Our Armed Forces will be better equipped thanks to a two-year £33.6 million contract we have awarded to Airbus Helicopters (Airbus) in the UK for initial support and service of six H145 helicopters.

The contract covers maintenance and support of the six aircraft – known as Jupiter HC2s when in service – which were ordered as part of a £122m procurement by DE&S with Airbus just over 18 months ago. Flown by the RAF’s 84 Squadron in Cyprus and 667 Squadron of the Army Air Corps in Brunei, the helicopters will be used to support emergency response and aerial firefighting for the former, and jungle training for the latter.

Of the 30 jobs directly supported by the maintenance contract, 12 will be based at Airbus in Oxford, 10 will be deployed in Cyprus and eight in Brunei.

A milestone was also celebrated last week as two of the six H145s were handed over to the UK MOD, bringing the total to three, with the first handover having taken place in May this year.

Initial flying to qualify and train the instructional staff is due to start in the UK in the coming days before the first aircraft are transported to Brunei in February and Cyprus in March. All aircraft will be ‘in-theatre’ by the end of June 2026.

Mark Langrill, Director Rotary Wing and Uncrewed Air Systems at DE&S, said: “This contract will further strengthen our support to UK Armed Forces. Airbus Helicopters UK continues to demonstrate its value as a key partner to the MOD and is on track to deliver the six new H145 aircraft and the associated support, in line with our very tight timeline of two years from contract signature to the forthcoming deployment of this critical capability. We are delighted to be supporting UK jobs and national security through our joint mission.”

The facilities in both locations that will house Army and RAF personnel alongside their Airbus colleagues are currently undergoing refurbishment and preparation.

Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, said: “This contract with Airbus in the UK will ensure the British Army and Royal Air Force continue to be equipped with cutting-edge Jupiter helicopters to deploy on operations, keeping the UK secure at home and strong abroad.

“We are committed to delivering the Strategic Defence Review by backing our Armed Forces with the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, acting as an engine for growth and supporting defence businesses and workers across the UK.”

All six aircraft are required to undergo modification at Airbus Helicopters UK as part of the original contract. Once shipped to their operational bases, the fleet of H145s will fulfil the requirements previously carried out by the now retired Puma HC2s.

Group Captain James Brooks, Senior Responsible Owner for Jupiter HC2, said: “Delivering the first aircraft, in under two years, to fill critical capability gaps is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between the UK Armed Forces, DE&S and Airbus Helicopters UK. This rapid acquisition programme will deliver important capabilities to Brunei and Cyprus, whilst enhancing the UK’s global overseas presence and investing in UK industry. Operating Jupiter HC2 at RAF Benson is the first major step towards full delivery.”

At 13.64m in length they have a maximum take-off weight of 3,800kg, meaning they’re ideal for the tasks they will be deployed on.

Richard Atack, Managing Director of Airbus, said: “As a key partner to the UK Ministry of Defence, Airbus Helicopters has worked hard to deliver on quality, on cost and on time against a very challenging timeline to help ensure UK overseas commitments are fully supported with the first-in-class, rotary-wing workhorse that is the H145.”