The German Ministry of the Interior has ordered up to 44 H225 helicopters from Airbus Helicopters for the German Federal Police. This record order for the H225 amounts to 38 firm orders, with options for a further six helicopters. The helicopter’s payload, range and modern equipment make it extremely versatile – from transporting special forces to firefighting and disaster relief. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2029.
“I would like to thank Germany for its continued and renewed confidence in our
helicopters and especially in our H225 family. We are proud that our H225 will contribute to Germany’s security and help its citizens in crisis situations,” said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “The
Federal Police can look forward to a modern helicopter thanks to the continuous improvements we have made to our H225 in recent years.”
The H225 will replace the H155 and AS332 helicopters, which have been in service with the German Federal Police for more than 20 years. In addition to the helicopters, the contract also includes training equipment and spare parts packages. The partnership between the German Federal Police and Airbus began back in 1962, when the German Federal Police (then the Federal Border Police) commissioned its Alouette II, which was built by the French Airbus predecessor company Aérospatiale. Today, the German Federal Police operates 94 Airbus helicopters, ranging from the single-engine H120 for pilot training to more than 40 twin-engine helicopters from the H135 family and the Super Puma family, the latest variant of which is the H225.
The new mission and communication system guarantees improved situational awareness and smooth data transmission between police forces. In addition, the H225 has an improved main gearbox and an enhanced health and usage monitoring system, which increases safety and saves costs. With a maximum take-off weight of 11,160 kilograms, the H225 also offers an increased range of more than 830 kilometers – with external fuel tanks even more than 1,100 kilometers – and an external payload of 4,750 kilograms, which is essential for missions such as disaster relief and firefighting. The manufacturer Airbus Helicopters also aims to operate the helicopter with 100 percent sustainable fuel by 2030. The H225 can also be converted for a variety of tasks.
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