“UK Defence Ministry Expands Fleet with New H145 Helicopter Acquisition”
The UK Ministry of Defence has procured an additional six Airbus H145 helicopters as part of its initiative to modernize its rotary fleet and decrease the variety of types in operation.
The new aircraft will be stationed in Cyprus mainly for emergency response operations and in Brunei to assist UK military training in jungle combat, replacing the Airbus Pumas presently executing these missions.
Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK, Lenny Brown, stated: “We commend the MoD on this strategic purchase, which not only delivers the appropriately sized helicopter for the needs in Cyprus and Brunei but also offers outstanding value for the UK taxpayer, and signifies another significant advancement in the consolidation of types in the transport helicopter fleet.”
“The H145 Jupiter, along with its counterpart H135 Juno, continues to showcase remarkable reliability and flexibility in the training function within the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) and will bring these vital characteristics to their new assignments.”
The forthcoming helicopters are set to be delivered next year and will operate alongside 29 H135s and seven H145s within the Defence Helicopter Flying School, which trains all UK military aviators as part of MFTS at RAF Shawbury. The expanded H145 fleet yields cost efficiencies and significantly lowers the time required for pilot conversion training.
The latest iteration of Airbus’ highly sought-after H145 features an innovative five-bladed rotor on the multi-mission helicopter, augmenting the useful load capacity by 150 kg. The streamlined design of the new bearingless main rotor simplifies maintenance activities, enhances serviceability and dependability, and improves flight comfort for both passengers and crew members.
Globally, there are over 1,675 H145 family helicopters operational, accumulating more than 7.6 million flight hours. Powered by twin Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 is outfitted with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics package. It boasts a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, boosting safety while minimizing pilot workload. Its notably low acoustic signature makes the H145 the quietest helicopter in its category, while its CO2 emissions are the lowest among its counterparts.
The Helionix avionics lead to substantial reductions in pilot training costs due to the commonality between various Airbus models, including the H135 and H175M.
