The Eurocopter EC145 (now Airbus Helicopters H145) is a twin-engine light
utility helicopter
A utility helicopter is a multi-purpose helicopter capable of fulfilling many different roles.
Civil
Many civilian helicopters are made for utility work such as agricultural aircraft. Many police and fire departments maintain and operate utili ...
developed and manufactured by Airbus Helicopters. Originally designated as the ''BK 117'', the H145 is based upon the MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 C1, which became a part of the combined Eurocopter line-up in 1992 with the merger of Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm's helicopter division of
Daimler-Benz
The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufactur ...
into Eurocopter. The helicopter was earlier named EC145; an updated version, EC145 T2, was renamed H145 in 2015.
The H145 is a twin-engine aircraft and can carry up to nine passengers along with two crew, depending on customer configuration. The helicopter is marketed for passenger transport, corporate transport,
emergency medical services
Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to definitive care. ...
(EMS), search and rescue, parapublic and utility roles.
Military variants of the helicopter have also been produced under various designations, such as H145M or UH-72, and have been used for training, logistics, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, light attack, and troop-transport operations.
Development
Origins
The EC145 was a joint development between Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm, subsequently Eurocopter and
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
(or simply Kawasaki) is a Japanese public multinational corporation manufacturer of motorcycles, engines, heavy equipment, aerospace and defense equipment, rolling stock and ships, headquartered in Chūō, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It is ...
on the basis of their successful prior jointly produced BK 117 C1. Rather than pursuing an entirely clean sheet design, the forward cockpit and modern avionics of Eurocopter's EC 135 were adopted in combination with the proven BK 117's rear section;
Flight International
''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's old ...
described the new helicopter, originally designed as BK 117 C2, as being "90% a combination of these two aircraft he EC135 and BK 117 C1.Gray 2002, p. 30 However, there were significant areas of redesign, advantages held by the EC145 over its predecessor include possessing a greater range and payload capacity, a considerably increased and uninterrupted cabin area, reduced vibration and noise emissions, and measures to simplify maintenance and minimise operational costs. The noise signature of the EC145 is reportedly 60% lower than that of the BK 117 C1.
The new model was type-certificated as the BK 117 C2; in December 1997, it was selected by the French Defense and Civil Guard for air rescue mission, 31 EC145s were ordered to replace their fleet of ageing
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III (, ''Lark''; company designations SA 316 and SA 319) is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by French aircraft company Sud Aviation. During its production life, it proved to be a relatively popular r ...
in a deal costing $170 million.Gray 2002, p. 31. The first EC145 completed its maiden flight at
Donauwörth
Donauwörth () is a town and the capital of the Donau-Ries district in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is said to have been founded by two fishermen where the rivers Danube (Donau) and Wörnitz meet. The city is part of the scenic route called "Roman ...
, Germany, on 12 June 1999; Eurocopter conducted a major publicity event for the emerging type at the US Helicopter Association International Show in February 2000. Safety certification of the EC145 was awarded by the German ''
Luftfahrt-Bundesamt
The ''Luftfahrt-Bundesamt'' (LBA, "Federal Aviation Office") is the national civil aviation authority of Germany headquartered in Braunschweig.Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
(FAA) in January 2002.
Eurocopter and Kawasaki have an agreement to independently manufacture and market the rotorcraft, while working collaboratively on development and upgrades. Eurocopter has a 60% production workshare, which includes the main and tail rotors, intermediate and tail
gearbox
Propulsion transmission is the mode of transmitting and controlling propulsion power of a machine. The term ''transmission'' properly refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive vehicles), differe ...
es, control systems, cockpit and tail structure, and landing gear; Kawasaki has a 40% workshare, comprising the fuselage structure, main transmission, electrical and fuel systems. Kawasaki uses the designation BK 117 C2 for the type and sells/produces the aircraft in the Asian market; Eurocopter sells the type globally under the EC145 designation. In November 2004, with the termination of production of
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
is a Japanese multinational engineering, electrical equipment and electronics corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. MHI is one of the core companies of the Mitsubishi Group and its automobile division is the predecessor of Mitsubishi Mo ...
