With reference to our news article about the RAF potentially purchasing H145 helicopters (November 2023), we can now confirm that this indeed is the case. The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed a £122 million contract to purchase six H145 helicopter for usage at RAF Akrotiri (Cyrpus) and in Brunei.

 

They will replace the already retired Bell 212s (Brunei) and Bell 412s (Cyprus). As a stop-gap measure, the RAF has deployed a number of Puma HC2 helicopters to these locations, which will be able to return to RAF Odiham once the H145s are delivered.

 

No timeframe was provided, but British media expects the H145s to be operational in 2026. The first two helicopters are expected to be c/n 21317 and 21328, which should be under construction already at the Airbus factory in Donauwörth (Germany). The Airbus location at Oxford-Kidlington (United Kingdom) will modify the helicopters first with mission equipment before they are to be delivered to the British military.

 

Also the type designation is not yet confirmed and lately the British military have not been always following their legacy aircraft type and role designation system. For example the designations F-35B and AH-64E were adopted. Currently seven Jupiter HT1 helicopters are in use for helicopter aircrew training at RAF Shawbury (1FTS) and RAF Valley (202sq).

 

Photo: Airbus