Airbus Helicopters has won an additional order for H145M helicopters from the Bundeswehr. Germany has decided to exercise an option for 20 H145M light combat helicopters, which will be added to the firm order for 62 aircraft placed in December 2023.

The contract, signed last year, covers the acquisition of up to 82 H145M multi-role helicopters (including 20 options) for combat and training missions. A small number of these aircraft will also be operated by the Luftwaffe’s special forces. The Bundeswehr has designated its new H145Ms as “Leichter Kampfhubschrauber” (Light Combat Helicopter), or LKH for short. Some of the LKHs are expected to take over missions currently performed by Germany’s Tiger attack helicopters.

This deal represents the largest H145M order ever recorded by Airbus Helicopters in Europe. For reference, the U.S. Army already operates nearly 500 helicopters from the H145 family under the UH-72A/B Lakota designation, which have accumulated more than 1.5 million flight hours.

The first H145M LKH was delivered to Germany in November 2024, less than a year after the contract was signed. An unspecified number of additional units have been delivered since then.

Prior to the LKH program, the Bundeswehr had already been operating H145 helicopters for its special forces and search-and-rescue operations, specifically the H145M LUH SOF and H145 LUH SAR variants.