' MH2000, the BK 117 C2 became the only civil helicopter in production in Japan. In August 2010, it was announced that the partnership between Eurocopter and Kawasaki on the development and production of the EC145 had been extended until at least 2025.
Further development
In 2011, Eurocopter launched an upgraded EC145 model, designated ''EC145 T2'', unveiling the new type at Heli Expo 2011. The EC145 T2 is designed to significantly increase the aircraft's performance, featuring new Arriel 2E turboshaft engines, dual-digital Full Authority Digital Engine Controls (FADEC), Eurocopter's
Fenestron
A Fenestron (sometimes alternatively referred to as a fantail or a "fan-in-fin" arrangementLeishman 2006, p. 321.) is an enclosed helicopter tail rotor that operates like a ducted fan. The term ''Fenestron'' is a trademark of multinational heli ...
shrouded tail rotor design, and upgraded tail and main rotor gear boxes. Considerable differences and improvements were introduced to the cockpit and aircraft subsystems, including the adoption of increasingly digital avionics and a fully
modular
Broadly speaking, modularity is the degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined, often with the benefit of flexibility and variety in use. The concept of modularity is used primarily to reduce complexity by breaking a s ...
approach to these systems; amongst the biggest changes is a sophisticated 4-axis autopilot."Eurocopter expands its product line with the EC-145T2 helicopter." ''Avio News'', 7 April 2011. In April 2014, airworthiness certification from the
European Aviation Safety Agency
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monito ...
for the EC145 T2 was received, FAA certification followed in October 2014.
The primary manufacturing facility for the EC145 is located at
Donauwörth
Donauwörth () is a town and the capital of the Donau-Ries district in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is said to have been founded by two fishermen where the rivers Danube (Donau) and Wörnitz meet. The city is part of the scenic route called "Roman ...
in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, which is Eurocopter's second-largest site after
Marignane
Marignane (; oc, Marinhana) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France.
Geography
It is a component of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis, and the largest suburb of the c ...
in France. In 2014, Airbus Helicopters announced that 50 EC145 T2s would be manufactured in 2015; the production is expected to eventually rise to 70 helicopters per year.
Since 2011, Eurocopter has been developing an
optionally piloted vehicle
An optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) is a hybrid between a conventional piloted aircraft and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
Able to fly with or without a human crew on board the aircraft, OPVs are a low-cost alternative to UAVs in research, exp ...
(OPV) variant of the EC145. Test flights of the ''EC145 OPV'', including unmanned flights, began in 2013. The system, designed to plug into the EC145's existing avionics, is capable of autonomous operation or alternatively being controlled by human operators either via the cockpit or from a ground control station. The technology, which is reported to be compatible with a number of Eurocopter's range of helicopters, is intended for both civil and military applications. In an emergency situation, such as systems failure, the EC145 OPV is programmed to enter into an automated hover-to-land procedure to safely land the aircraft. In March 2015, Airbus Helicopter's Chief Technical Officer Jean-Brice Dumont stated that there were no firm plans for the EC145 OPV to proceed to production, but investment in the project was continuing.
In July 2014, Airbus Helicopter launched the ''EC145e'', a lightened and lower cost version of the standard EC145, achieved by the removal of some avionics for autopilot and single-pilot IFR functions. Intended as a basic model for tasks such as aerial firefighting and utility work, it has been also viewed as a replacement for aging MBB Bo 105 rotorcraft. In April 2015, the EASA issued its certification for the EC145e. In 2015, Metro Aviation entered into an arrangement with Airbus Helicopters to offer various mission-specific customisations for the EC145e and operate as a reseller for the variant.Maher, Guy R "When Less is More." ''Vertical'', 29 October 2015. In 2015, the EC145 was rebranded as the ''H145'' by Airbus Helicopters.
In March 2019, Airbus Helicopters announced that it was developing, in cooperation with Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki, an upgraded model of the H145. Chiefly amongst its new features were a new bearingless five-bladed main rotor that incorporates the
Blue Edge
Blue Edge is an advanced design of rotor blade developed and produced by multinational helicopter manufacturer Airbus Helicopters.
