HForce weapons for Ireland’s new H145Ms
January 10, 2025
When we reported the sale of four H145Ms to the Republic of Ireland, we said that:
“The Irish H145Ms will be equipped with unspecified ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) sensors enabling it to undertake a wider range of missions, which, the Air Corps says, will include armed support, as well as Irish Naval Service, Army Ranger Wing (special forces), and Garda (police) support. This might suggest that the aircraft will be fitted with Airbus’ HForce weapons system, though this has not been confirmed.”
In a 10 January social media post, Airbus Helicopters announced that the Irish Air Corps had signed a contract for four H145M helicopters configured with Airbus’ weapon management system, HForce. This will facilitate their employment in the ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance), training and light attack roles.
The HForce weapons management system is available in four different ‘levels’ of capability, and can include air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles, as well as rocket pods and guns.
Ireland is phasing out any 20-mm weapons now in use, while there are obvious difficulties in selecting the standard Hforce air-to-surface missile, the Israeli Rafael Spike. Air-to-surface and air-to-air missiles are part of the top level HForce ‘Option 4’, which is, in any case, unlikely to be selected by Ireland.
This would seem to suggest that the most likely options for the Irish Air Corps are 12.7-mm gun pods and guided/unguided rocket pods.
