Airbus Helicopters: Bundeswehr orders H145 for SAR service.
Following approval by the Budget Committee, the Bundeswehr has now ordered seven H145s from Airbus Helicopters to replace the outdated Bundeswehr Bell UH-1D search and rescue helicopters.
The aircraft will be delivered to the Luftwaffe in 2020 and are to be stationed at the Niederstetten, Holzdorf and Nörvenich locations. Airbus Helicopters is also responsible for the maintenance, repair and logistical support of helicopters.
The procurement costs, including the training of the crews, amount to 72.4 million euros. For a comprehensive logistical service package over nine years, another 66.1 million euros will be invested.
The H145 LUH SAR (Light Utility Helicopter Search and Rescue) helicopters are equipped with high-performance cameras, searchlights, emergency locator systems, fully-fledged medical equipment, rescue winches and load hooks, which can be used, for example, for the use of fire extinguishers.
Of the military version of the H145, the H145M, the Luftwaffe operates 15 machines at the Laupheim site as light support helicopters for the special forces. The helicopter pilots of all divisions learn on the H135, the little sister of the H145.
With the purchase of the H145M "the fleet of the light helicopters in the Federal Armed Forces will be further unified" said Wolfgang Schoder, Airbus Helicopters' executive vice president Light Helicopters and Governmental Programes.
After an agreement with the Federal Ministry of Transport, the Bundeswehr is also responsible for search and rescue operations in aircraft accidents on German territory. It therefore keeps a fleet of search and rescue helicopters (SAR) in permanent readiness. In addition, these helicopters are available for national civil protection. The model Bell UH-1D used for this purpose was introduced to the Bundeswehr in the early 1970s.
Source: 13.12.2018, FLUG REVUE
This is a subscription only section
Want to read more? It's only €10/year.
No account yet? Just Create an account first and head to the shop
