Bundeswehr orders 82 x Airbus Helicopters H145M
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Bundeswehr orders 82 x Airbus Helicopters H145M
The order consists of 62 firm (57 for army, 5 for airforce) plus 20 options.
Made me wonder how they will combine with the Eurocopter Tiger currently in the German Army Aviation Corps? Wiki reports that of the 68 Tigers originally delivered, 51 are operating, 2 crashed and 15 serve as a source of spares!
None of the H145M so far in the Bundeswehr seem to have been armed variants, rather for LUH, SAR or Special Ops use.
Also worth noting that Bundeswehr previously had 212 missile armed Bo 105 PAH-1 delivered between 1979 and 1984 and later a further 100 Bo 105C LOH (wiki). So they are still down in total numbers compared to those times, even accepting that the PAH-1 had only been seen as an interim attack helicopter.
Made me wonder how they will combine with the Eurocopter Tiger currently in the German Army Aviation Corps? Wiki reports that of the 68 Tigers originally delivered, 51 are operating, 2 crashed and 15 serve as a source of spares!
None of the H145M so far in the Bundeswehr seem to have been armed variants, rather for LUH, SAR or Special Ops use.
Also worth noting that Bundeswehr previously had 212 missile armed Bo 105 PAH-1 delivered between 1979 and 1984 and later a further 100 Bo 105C LOH (wiki). So they are still down in total numbers compared to those times, even accepting that the PAH-1 had only been seen as an interim attack helicopter.
The new wisdom is better stay away from hot front lines with any helicopter and fire your missiles from a safe distance while drones can get closer to monitor places.
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I think this is the last round of procurement for manned attack helicopters and the drones will take over this task. The classic attack helicopter is too vulnerable and expensive in modern war times full of all kinds of defensive weapons. The next step are drones against attack helicopters and these drones also operating over previously friendly areas and classic retreat rooms at all heights down to the ground.
The funny thing is they move back to some upgraded commercial helicopter again, like the old PAH-1/Bo-105 back then that used the marder tank's fire control system to fire anti tank missiles. After this experience, Germany developed the costly and many times configuration changed PAH-2/Tiger, a custom tailored anti tank helicopter, only to return to the fast and easy commercial route now.
