Serbia takes delivery of first H145M

The Serbian Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin took delivery of the first of the country’s H145M helicopters at Airbus Helicopters’ Donauwörth, Germany site. The country is due to receive a total of nine H145Ms, and Airbus is due to deliver two in December. The helicopters will be used for a variety of roles and are being split between the Air Force and Ministry of Interior.

“We assess the implementation of the contract as an example of successful co-operation and positive business practice,” said Aleksandar Vulin. “All the activities so far have been carried out within the agreed deadlines, and we expect the future activities to be implemented in the same manner. We are particularly pleased to point out that the activities of the industrial co-operation covered by the contract are taking place within the planned timelines.”

The aircraft are set to be equipped with a fast roping system, high-performance camera, fire support equipment, and ballistic protection, as well as an electronic countermeasures system to support the most demanding operational requirements. It also has several optional equipment packages that can be installed or removed depending on mission requirements.

“I would like to thank the Serbian government and personally Defence Minister Vulin for their trust in the latest member of our H145 family and for the smooth co-operation since the negotiations started in 2016,” said Wolfgang Schoder, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Germany. “We see a lot more opportunities for the H145M in Europe and beyond.”