Production of the 15 Airbus Helicopters H135s for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) Helicopter Aircrew Training System is continuing apace with the fifth and sixth aircraft noted at the manufacturer’s Donauwörth production facility in Germany on Tuesday.
N52-005 (‘cab’ number 845) and N52-006 (cab number 846) were noted on the flightline at Donauwörth, north of Munich, ahead of delivery to HATS prime contractor Boeing Defence Australia, while at least a further two H135s were noted on the final assembly line.
Airbus Helicopters is due to deliver all 15 H135s to Boeing by the end of 2016, with the first H135 arriving at its new home of HMAS Albatross, Nowra on March 31.
Boeing Defence Australia is the prime contractor for the $600 million HATS contract to train Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army pilots and aircrew at HMAS Albatross.
