The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence has ordered an additional six Airbus H145 helicopters as part of its ongoing initiative to modernize its rotary fleet and reduce the variety of operational models.
Airbus H145 helicopters will substitute Airbus Pumas that are presently assigned to Cyprus for emergency response purposes and Brunei to aid in British military training in jungle warfare.
Lenny Brown, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in the United Kingdom, said that the H145 Jupiter and its sibling, the H135 Juno, will bring to their new responsibilities the remarkable dependability and adaptability that they have displayed while serving as trainers for the Military Flying Training System (MFTS).
The forthcoming helicopters, scheduled for delivery the following year, will operate alongside 29 H135s and seven H145s at RAF Shawbury’s Defence Helicopter Flying School, which instructs all British military pilots as part of MFTS. The expanded H145 fleet significantly reduces pilot conversion training time and generates economies of support costs.
The most recent iteration of Airbus’ best-selling H145 incorporates a novel five-bladed rotor, augmenting the helicopter’s effective load by 150 kg. The new bearingless main rotor design’s simplicity facilitates maintenance procedures, enhances dependability and serviceability, and elevates passenger and crew comfort during flights.
Globally, the number of operational H145 family helicopters exceeds 1,675, accumulating over 7.6 million flight hours. The H145 is outfitted with the Helionix digital avionics suite and a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines. It features a four-axis autopilot with superior performance, which increases pilot safety and decreases burden. In addition to having the lowest CO2 emissions among its competitors, the H145 is the silent helicopter in its category due to its exceptionally small acoustic footprint.
Pilot training expenses are substantially reduced due to the Helionix avionics’ interoperability with various Airbus models, including the H135 and H175M.
