The first H135 helicopter handed over to the Spanish Navy will be used for personnel training. As Airbus Helicopters stated, the Spanish Navy plans to use its new H135 for naval operations in 2024. The schedule provides that by the end of this year, the first H135 helicopters of the Spanish Navy will achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC).
Under the contract signed in 2021, the Spanish Navy will receive a total of eight H135 helicopters, while another eight will be delivered to the Spanish Air Force.
Additionally, the Spanish Ministry of Interior is currently operating 31 H135 helicopters, while the Spanish Army operates 16.
The H135 is the most popular helicopter in the Spanish fleet, thanks to its operational versatility. It performs diverse and demanding missions, such as military training, police surveillance and intervention, mountain rescue missions, and emergency medical transport, for which it is the benchmark in Europe.
The light twin-engine Airbus H135 is equipped with the most advanced technologies available, including Airbus Helicopters’ Helionix avionics suite. Airbus stated that some 1,400 H135 helicopters are operated by more than 300 operators in 65 countries.
