The UK’s National Police Air Service (NPAS) has ordered two additional Airbus H135 helicopters, expanding its ongoing fleet renewal programme to a total of nine aircraft as it continues to modernise its airborne policing capabilities.
The latest order follows the delivery of the first two H135 helicopters to Airbus Helicopters’ UK facility in April, where they are undergoing extensive mission-specific customisation for police operations. The acquisition is being made under the 2025 Framework Contract signed with BlueLight Commercial, which appointed Airbus as the exclusive supplier of helicopters to NPAS for up to six years.
The new helicopters are expected to arrive at Airbus’ Oxford site in 2028 before being configured for operational service with NPAS. They will be equipped with Airbus’ Helionix avionics suite, a next-generation cockpit system designed to enhance flight safety and operational effectiveness by significantly reducing pilot workload. NPAS pilots have already begun training and familiarisation flights with the Helionix system ahead of the aircraft entering service.
Chief Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, NPAS Accountable Manager, said the additional helicopters will provide a modern, resilient and effective capability for policing operations, enabling crews to respond more efficiently to incidents, support officers on the ground and enhance public safety.
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She added that the programme reflects the combined efforts of NPAS, Airbus Helicopters and BlueLight Commercial, whose collaboration is helping deliver a fleet capable of meeting the evolving operational requirements of police forces across England and Wales.
Richard Atack, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK, said the programme builds on decades of UK expertise in helicopter design and customisation. He noted that Airbus will play a key role in delivering a best-in-class police helicopter fleet equipped with the latest aviation, security and policing technologies.
NPAS currently operates a fleet of 20 Airbus helicopters, comprising 16 H135s and four H145s, from 14 bases serving the 43 police forces across England and Wales. Airbus Helicopters in the UK also provides maintenance and support services for the fleet, which includes some of the world’s most intensively utilised police helicopters.
The expanded H135 fleet renewal programme is expected to strengthen NPAS’s operational capability while ensuring greater reliability, enhanced mission effectiveness and improved support for frontline policing missions across the UK in the years ahead.
