• Defence Helicopter

  MANPADS threat pushes AMPS development

  4th July 2017

  BIRD Aerosystems has further developed its Airborne Missile Protection System (AMPS) and Aeroshield Pod due to the increased proliferation of MANPADS, the company told Shephard at the Paris …

• Digital Battlespace

  Star SAFIRE 380-HD for USCG HC-27J

  27th June 2017

  FLIR Systems has received a $17.9 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract to supply 19  systems for the United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) HC-27J surveillance aircraft fleet, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: The aircraft on display (video)

  19th June 2017

  As Paris Air Show 2017 gets underway Shephard editors Grant Turnbull and Richard Thomas cast their gaze over the flight line to see what's on …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​ Paris Air Show: Ardiden 3G receives EASA cert

  20th June 2017

  Safran Helicopter Engines’ Ardiden 3G has received EASA type certification, with the company marking the milestone at a ceremony at the Paris Air Show on 19 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Arriel 2L2 makes first ground run

  22nd June 2017

  The engine that will power South Korea’s Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) has made its first ground run, Safran announced on 20 June. The Arriel 2L2 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Eye of the Tiger (video)

  21st June 2017

  The French Tiger attack helicopter is a prominent addition to this year's Paris Air Show, with models taking part in both the static displays and …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia to improve space-based ISR capabilities

  20th June 2017

  The Australian government is investing A$500 million ($380.78 million) to improve the country’s space-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, the Department of Defence announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Safran, TAI to support Thai heli engines

  23rd June 2017

  Safran Helicopter Engines has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) to support helicopter engines operated by the Thai armed forces, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bangladesh signs up for more Mi-171s

  15th June 2017

  The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) ordered five Mil Mi-171Sh transport helicopters from Russian Helicopters on 12 June, although the monetary value of the deal was …

• Defence Helicopter

  Construction of fifth SDTA CH-53K begins

  22nd June 2017

  Spirit AeroSystems has started assembly of the fifth System Demonstration Test Article CH-53K King Stallion helicopter for the US Marine Corps, the company announced on 19 …

• Special Operations

  Paris Air Show: French SF kit on show (video)

  20th June 2017

  The French Air Force's elite special forces unit, the Commando parachutiste de l'air n° 10 (CPA 10), is displaying some of its equipment at this …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Sikorsky on track with CH-53K

  21st June 2017

  As Sikorsky’s CH-53K King Stallion enters production, company officials are confident that the US Marine Corps (USMC) Heavy Lift Replacement Programme is on track. With initial …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sino-Russian AHL contract due soon

  16th June 2017

  Russia and China are cooperating on the Advanced Heavy Lifter (AHL) helicopter project, but the two parties have not yet signed a full contract. However, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Sikorsky platform developments (video)

  15th June 2017

  Sikorsky's VP for Asia Christophe Nurit discusses the company's recent developments with the CH-53K King Stallion, which is set to replace the CH-53E Super Stallion …

• Defence Helicopter

  TASL delivers components for Indian CH-47

  13th June 2017

  Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) has begun delivery of crown and tailcone assemblies for the Indian configuration of the CH-47F Chinook helicopter. The parts - manufactured …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

• 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

  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 - maritime

  Kondor Naval Helicopters (Poland)

  Programme Background In 2018, the Polish MoD announced its requirement to purchase up to eight naval helicopters to replace in-service SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters. 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 - 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 - multirole

  H135 (UK)

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

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T-India-Air Force

  An official contract announcement is expected during the Aero India 2021 exhibition in Bangalore, although negotiations have dragged on for more than five years and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H145M (Contracted) [Germany]

  Programme Background Previous Usage The German Armed Forces ordered 15 H145M helicopters, with the initial two delivered in December 2015, for the Kommando Spezialkräfte. These ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Naval Utility Helicopters (India)

  Programme Background The program will witness the formation of a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and another local or foreign manufacturer. In June ...

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 - 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

  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 ...

• Model 301 Fire Attack

  The Model 301 is a belly tank/refill hose system for Airbus Helicopters AS365-series helicopters.

• Model 316 Fire Attack

  The Model 316 is a belly tank/refill hose system for Airbus Helicopters H225 and AS332 L-series helicopters.

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175, a seven-tonne class aircraft powered by twin PT6C 67E engines. The civilian variants produced by Airbus ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• AC67 Airbus Helicopters H135 interior

  Bucher has developed the AC67 medical interior for the Airbus Helicopters H135 in cooperation with ADAC Luftrettung.The lightweight, modular design features a floor with integrated ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  EWR-99

  Dassault is not traditionally associated with electronic warfare subsystems, instead being equated with the manufacture of combat aircraft and business jets. Nonetheless, the company did, ...