Developed in cooperation with ONERA and the German Aerospace Center, the Blue Edge technology reportedly achieves ...
rotor blade, the testing of which had commenced in April 2018. Furthermore, such changes are able to be retrofitted to existing H145s. The upgrade reportedly increases payload capacity by and will be able to be retrofitted to existing H145s. EASA certification is expected in the first quarter of 2020.
Design
The EC145 features a larger cabin space than the older BK 117 C1 helicopter with internal space increased by 46 cm (18 in) in length and 13 cm (5 in) in width, increasing cabin volume by to . Other improvements over the BK 117 include an increased maximum take-off weight and greater range, achieved partially by the adoption of
composite
Composite or compositing may refer to:
Materials
* Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances
** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts
** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic materials
...
rotor blades, which were derived from the smaller EC135. The EC145 has a hingeless rotor system with a monolithic
titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resista ...
hub; the helicopter was originally powered by a pair of
Turboméca Arriel
The Turbomeca Arriel is a series of French turboshaft engines that first ran in 1974.Gunston 1989, p.170.
Delivering , over 12,000 Arriel engines have been produced from 1978 to 2018, logging more than 50 million flight hours for 40 helicopter ap ...
1E2
turboshaft
A turboshaft engine is a form of gas turbine that is optimized to produce shaftpower rather than jet thrust. In concept, turboshaft engines are very similar to turbojets, with additional turbine expansion to extract heat energy from the exhaust ...
engines, later aircraft are powered by the upgraded Turboméca Arriel 2E engine. A key feature of the rotorcraft is the variable rotorspeed and torque matching system (VARTOMS), derived from the BK 117, which Eurocopter has attributed as making the EC145 "the quietest helicopter in its class"."Advanced Technology and Design." ''Eurocopter'', Retrieved: 31 March 2013.
The EC145 is fitted with an all-glass cockpit, consists of a Thales Avionics MEGHAS Flight Control Display System with active matrix liquid crystal displays (LCDs); it can be piloted by either one or two pilots. A number of systems are independently redundant, including the autopilot system, hydraulic boost, transmission lubrication, and some of the onboard sensors. The EC145 T2 features additional and newer avionics systems, such as a full 4-axis autopilot and dual-channel
Full Authority Digital Engine Control
A full authority digital engine (or electronics) control (FADEC) is a system consisting of a digital computer, called an "electronic engine controller" (EEC) or "engine control unit" (ECU), and its related accessories that control all aspects of ai ...
(FADEC); three large LCD primary displays were also introduced to control these systems. The type is fully capable of Category A operations; in November 2008, an EC145 performed the first medical transport flights under instrument flight rules (IFR) in Europe; the type is able to fly entirely under GPS navigation from takeoff to final approach when required. The EC145 is also the first civil helicopter to be fitted with night vision-compatible cockpit instrumentation and lighting straight off the production line.Dubois, Thierry "European medical operators give the EC 145 high marks." ''AIN Online'', 30 October 2006.
Typical cabin arrangements allows for eight passengers in a club seating configuration, or nine passengers in a high density seating configuration, passenger seating is designed for quick rearrangement based upon current demands. The cabin can be accessed either through sliding doors in either side of the aircraft or via large clamshell doors at the rear of the cabin; in combination with the high mounted tail boom, the clamshell doors are designed to provide safe clearance for loading and unloading activities even while the rotors are turning. In an EMS/
casualty evacuation
Casualty evacuation, also known as CASEVAC or by the callsign Dustoff or colloquially Dust Off, is a military term for the emergency patient evacuation of casualties from a combat zone. Casevac can be done by both ground and air. "DUSTOFF" i ...
arrangement, the EC145 can carry up to two stretchered patients with three accompanying medical staff.Bower, Ron "Flying The EC145." ''Rotor & Wing'', 1 April 2006. The helicopter can be fitted with emergency floats, rescue hoist, search light, load hook and specialist equipment for other operational requirements.
