• Defence Notes

  Leonardo reports a rise above pre-pandemic levels

  5th November 2021

  Despite the pandemic limiting growth, particularly in regard to Aerostructures, Leonardo reports a rise above pre-pandemic levels.

• Air Warfare

  Zephyr flying high and setting records

  14th October 2021

  Airbus’ Zephyr has proved its capabilities are out of this world as it set a new world record for absolute altitude for this class of UAS at 76,100ft.

• Air Warfare

  India gives green light for Do 228 upgrade and light helicopter procurement

  3rd November 2021

  Hindustan Aeronautics will upgrade Indian maritime patrol aircraft and provide LUH rotary-wing platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Rostec’s modernised rotorcraft takes maiden voyage

  10th November 2021

  The modernised Ka-226T flew for the first time during flight tests at the Mil and Kamov National Helicopter Centre.

• Defence Helicopter

  Peru receives overhauled Mi-17 helicopters

  29th October 2021

  The Peruvian Air Force has received six overhauled Mi-17-1V military transport helicopters.

• Defence Helicopter

  Israelis fine-tune King Stallion requirements

  5th November 2021

  Israel has FMS approval to buy new CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters — but certain important details still need to be defined.

• Defence Helicopter

  Dubai Airshow 2021: UAE Apaches to receive local repair and sustainment

  15th November 2021

  Proposed deal between EDGE subsidiary and Lockheed Martin would localise support for the Apache fire control system in the UAE.

• Air Warfare

  Pakistan’s Shahpar II UCAV breaks cover

  2nd December 2021

  Pakistan is pushing a new indigenously designed and built MALE-class UCAV on the export market.

• Defence Helicopter

  FMS Apaches to receive RF interferometers

  2nd November 2021

  Lockheed Martin is making RF interferometer hardware for installation aboard AH-64E helicopters operated by three FMS customers.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Canada awaits armed UAVs by 2026

  8th November 2021

  Will the battle to provide MALE UAVs for the Royal Canadian Air Force hinge on the terms of the NORAD agreement between Canada and the US?

• Defence Notes

  Leonardo returns to India after ban lifted

  8th November 2021

  Leonardo has been banned from India's military market since 2014, but this embargo has now been eased.

• Air Warfare

  France bids accelerated adieu to Transalls

  19th October 2021

  Retirement of the nine remaining C-160 aircraft is happening more quickly than the French Air and Space Force wanted.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus trials BLoS SATCOM for helicopters

  8th September 2021

  Airbus tests mitigation measures to overcome the problem of helicopter rotor blades interfering with BLoS communications.

• Land Warfare

  INVISIO awarded follow-on contract from European NATO member

  8th November 2021

  The company will deliver 40 Intercom systems to be mounted in light transport vehicles

• Training

  More GECOs boost MFTS training

  10th November 2021

  UKMFTS will supplement current GECO mission planning devices used on the T-6 Harvard with devices on other fixed-wing and rotary-wing fleets.

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 - 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 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) First Batch (South Korea)

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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

  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 - 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 - 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

  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 ...

• 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, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H125M

  The H125M (formerly the AS550 B3e Fennec) is a military version of the civil H125. The helicopter has a reduced radar signature due to the use ...