DONAUWÖRTH, Germany – Airbus Helicopters in Marignane, France, has delivered the first H145M military helicopter to Belgium. This move highlights how the company has adapted its commercial H145 platform for defense and security missions.
Belgium ordered the helicopters through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) in 2024 and recently exercised an option for three additional aircraft. The additional order expands Belgium's planned fleet from 17 to 20 helicopters for the Belgian armed forces and Federal Police.
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Military technology builds on a proven commercial platform
The H145M is the military version of Airbus' twin-engine H145 helicopter, but it incorporates mission equipment and digital technologies designed for defense and security operations.
Building on the civilian H145 platform, the H145M can switch quickly between special operations, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, and external cargo missions. It also supports networked operations, allowing crews to exchange information with other military platforms, including uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). Together, those capabilities help armed forces perform a wider range of missions while reducing fleet complexity and sustainment costs.
Digital systems reduce pilot workload
Airbus equips the H145M with two Safran Arriel 2E engines managed by a full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) system, which automatically optimizes engine performance while reducing pilot workload.
The helicopter also incorporates Airbus' Helionix digital avionics suite, which includes a four-axis autopilot and automated flight-control features designed to assist crews during demanding missions and adverse operating conditions.
Together, those technologies allow pilots to devote more attention to mission execution while the aircraft manages many routine flight-control functions. The H145M also features a low acoustic signature, helping reduce detectability during surveillance, reconnaissance, and special operations missions.
European militaries expand H145M fleets
Belgium joins a growing list of military operators adopting the H145M and other variants of the H145 family.
Germany has ordered up to 82 H145M helicopters, while Hungary, Serbia, Luxembourg, Thailand, Ecuador, and Honduras also operate members of the H145 family. In the United States, the Army flies nearly 500 UH-72 Lakota helicopters, a military variant derived from the H145 platform.
The expanding customer base reflects broader demand for multi-role helicopters that combine proven commercial airframes with military mission systems, digital avionics, and flexible mission equipment. As defense organizations modernize rotary-wing fleets, many are placing greater emphasis on aircraft that can perform diverse missions without requiring multiple specialized platforms.
