MOD orders another six H145 helicopters from Airbus

The Ministry of Defence has put in an order for six Airbus H145 helicopters as it looks to renew its rotary fleet and reduce the number of different types of craft in service.

Replacing the current Airbus Pumas, the H145s are set for deployment in Cyprus primarily for emergency response duties and in Brunei to support UK military training in jungle warfare.

Airbus has its UK HQ at Oxford Airport.

Lenny Brown, MD of Airbus Helicopters in the UK, said: “We congratulate the MOD on this smart acquisition.

“It simultaneously provides the right sized helicopter for the Cyprus and Brunei requirements, represents excellent value for the UK taxpayer, and is another key step in the rationalisation of types in the transport helicopter fleet.

“The H145 Jupiter and its sister, H135 Juno, continue to demonstrate exceptional reliability and versatility in their training role in the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) and will bring these crucial attributes to their new tasks.”

Set for delivery next year, the new helicopters will serve alongside 29 H135s and seven H145s in the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury, which trains all UK military pilots.

The latest version of the H145 adds an innovative five-bladed rotor, increasing the useful load of the helicopter by 150kg.

The simplicity of the new bearingless main rotor design is intended to ease maintenance operations, improve serviceability and reliability, and enhance flight comfort for both passengers and crew.

Worldwide there are now more than 1,675 H145 family helicopters in service.