Airbus has continued to expand its relationship with German law enforcement with the sale of four H145 helicopters to two police forces in the north of the country.

The world’s leading helicopter manufacturer will supply two five-bladed H145s to the Ministries of Interior for Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania after a joint tender was launched last year.

Stefan Thomé, managing director of Airbus Helicopters in Germany, said: “The H145 with its state-of-the-art police equipment will be the backbone of the German state police forces in the next decades, with more than 15 H145s already in service and another 15 helicopters to be delivered in the coming years.”

The light twin-engine helicopter has become a popular choice for law enforcement, with over 200 H145s deployed to public services and law enforcement missions throughout the world.

Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 model includes a “high-performance 4-axis autopilot”, full authority digital engine control and the Helionix digital avionics suite. It is also technically the quietest helicopter in its class. 

The two German forces will be using the new H145s to replace the EC135 and MD902 helicopters currently in use.

In addition to the helicopter’s usual features, the police forces’ models will include police configurations, including the latest generation of police mission equipment and Bambi Buckets for firefighting.

The deal continues a successful year for Airbus, which recently reported an 11% revenue increase year on year for H1 2023, which is largely thanks to an over 100% increase in gross commercial aircraft orders, with 1,080 in H1 2023 compared to 442 in H1 2022.