A VIP variant the Stylence was launched in 2008 for corporate and private helicopter operators which has various aesthetic and technology changes from the baseline model to provide a higher level of passenger comfort. The Stylence features a luxury interior with a variety of seating configurations, leather seats, carbon fibre inserts, carpet, optional sliding wall in rear of the cabin and optional console with cold box. In 2011, Eurocopter launched the
high-end Mercedes-Benz Style VIP variant developed in association with the
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz (), commonly referred to as Mercedes and sometimes as Benz, is a German luxury and commercial vehicle automotive brand established in 1926. Mercedes-Benz AG (a Mercedes-Benz Group subsidiary established in 2019) is headquartere ...
Advanced Design Division. The Mercedes-Benz Style features several seating configurations for between four and eight passengers with the option of up to three multipurpose cabinets via switchable rail-mountings, three trim and upholstery levels with wooden panelling, advanced in-flight entertainment system and adjustable ambient lighting. The seats can be removed to create space for luggage with anchoring options on the floor and walls. The Mercedes-Benz Style also features external changes including a reshaped forward section and modified landing skids. In 2017, Airbus Helicopters launched the Airbus Corporate Helicopters (ACH) brand for corporate variants with two product lines for the H145 assigned the marketing name ACH145: the ACH145 Line, formerly the Stylence, and the ACH145 Editions product line, which retained the Mercedes-Benz Style name. The EC145e, a utility variant, has a deliberately standardised interior for the purpose of minimising overall weight.
Operational history
The French ''
Sécurité Civile
The (General directorate for civil defense and crisis management) is a civil defense agency of the French Government. It operates for the Ministry of the Interior and employs some 2,500 civilian and military personnel over 60 sites. Known as the ...
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Dar ...
, Germany became the first operators of the EC145 upon receipt of the initial deliveries in April 2002. The ''Sécurité Civile'' procured the type as a replacement for its aging
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III (, ''Lark''; company designations SA 316 and SA 319) is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by French aircraft company Sud Aviation. During its production life, it proved to be a relatively popular r ...
fleet, winning out against the Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin. In November 2006, the ''Sécurité Civile'' were planning to make greater use of the EC145's IFR capabilities for operations within bad weather and at night time. In 2008, the ''Gendarmerie'' reportedly stated that the EC145 has a per aircraft availability rate of roughly 90 percent. Out of a total of 32 EC145s delivered to the ''Sécurité Civile'', three had been lost in accidents by June 2009.
In October 2010, an agreement to establish a joint venture between Eurocopter and Kazakhstan Engineering, ''Eurocopter Kazakhstan Engineering'', was formally signed; the joint venture created the only EC145 manufacturer in the
Commonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a regional intergovernmental organization in Eurasia. It was formed following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. It covers an area of and has an estimated population of 239,796,010. ...
(CIS), which possesses exclusive rights to supply the type to
Mongolia
Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
,
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan (, ; uz, Ozbekiston, italic=yes / , ; russian: Узбекистан), officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( uz, Ozbekiston Respublikasi, italic=yes / ; russian: Республика Узбекистан), is a doubly landlocked co ...
,
Tajikistan
Tajikistan (, ; tg, Тоҷикистон, Tojikiston; russian: Таджикистан, Tadzhikistan), officially the Republic of Tajikistan ( tg, Ҷумҳурии Тоҷикистон, Jumhurii Tojikiston), is a landlocked country in Centr ...
,
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...
,
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
, and
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of t ...
."Kazakhstan strengthens relations with Airbus Group." ''Azernews'', 3 November 2015. In November 2011,
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...
took delivery of the first of an initial batch of six EC145 ordered. In September 2012, ''Eurocopter Kazakhstan'' received its first EC145 assembly kits at its newly established facility in
Astana
Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan.
The city lies on the banks of the Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmola Region, tho ...
