Airbus will deliver six Airbus H145 helicopters to The UK Ministry of Defence as a part of the ongoing strategy by the MoD to streamline its helicopter types in service while at the same time increasing their capabilities.
Airbus has received an order from The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) as the latter has procured another six Airbus H145 helicopters. This is part of the ongoing strategy by the MoD to streamline its helicopter types in service while at the same time increasing their capabilities. It replaces the Airbus Pumas currently fulfilling those roles, with the H145s for the duties at Cyprus, an emergency response, and Brunei for supporting UK military training in jungle warfare.
The H145 Jupiter, together with its counterpart H135 Juno, has exhibited excellent reliability and adaptability into a wide variety of roles, including training within the Military Flying Training System (MFTS). The latter will be appropriately allocated as additional roles for the H145 fleet.
Lenny Brown Managing Director, Airbus Helicopters in the UK said, 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 rationalisation of types in the transport helicopter fleet. The H145 Jupiter, and its sister H135 Juno, continue to demonstrate exceptional reliability and versatility in the training role in the Military Flying Training System (MFTS) and will bring these crucial attributes to their new tasks.”
The delivery of six H145 helicopters is scheduled for next year, followed by the addition of these to the existing fleet of 29 H135s and seven H145s based at the Defence Helicopter Flying School located at RAF Shawbury. This rationalization of helicopter types not only lowers the support costs but also gives a clean stream to the operational helicopters to avoid unnecessary operational expenditures.
The newest model of the H145 incorporates an innovative five-bladed rotor design, increasing the helicopter’s useful load by 150 kg. The bearingless main rotor design features simplified maintenance operations, which enhances the reliability and serviceability of the helicopter, thereby improving its flight comfort for both passengers and crew.
This capability is underpinning more than 1,675 units of H145 family helicopters in operation, gathering some 7.6 million flight hours. On the other hand, the units are featuring advanced digital avionics with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) through the Helionix suite. The inclusion of a high-performance 4-axis autopilot ensures enhanced safety and reduced workload of the pilot while also removing it from mission monitoring work by the military. With respect to the H145, it has the lowest acoustic footprint and CO2 emissions in its class.
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The aircraft commonality in avionics, for instance, with H135 and H175M models, has come to give substantial pilot training cost savings among other Airbus helicopters. The highly effective Helionix avionics suite facilitates seamless transitions between different Airbus helicopter types, further optimizing the training process and standardization across the fleet.
Question – How many H145 helicopters will Airbus deliver to The UK Ministry of Defence?
Answer – 6
Question – What is the primary advantage of the advanced digital avionics in the H145 helicopters?
Answer – Enhanced safety and reduced pilot workload
Question – How does the Helionix avionics suite contribute to pilot training cost savings?
Answer – Facilitates seamless transitions between different Airbus helicopter types
