Germany orders 20 more Airbus H145M helicopters, expanding world’s largest fleet

Germany has exercised options for an additional 20 H145M light combat helicopters from Airbus, bringing its total orderbook to 82 aircraft.

This addition cements Germany as the world’s largest operator of the H145M by a wide margin.

The new rotorcraft will be used for training, reconnaissance, light attack and special operations, showcasing the flexibility that has made Airbus’s helicopter such a popular choice for militaries.

“We are honoured and proud that Germany has decided to order 20 additional H145M LKH helicopters,” said Stefan Thomé, Managing Director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany. “This further commitment by one of our home countries is a powerful sign of trust in the H145M’s exceptional performance and multi-role capabilities.”

The options were included in Germany’s mega-order for the H145M in 2023, when it firmed 62 with options for 20 more.

Rapid deliveries give Airbus Helicopters the edge

Germany’s acceleration of its H145M programme contrasts sharply with the long waits now typical in commercial aerospace.

While airlines face delivery slots stretching into the early 2030s for Airbus A320neo and A350 aircraft, the Bundeswehr received its first H145M from this new-generation batch in under 12 months.

The H145M benefits from a mature industrial base built around the civilian H145, enabling Airbus to pivot quickly between civil and military variants.

With the production line already active for multiple international customers, Germany’s latest aircraft are expected to join the assembly flow without major delay.

This rapid turnaround aligns with Berlin’s post-Zeitenwende commitment to replenish its armed forces more quickly and strengthen light rotary-wing support for special forces and rapid-reaction missions.

Why the Airbus Helicopters H145M is becoming a popular choice

The H145M has become one of Europe’s most successful light military helicopters because it offers a rare blend of affordability, flexibility, and modern mission capability.

Key advantages include:

• Modular, multi-role design: The cabin and mission systems can be reconfigured in minutes, shifting between light attack, special operations insertion, medevac, reconnaissance, and utility roles.
• Low operating cost and high availability: The wider H145 family has accumulated more than eight million flight hours, while the US Army’s UH-72 Lakota variant has logged more than 1.5 million hours, underpinning its reliability.
• Quiet and manoeuvrable: The Fenestron shrouded tail rotor gives the H145M a lower acoustic signature, an advantage for special forces and police operations.
• Modern Helionix avionics: A 4-axis autopilot, advanced flight data management and envelope protection significantly reduce pilot workload.
• Scalable weapons suite: Operators can integrate ballistic and guided weapons and plug-and-play self-protection systems.

The H145M is not a heavy attack helicopter, but its combination of agility, low cost and proven mission capability has made it increasingly attractive to nations seeking a versatile, rapidly deployable platform.

Who else flies the Airbus H145M?

The H145M is now in service or on order with a broadening group of militaries:

Beyond the military variant, the wider H145 family is operated globally for police, emergency medical services and search-and-rescue roles, reinforcing the platform’s reputation for reliability and mission flexibility.

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