; up to 10 EC145s per year are to be built at the facility. By November 2015, a total of 20 rotorcraft had been produced at the Kazakhstan facility, 14 for the Ministry of Emergencies of Kazakhstan and 6 for the
Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan
The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan ( kk, Қазақстан Республикасының Қорғаныс министрлігі, ''Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Qorğanys ministrlıgı'') is a government agency of Kazakhstan wh ...
.
In April 2012, Eurocopter announced that the 500th EC145 had been delivered."EC145 500th of Eurocopter Ultimate" ''YouTube'', 27 April 2012. On 31 July 2014, the first EC145 T2, an updated variant, was delivered to its launch customer, DRF Luftrettung, who have ordered a total of 20 such helicopters for emergency medical service operations.Perry, Dominic "First Airbus Helicopters EC145 T2 handed to launch customer". ''Flight International'', 1 August 2014.
In April 2015, Airbus Group Australia Pacific delivered its first H145, previously designated as the EC145 T2."Airbus delivers first H145 into this region." ''Vertical Magazine'', 12 April 2015. In June 2015, it was announced that Saudi Arabia intended to purchase 23 H145s worth $500 million. In November 2015, it was reported that the H145 had attained an average availability rate of 94%.
On 25 September 2019 an Airbus H145 landed on the summit of
Aconcagua
Aconcagua () is a mountain in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes mountain range, in Mendoza Province, Argentina. It is the highest mountain in the Americas, the highest outside Asia, and the highest in the Southern Hemisphere with a summi ...
, highest mountain in Southern Hemisphere at 6962 metres (22,840 ft), crewed by Airbus experimental test pilot Alexander Neuhaus and flight test engineer Antoine van Gent. This is a record for a twin-engined helicopter.
Military
In 2006, the ''UH-145'', a military variant of the EC145, was selected for the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
's Light Utility Helicopter Program, beating three other helicopters. The deal, valued at $3 billion, involved the supply and servicing of 345 helicopters, with options for additional aircraft. The variant was designated
UH-72 Lakota
The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) UH-72 Lakota is a twin-engine helicopter with a single, four-bladed main rotor. The UH-72 is a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC145, built by American Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters, Inc.), a ...
by the US Department of Defense; the first UH-72A was delivered to the US Army in December 2006. In August 2007, the FAA authorised the commencement of production of both UH-72A and civil EC145 rotorcraft at ''American Eurocopters facility in Columbus, Mississippi.
In July 2013, Germany purchased 15 EC145s for the German Army to be used for special operations ( KSK) designated ''EC645 T2''. The EC645 T2 is armed with weapon mounts, fitted with electronic countermeasures system, ballistic protection, electro-optical system, fast rope system, cargo hooks and hoists. In October 2014, Thailand placed an order for 5 EC645 T2s for the
Royal Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy ( Abrv: RTN, ทร.; th, กองทัพเรือไทย, ) is the naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known a ...
. On 27 November 2014, the maiden flight of the EC645 T2 was performed at
Donauwörth
Donauwörth () is a town and the capital of the Donau-Ries district in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is said to have been founded by two fishermen where the rivers Danube (Donau) and Wörnitz meet. The city is part of the scenic route called "Roman ...
, Germany. On 15 May 2015, the ''H145M'', previously designated as EC645 T2, received EASA airworthiness certification. The first two H145Ms were received by Germany and assigned to the
Air Force
An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...
in December 2015.
In December 2016, Serbia placed an order for 9 H145Ms with 6 for the
Serbian Air Force and Air Defence
The Serbian Air Force and Air Defence ( sr-Cyrl, Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздухопловна одбрана Војске Србије, Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazduhoplovna odbrana Vojske Srbije, Wa ...
, four of the six to be equipped with the HForce weapon system, and 3 for the
Police of Serbia
The Police of Serbia ( sr, Полиција Србије, Policija Srbije), formally the Police of the Republic of Serbia ( sr, Полиција Републике Србије, Policija Republike Srbije), commonly abbreviated to Serbian Police ( s ...
