The UK Ministry of Defence has placed an order for six more Airbus H145 helicopters. The new aircraft will replace the Airbus Pumas now serving in similar capacities, and they will be stationed in Brunei to support UK military training in jungle warfare and in Cyprus largely for emergency response missions.
“We congratulate the MoD on this smart acquisition which 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 rationalization of types in the transport helicopter fleet,” stated Lenny Brown, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK. “In the training role in the Military Flying Training System (MFTS), the H145 Jupiter and its sister H135 Juno continue to demonstrate exceptional reliability and versatility, and they will bring these crucial attributes to their new tasks.”
When the new helicopters arrive at RAF Shawbury next year, they will be stationed alongside 29 H135s and seven H145s at the Defence Helicopter Flying School, which serves as an MFTS training facility for all UK military pilots. The larger H145 fleet lowers support expenses and shortens the time needed for pilot conversion training.
Over 1,675 H145 family helicopters are in operation globally, having accumulated over 7.6 million flight hours. The H145 is outfitted with the Helionix digital avionics suite and a full authority digital engine control (FADEC), and it is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines. It has a 4-axis high performance autopilot, which lowers pilot workload and increases safety. The H145 is the quietest helicopter in its class thanks to its exceptionally small acoustic footprint, and it also has the lowest CO2 emissions compared to its rivals. Because the Helionix avionics are compatible with other Airbus models, such as the H135 and H175M, pilot training costs can be significantly reduced.
