Airbus Helicopters

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

The Netherlands has signed a contract for 12 Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters to support Dutch special operations forces.

New submissions to the Dutch Parliament from the Netherlands Defense Ministry have confirmed that 12 will now be acquired.

Airbus wants to extend battlefield connectivity of the Future Combat Air System to its helicopters.

The airframer aims to prove the Racer’s eco mode, higher speeds and lower fuel burn during 2025.

The Racer is currently in maintenance after its first 8 hr. of flight testing, during which it achieved speeds of 227 kt. in June after just seven flights.

Airbus Helicopters UK has formally opened its new headquarters at London Oxford Airport, making what Chairman John Harrison calls a £55 million ($73 million) "investment not only in our infrastructure, but also in a better future."

Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even has suggested the RAF's Puma helicopter fleet could fly into the mid-2030s, potentially negating the need for a replacement medium rotorcraft.

Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even contends that helicopters and uncrewed aircraft systems are natural battlefield teammates.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Leonardo Helicopters has begun ground runs of its Next-Generation Civil Tiltrotor Technology Demonstrator ahead of its first flight, planned before year-end,

With industry leaders working to certify their aircraft, it was up to alternative propulsion developers to take limelight at the Farnborough Airshow.

GE Aerospace has revealed it is working to develop a new rotary-wing turboshaft engine with Airbus Helicopters.

The Racer—short for Rapid and Cost-Effective Rotorcraft—reached 227 kt. (407 km/hr.) in level flight on June 21.

Airbus' new H160 twin-engine medium helicopter has begun route-proving trials in the Gulf of Mexico ahead of its offshore energy transportation debut.

Airbus Helicopters has opened a new logistics hub in Spain that will support rotorcraft production at its sites across Europe.

Airbus Helicopters says it is two-three years away from finalizing the development of its VSR700 uncrewed helicopter.

Airbus Helicopters has begun flight testing of a new configuration of the NH90 battlefield transport helicopter developed for France's special forces.

Belgium has ordered the military version of Airbus’ H145 utility helicopter to help modernize the fleets of its military and law enforcement agencies.

Four NH90 customer nations have partnered to launch an upgrade program for the twin-engine European utility helicopter.

Engineers are exploring potential configurations for the system, which the company hopes to fly in 2027, according to Dominik Strobel, PioneerLab’s program manager.

Angus Batey, a writer for Aviation Week Network’s Show News, discusses the ACH175, which is being exhibited at EBACE for the first time.

In 2023, Airbus Helicopters booked 74 sales, representing 42% of the total orders placed across all corporate helicopter manufacturers in the year.

Initial flights suggest the rotorcraft will easily surpass fuel consumption and performance targets.

Airbus Helicopters test pilots are eagerly awaiting approval to begin higher-speed flights with the company’s Racer compound rotorcraft demonstrator.