. In November 2018, Serbia changed the distribution of the H145Ms; the Police to receive an additional H145M and the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence to receive one less H145M with three equipped with HForce. In November 2017, Airbus completed the first test fire of the HForce modular weapon system. HForce will enable the H145M hardpoints to be armed with the M3P .50-caliber machine gun, M621 20mm automatic cannon and FZ231 70mm rocket launcher and will equip the H145M with a Wescam MX-15 electro-optical targeting system and
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the order Scorpiones. They have eight legs, and are easily recognized by a pair of grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back and always en ...
helmet mounted sight display. In December 2017, Airbus successfully launched FZ275 70mm semi-active laser guided rockets.
In June 2018, an order was placed for 20 H145Ms by Hungary for the
Hungarian Air Force
The Hungarian Air Force ( hu, Magyar Légierő), is the air force branch of the Military of Hungary, Hungarian Defence Forces.
The task of the current Hungarian Air Force is primarily defensive purposes. The flying units of the air force are or ...
equipped with HForce weapon system. All delivered by the end of 2021. First live firing exercise was held in September of 2021 using 20 mm cannon pods.
In July 2018, an order was placed by Luxembourg for 2 H145Ms for the Luxembourg Army that will be dual role for use by the Luxembourg Police.
In August 2021, the German Air Force deployed two H145Ms to
Hamid Karzai International Airport
, nativename-r =
, image = Flightline at Kabul International Airport.jpeg
, caption = The flightline at Kabul International Airport in January 2012
, IATA = KBL
, ICAO = OAKB
, ...
to assist in evacuation operations in the aftermath of the fall of Kabul.
Variants
;EC145
:Basic model introduced, derived from preceding ''BK 117 C-1''; this variant is powered by
Turbomeca Arriel
The Turbomeca Arriel is a series of French turboshaft engines that first ran in 1974.Gunston 1989, p.170.
Delivering , over 12,000 Arriel engines have been produced from 1978 to 2018, logging more than 50 million flight hours for 40 helicopter ap ...
1E2 turboshaft engines and has a conventional high boom tail rotor. EC145 is a marketing name for the ''BK 117 C-2''.
;ACH145
:Corporate model by Airbus Corporate Helicopters offered in two product lines: the ACH Line, formerly the Stylence, and the Mercedes-Benz Style, part of the ACH Editions product line. The ACH145 interior options include seating configurations, upholstery, trim, lighting, carpet and storage. The Mercedes-Benz Style airframe has a redesigned nose and modified skids.
;EC145e
:Variant of the base EC145 for utility purposes, featuring new Garmin G500H digital cockpit and the removal of some elements such as the automatic flight control system, along with the adoption of a standardised interior, for weight reduction purposes.Perry, Dominic "EASA grants approval to EC145 utility helicopter." ''Flight International'', 23 April 2015. EC145e is a marketing name for the ''BK 117 C-2e''.
;H145
:Updated version of EC145, initially designated as EC145 T2. Features a conventional tail rotor replaced by a
fenestron
A Fenestron (sometimes alternatively referred to as a fantail or a "fan-in-fin" arrangementLeishman 2006, p. 321.) is an enclosed helicopter tail rotor that operates like a ducted fan. The term ''Fenestron'' is a trademark of multinational heli ...
shrouded tail rotor. Other changes include the installation of more powerful ( Arriel 2E engines, and various new avionics; it has a maximum takeoff weight of 3700 kg.Broadbent 2012, pp. 67–68. In 2019 Airbus Helicopters announced a new variant of the type with a newly designed 5-blade bearingless main rotor system, increasing useful load by 150 kg and max takeoff weight to 3800 kg; it achieved EASA certification in June 2020. Airbus expects to deliver the last production H145 with the standard 4-blade rotor in February 2021, after which the production line will only assemble the new 5-blade type; the 4-bladed H145s already in service can also be retrofitted to the new 5-blade standard. H145 is a marketing name for both the ''BK 117 D-2'' (4-blade main rotor variant) and ''BK 117 D-3'' (5-blade main rotor variant).
;H145 D3
: Updated Version of the H145 with 5-blade main rotor. In comparison to the D-2, the effective loading weight of the D-3 is increased by 150 kg due to a 100 kg increase in the maximum total weight and a 50 kg decrease in the aircraft weight.
