Airbus Helicopters has delivered the first of up to 82 H145M light combat helicopters to the German Armed Forces at its Donauwörth site, less than a year after the contract signing.
The helicopter will be used for training at the German Army’s Bückeburg base, with the first combat-ready version scheduled for delivery in 2025.
Airbus Helicopters Germany Managing Director Stefan Thomé emphasized the company’s reliability.
“Delivering the first H145M LKH in less than a year after the contract signature demonstrates our commitment,” he said.
The December 2023 contract includes 62 firm orders and 20 options, making it the largest H145M order to date. The German Army will receive 57 helicopters, with five allocated to Luftwaffe special forces.
The helicopters feature Airbus’ HForce weapon management system and can be quickly reconfigured from light attack to special operations roles.
The H145M is based on the civilian H145 helicopter, which has accumulated nearly eight million flight hours globally. The German forces already operate 24 H145 helicopters for special operations and search and rescue missions.
The twin-engine aircraft is equipped with Turbomeca Arriel 2E engines and Helionix digital avionics, including a 4-axis autopilot to reduce pilot workload.
Recent orders for the military variant include Cyprus (6), Belgium (17), and Brunei (6), adding to existing operators in Hungary, Serbia, Luxembourg, Thailand, Ecuador, and Honduras.
