Airbus Helicopters has secured a double sales success in Lithuania, taking orders for a trio of five-bladed H145s and two H125s.
The light-twin H145s have been selected by the country’s interior ministry for operation by its border guard service.
The helicopters will be used for a wide range of missions including search and rescue, disaster relief and medevac, border patrol, firefighting, and the operational deployment of Lithuanian special forces.
“Funded in part by the national budget and also thanks to European funding, the H145s will further strengthen the intelligence and response capabilities of our border guards and contribute to Lithuania’s security,” says Agne Bilotaite, the Lithuanian interior minister.
ASU Baltija will receive the H125s, deploying the single-engined rotorcraft for passenger transport and utility missions within Lithuania and abroad. They will replace existing Russian-built types in the operator’s fleet.
“The procurement of the H125 opens a new page in the history of ASU Baltija as we step away from helicopters manufactured in Russia and look forward to flying the H125,” says chief executive Linas Elijosius.
The agreement with ASU Baltija marks the airframer’s first sale to a commercial operator in Lithuania.