;H145M
:Militarized version of the H145; briefly designated as EC645 T2. It can be outfitted with ballistic protection, self-sealing fuel tanks, electro optical/infrared sensor, retractable pintle-mounted 7.62mm FN MAG machine guns or M134 miniguns, military-grade communications and navigational systems and an electronic warfare self-protection system. The H145M's HForce weapon system can precisely aim 12,7 mm and 20 mm gun pods and 70 mm guided and unguided rockets. Anti-armor capability will be provided by integrating SPIKE ER2 missile to the helicopter's armament.
; UH-72A Lakota
: A militarised Light Utility Helicopter based on the basic EC145 model; operated by the US Army.
;Jupiter HT1
: Used by UK Armed Forces to train search and rescue pilots.
Operators
In 2019, more than 1300 EC145s were in service around the world which in 2012 was reported as 34 countries and around 100 customers.
Military
;
*
Albanian Air Force
The Albanian Air Force ( sq, Forca Ajrore e Republikës së Shqipërisë - Air Force of the Republic of Albania) is the air force of Albania and one of the branches of the Albanian Armed Forces.
History
Early history
In 1914 the government ...
(3 H145M)
;
*
Bolivian Air Force
The Bolivian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Boliviana or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces.
History
By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft (Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Co ...
Cypriot National Guard
, name2 = National Guard General Staff
, image = Emblem of the Cypriot National Guard.svg
, image_size = 100px
, caption = Emblem of the National Guard of Cyprus
, image2 = Flag of the ...
- Ordered six H145M with an option for another six to replace the ageing Soviet squadron
;
*
Ecuadorian Air Force
The Ecuadorian Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana, FAE) is the Air arm of the Military of Ecuador and responsible for the protection of the Ecuadorian airspace.
Mission
To develop the military air wing, in order to execute institutional ...
- received two H145Ms in 2020, with four more delivered by April 2021.
;
*
French Gendarmerie
The National Gendarmerie (french: Gendarmerie nationale, ) is one of two national law enforcement forces of France, along with the National Police. The Gendarmerie is a branch of the French Armed Forces placed under the jurisdiction of the Mini ...
German Army Aviation Corps
The German Army Aviation Corps (german: Heeresfliegertruppe) is a special unit within the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). The German Army Aviation Corps is a branch of the German Army (''Heer''), containing all its helicopter units. The German ...
(7 H145 LUH SAR)
;
*
Hungarian Armed Forces
The Hungarian Defence Forces ( hu, Magyar Honvédség) is the national defence force of Hungary. Since 2007, the Hungarian Armed Forces is under a unified command structure. The Ministry of Defence maintains the political and civil control over ...
Serbian Air Force and Air Defence
The Serbian Air Force and Air Defence ( sr-Cyrl, Ратно ваздухопловство и противваздухопловна одбрана Војске Србије, Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazduhoplovna odbrana Vojske Srbije, Wa ...
(5 H145M, 10 more on order)
;
*
Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army or RTA ( th, กองทัพบกไทย; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
History
Origin
The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's ...
(H145)
*
Royal Thai Army
The Royal Thai Army or RTA ( th, กองทัพบกไทย; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
History
Origin
The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's ...
(UH-72A Lakota)
*
Royal Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy ( Abrv: RTN, ทร.; th, กองทัพเรือไทย, ) is the naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known a ...
(H145M)
;
*
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
see
UH-72 Lakota
The Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters) UH-72 Lakota is a twin-engine helicopter with a single, four-bladed main rotor. The UH-72 is a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC145, built by American Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters, Inc.), a ...
Civilian and government
;
*
Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State ( pt, Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) (PMERJ) like other military polices in Brazil is a reserve and ancillary force of the Brazilian Army, and part of the System of Public Security and ...
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal police, federal and national police service of ...
Civil Defence
Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mit ...
;
*
ADAC
ADAC, officially the Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (), is Europe's largest motoring association. ADAC is the largest club (Verein) in Germany with around 21 million members. It would be more aptly described today as an individual mo ...
