Airbus Helicopters has gained European Aviation Safety Agency certification for the military variant of its H145 medium twin-engined helicopter.
This paves the way for military type approval of the 3.7t rotorcraft, ahead of delivery of an initial two of 15 examples to launch customer the German air force before year end. The service intends to use the H145M for special forces missions.
First deliveries for the type’s second customer, the Royal Thai Navy, will commence in 2016, says Airbus Helicopters.
“The H145M is tailored for a wide range of military operations – including transportation, reconnaissance, search and rescue, fire support and evacuations of wounded personnel.
Airbus Helicopters
“By using a civil certification for the H145M, we pursued a low-risk and low-cost approach for our customers, avoiding a costly and duplicative military qualification,” says Manfred Merk, H145 programme director.
The H145M is based on the latest iteration of the long-running Airbus Helicopters civil type, previously known as the EC145 T2. It is powered by twin FADEC-equipped Turbomeca Arrius 2E engines.
It can be fitted with mission equipment that includes a pintle-mounted door gun and the ability to carry weapons on external pylons, and electro optical/infrared sensors with targeting capability.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
