The German Defence Ministry has signed a contract with Airbus for 62 H145M light attack helicopters, with a portion of the fleet equipped to fight tanks. Under the order, 57 of the aircraft will go to the Army and five to Air Force special operations forces. German lawmakers approved the requisite funding request of €2.1 billion (U.S. $2.3 billion) on Dec. 13.
All aircraft will be capable of carrying an armaments package that is slated to include the Spike LR guided anti-tank missile, but only 24 will initially be set up to that end. The purchase, including the envisioned anti-tank capabilities, comes against the backdrop of new insights into the requirement for standoff capabilities when countering tanks. The latest version of the Spike LR missile, an Israeli design marketed by Eurospike in Europe, can reach targets 10 kilometers (6 miles) away when fired from helicopters.
“We will ensure that the Bundeswehr [German military] receives the helicopters in accordance with the very ambitious delivery schedule which includes first deliveries in 2024 less than a year after contract signature,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. The new helicopters are slated to replace Germany’s fleet of Tiger choppers. The H145M is a military-specific derivative of a family of helicopters also available to the law enforcement market.
