) capability to the A400M transport aircraft during military operations. Launched in earnest late …

• Defence Helicopter

  Eurosatory: The return of the Battle Hawk

  15th June 2016

  Sikorsky is looking to strengthen its hand in Poland with the display of a weaponised version of its S-70i Black Hawk at Exercise Anakonda 2016. Featuring …

• Defence Helicopter

  HForce completes first firing

  15th June 2016

  Airbus Helicopters has completed a first round of test firings with its HForce weapon system, which is being developed for its helicopter range, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Wildcats touch down in South Korea

  15th June 2016

  South Korea welcomed the arrival of its first four Leonardo-Finmeccanica AW159 Wildcat helicopters on 13 June.  The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) will operate these …

• Defence Helicopter

  FAA certifies ADS-B solution

  9th June 2016

  Vector Aerospace has received US FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for its ADS-B solution, it announced on 7 June. The solution has been approved …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit, Diehl to develop A400M DIRCM system

  8th June 2016

  Elbit Systems and Diehl Defence have signed an additional agreement and extended their cooperation to develop a Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) self-defence system for Germany's …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory: Piranha a flying fish?

  6th June 2016

  Plans are afoot to conduct a flight test of transporting a Piranha 5 8x8 armoured personnel carrier by air. Vehicle manufacturer General Dynamics European Land …

• Defence Helicopter

  ILA 2016: Airbus Helicopters everyone's friend in Germany

  2nd June 2016

  As the competition to replace Germany’s CH-53G helicopters with a new platform heats up, Airbus Helicopters is keeping its options open. This takes place amid …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus DS awarded German satcom contract

  1st June 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) has been awarded a $126.78 million contract by the German armed forces to provide commercial satellite communication services until …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aussie Tiger achieves FOC… finally

  1st June 2016

  The Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) of the Australian Army achieved final operating capability (FOC) on 14 April, a mere seven years behind the original …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOFIC 2016: Airbus pushes Zephyr for military applications

  31st May 2016

  Airbus Defence & Space used the SOFIC exhibition to promote the potential military applications of its Zephyr High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) system. ‘Zephyr is …

• Defence Notes

  US lifts Vietnam arms embargo

  26th May 2016

  The first order of business during US President Barack Obama’s state visit to Vietnam was to lift a long-standing arms embargo on lethal weapons on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr S to get solar sheets

  23rd May 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space has issued a production contract to MicroLink Devices for its epitaxial liftoff (ELO)-based multi-junction solar sheets to use for the former's …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus Defence offers SkyGhost ER

  19th May 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) and UAV subsidiary Survey Copter have unveilled the SkyGhost ER extended-range mini tactical UAV the latest in its family …

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 ...