Germany orders 20 more Airbus H145M helicopters
Donauwörth, Germany, 15 December 2025 – Germany has chosen to exercise the option for an additional 20 H145M light combat helicopters (Leichter Kampfhubschrauber, or LKH) as part of the December 2023 contract, bringing the total to 82 helicopters.
“We are honored and proud that Germany is expanding its fleet with 20 extra H145M LKH helicopters. This renewed commitment from a key partner country underscores the trusted performance and versatile, multi-role capabilities of the H145M,” stated Stefan Thomé, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany.
The first H145M LKH was delivered to Germany less than a year after the contract was signed, in November 2024, with subsequent deliveries following. The aircraft will support a range of missions including training, reconnaissance, special operations, and light attack duties. The German Army will receive 72 helicopters, while the Luftwaffe’s special forces will obtain ten.
The H145M is a flexible military helicopter designed for multiple mission profiles. It can be rapidly reconfigured from a light-attack setup—with axial ballistic and guided weapons and a contemporary self-protection system—to a special operations configuration featuring rapid rappelling gear. The aircraft also offers comprehensive mission packages, including hoisting and external cargo options.
As the military version of the proven light twin-engine H145, the H145M belongs to a family with a global footprint. The H145 family has accumulated more than eight million flight hours across international armed forces and law-enforcement operators, including demanding missions. Bundeswehr already operates H145 variants for special forces and search-and-rescue tasks. In the United States, the UH-72 Lakota—an H145-derived platform—serves the Army with nearly 500 aircraft and more than 1.5 million flight hours. Other operators include Hungary, Serbia, Luxembourg, Thailand, Ecuador, Honduras, and Cyprus. Recent orders feature Belgium (17 aircraft), Brunei (6), and Ireland (4) H145Ms.
The H145M is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines and features a full authority digital engine control (FADEC). It also incorporates the Helionix digital avionics suite, which, together with advanced flight data management, provides a high-performance 4-axis autopilot to ease pilot workload during missions. The helicopter is noted for its relatively low acoustic signature, making it one of the quietest aircraft in its class.
@AirbusHeli #H145M #MakingMissionsPossible
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