Israel Police
The Israel Police ( he, משטרת ישראל, ''Mišteret Yisra'el''; ar, شرطة إسرائيل, ''Shurtat Isrāʼīl'') is the civilian police force of Israel. As with most other police forces in the world, its duties include crime fightin ...
Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie
The Royal Gendarmerie ( ar, الدرك الملكي المغربي, ad-darak al-malikiyy al-maḡribiyy, french: Gendarmerie royale marocaine) is the national gendarmerie force of the Kingdom of Morocco, and comes under the joint-authority of ...
;
*
Namibian Police Force
The Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL) is the national police force of Namibia. It was established by the Namibian Constitution and enacted by an act of Parliament. The Namibian Police Force replaced the South West African Police as the national p ...
National Police of Peru
The Peruvian National Police ( es, Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP) is the national police force of Peru. Its jurisdiction covers the nation's land, sea, and air territories. Formed from the merge of the Investigative Police, the Civil Guard, a ...
;
*
Philippine Coast Guard
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ( fil, Tanod Baybayin ng Pilipinas) is recognized as the third armed uniformed service of the country attached to the Philippines' Department of Transportation, tasked primarily with enforcing laws within P ...
;
*
Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
(10 H145 on order, 8 with five-blade rotor)
;
*
East Anglian Air Ambulance
The East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) is an air ambulance providing Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) across the English counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. The appeal to fund the service was launched in ...
National Police Air Service
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police aviation service that provides centralised air support to the 43
territorial police forces in England and Wales, as well as the three special police forces serving that area. It replaced the pr ...
.
*
Scottish Ambulance Service
The Scottish Ambulance Service ( gd, Seirbheis Ambaileans na h-Alba) is part of NHS Scotland, which serves all of Scotland's population. The Scottish Ambulance Service is governed by a special health board and is funded directly by the Healt ...
*
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI; ga, Seirbhís Póilíneachta Thuaisceart Éireann; Ulster-Scots: ')
is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) after it was reform ...
Sanford Health
Sanford Health is a non-profit, integrated health care delivery system, with its headquarters in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with additional offices in Fargo and Bismarck, North Dakota, and Bemidji, Minnesota.
History
Sanford Health has its ...
Airmed
*
Suffolk County Police Department
The Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD) provides police services to 5 of the 10 Towns in Suffolk County, New York. It is one of the largest police agencies in the United States, with approximately 2500 sworn officers.
History
Prior to 196 ...
*
Texas Department of Public Safety
The Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas, commonly known as the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), is a department of the state government of Texas. The DPS is responsible for statewide law enforcement and driver license admini ...
*
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (also known as the LVMPD or Metro) is a combined city and county law enforcement agency for the City of Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. It is headed by the Sheriff of Clark County, ...
*
OSF HealthCare
OSF HealthCare is a not-for-profit Catholic health care organization that operates a medical group, hospital system, and other health care facilities in Illinois and Michigan. Headquartered in Peoria, Illinois, OSF HealthCare is owned and operate ...
Life Flight based in Peoria, IL
* Boston MedFlight
*Duke Life Flight
*
Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University is a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. To signify its heritage, the univer ...
JeffSTAT
*
Riverside County Sheriff's Department
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department (RCSD or RSD), also known as the Riverside Sheriff's Office (RSO), is a law enforcement agency in Riverside County, in the U.S. state of California. Overseen by an elected sheriff-coroner, the department ...
"Action Item Riverside County, California. Quote: "SHERIFF-CORONER-PA: Approve the purchase of One (1) H145 Helicopter..."
Specifications (EC145 C-2)
See also
References
Citations
Bibliography
* Broadbent, Mark. "Eurocopter Tango Two". '' Air International'', March 2012, Vol 82 No 3. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing. . pp. 66–69.
* Gray, Peter "Flight test: Eurocopter EC145." ''Flight International'', 11 February 2002. pp. 30–34.
* Prétat, Samuel. ''EC 145 & UH-72''