Germany is preparing to spend nearly €1 billion ($1.1 billion) on 20 additional H145M military helicopters from Airbus, completing a major rotary-wing modernization effort as Berlin continues to boost defense spending in response to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
According to a German finance ministry document seen by Bloomberg and Reuters, the aircraft are to be delivered over two years starting in 2027, with the funding proposal to be presented to the Bundestag’s budget committee.
Completing the 2023 H145M framework order
The planned acquisition would exhaust the options under a December 2023 framework agreement, under which the Bundeswehr had ordered up to 82 multi-role H145M helicopters, comprising 62 firm orders and 20 options. That deal, the largest H145M order to date, also includes seven years of support, spares, and training.
Under the existing contract, 57 helicopters are designated for the German Army and five for the Air Force’s special forces. Airbus began deliveries to the Bundeswehr in November 2024.
The new batch, valued at €931 million ($1 billion), is expected to include 15 helicopters configured for combat missions and five assigned to special forces training.
The additional H145Ms will be financed through Germany’s €100 billion ($107 billion) special defense fund created to accelerate modernization under the Zeitenwende policy launched after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The government estimates that operating and maintaining the full fleet of 82 H145Ms will cost nearly €3 billion ($3.2 billion) through 2048.
A versatile platform for light attack and special missions
The H145M, the military variant of Airbus’s twin-engine H145 light helicopter, can be equipped with the HForce weapon management system, allowing it to deploy guided and unguided rockets, gun pods, and anti-tank missiles. It is optimized for missions such as light attack, close air support, and special forces insertion.
German electronics specialist Hensoldt is expected to supply electronic warfare and night-vision systems for the aircraft, while other German suppliers will provide mission and self-protection components.
