The helicopter is part of a wider contract signed in 2024 through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. The agreement is intended to equip the Belgian armed forces and the Federal Police with H145M aircraft for a range of missions.
Belgium has also recently exercised an option for three additional H145M helicopters. The decision brings the country’s total number of H145M aircraft on order to 20.
“We are proud to celebrate this first delivery to Belgium and are deeply honoured that they are joining a rapidly growing community of European nations that trust the H145M for their most critical operations,” said Thomas Hein, Head of Europe Region at Airbus Helicopters. “This platform has become the definitive European reference for military multi-mission capabilities.”
“Belgium’s decision to extend their fleet to 20 aircraft is a powerful testament to the deep trust placed in our team and the H145M’s ability to meet today’s evolving security challenges,” he added. Airbus said the delivery underlined the growing momentum of Belgium’s H145M programme.
The H145M is a multi-role military helicopter designed to support a broad range of missions. Airbus said it can be reconfigured within minutes from a light attack role with axial ballistic and guided weapons into a special operations configuration with fast-rappelling equipment.
The helicopter can also be equipped with a state-of-the-art self-protection system. Its mission packages include hoisting and external cargo capabilities.
Airbus said the H145M can integrate into networked combat and team with uncrewed aerial systems. The company said advanced digital connectivity is a key element of the aircraft’s capability in its class.
The H145M is the military version of the light twin-engine H145 helicopter. The global H145 family fleet has accumulated more than 8.5 million flight hours.
The H145 family is used by armed forces and law enforcement agencies around the world for demanding missions. The US Army employs almost 500 helicopters from the family under the name UH-72 Lakota.
Germany has ordered up to 82 H145M helicopters, with deliveries currently ongoing. Other military operators of the H145 family include Hungary, Serbia, Luxembourg, Thailand, Ecuador and Honduras.
The H145M is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines and fitted with full authority digital engine control. It also uses the Helionix digital avionics suite, which includes flight data management and a high-performance 4-axis autopilot.
Airbus said the avionics and autopilot reduce pilot workload during missions. The company also said the H145M has a particularly low acoustic footprint, making it the quietest helicopter in its class.
