Belgium received its first Airbus H145M military helicopter on Wednesday, a key step in the country’s defence modernisation as it builds its order to 20 aircraft, Airbus said.

The aircraft was delivered under a procurement contract signed in 2024 through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), covering helicopters for both the Belgian armed forces and the Federal Police.

Belgium has also exercised an option for three additional H145M helicopters, Airbus Helicopters said in a statement from Donauwörth, Germany.

"We are proud to celebrate this first delivery to Belgium and are deeply honored 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.

The H145M is a light twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter capable of switching within minutes from a light attack configuration—equipped with ballistic and guided weapons and a self-protection system—to a special operations variant fitted with fast-rappelling equipment.

The aircraft can also be used for hoisting and external cargo missions and is designed to integrate with uncrewed aerial systems through digital connectivity.

The helicopter is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines and has a full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) system and Helionix digital avionics suite, which includes a four-axis autopilot that reduces pilot workload.

Airbus said the broader H145 family has logged more than 8.5 million flight hours globally. The United States Army operates nearly 500 of the variant under the designation UH-72 Lakota, while Germany has ordered up to 82 H145M helicopters with deliveries ongoing.

Other military operators include Hungary, Serbia, Luxembourg, Thailand, Ecuador, and Honduras.

Source: PR