Attack
Benefitting from the company’s expertise in integrating weapons systems and tailoring its rotorcraft to operators’ requirements, Airbus helicopters are designed from the start as military systems for attack missions, with redundancy and durability for battlefield conditions.
Airbus’ product range is configurable for attack missions, ranging from the two-metric-tonne category H125M to the heavy-duty Tiger.
Light single-engine helicopters
The H125M's spacious interior, with no separation between the cockpit and the cabin, facilitates communications between crew members, and offers an excellent field of view – even from behind.
The most capable armed rotorcraft in the two-metric-tonne class is Airbus’ single-engine H125M. Equipped with Turbomeca’s Arriel 2D engine and a dual-channel full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system, the H125M has a small visual silhouette, reduced radar signature and high agility in combat manoeuvring.
It can be fitted with a podded 12.7-mm machine gun, a 20-mm cannon pod, and 70-mm rockets. Side-mounted weaponry are a 7.62-mm machine gun and installed sniper rifle. Growth potential is available for guided rockets and air-to-ground missiles.
The H125M's spacious interior, with no separation between the cockpit and the cabin, facilitates communications between crew members, and offers an excellent field of view – even from behind.
Four-tonne twin-engine H145M
The H145M is the latest four-tonne-class twin-engine military helicopter in Airbus’ product range, providing a multitude of deployment possibilities with its power, range, endurance and payload capability.
The H145M can be fitted with the HForce weapon system designed by Airbus, which integrates an electro-optical system (EOS) and helmet-mounted sight display (HMSD) for improved targeting, and a wide selection of armaments, ranging from ballistic to guided ammunition, providing outstanding flexibility for attack missions.
With its open system architecture, the HForce incremental weapon system can accommodate a wide choice of ballistic and guided weapon configurations – from 12- and 7-tube rocket- and guided-rocket launchers, to a 20-mm cannon pod and 12.7-mm machine gun pod.
Fitted with two Turbomeca Arriel 2E engines – each managed by a dual-channel full authority digital engine control (FADEC) – the H145M retains excellent performance throughout the flight envelope, particularly when operating at altitudes of 6,000 ft. and in 95 deg. F. environments – known as “6K/95 high and hot” conditions.
Airbus’ state-of-the-art glass cockpit and Helionix® avionics suite – coupled with a highly capable 4-axis digital autopilot system – ensure the H145M accomplishes the job, no matter how demanding the mission.
Heavy helicopters
As a true multi-role platform, the H225M enables military forces to deploy wherever and whenever needed.
The H225M has been deployed in combat service worldwide, including deployments in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali. An evolution of Airbus’ proven Cougar/Super Puma military rotorcraft, the H225M is the latest version of this 11-tonne class helicopter family.
Armament for the H225M includes two side-mounted 180-round 20-mm gun pods or two 19-tube 2.75-in. rocket launchers, and 7.62-mm machine guns in forward cabin windows. The Sirina planning system enables missions to be prepared quickly and precisely according to the helicopter’s performance capability.
Specialised helicopters
Airbus’ Tiger is a true multi-role attack rotorcraft whose mission applications include armed scout, anti-tank, and armed support duties. Designed for operations in the digital battlefield, the Tiger combines the attributes of low detectability with its flat and narrow silhouette; low radar profile and infrared signatures; low vulnerability through system redundancy; flight agility with its rigid rotor system; as well as high manoeuvrability, agility and survivability.
Qualified armament includes the Nexter 30M781 30-mm turret-mounted gun, interchangeable 68-mm and 70-mm unguided rockets (with growth potential for laser-guided rockets), as well as air-to-ground and air-to-air missiles.
The Tiger is combat-proven during operational deployments in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Somalia, Libya and Mali.
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Photos and videos
The French Armed Forces recently achieved an in-flight refueling of an H225M Caracal by a C130 Hercules over the Sahel desert this October. This is the first in-flight refueling of an H225M while in combat and promises to open new possibilities in terms of how the helicopter can be used in overseas conflict situations.
