Airbus Helicopters focused on ramp-up, with H145 poised for ‘biggest step’

Airframer’s new chief is confident it can deliver 120 of the light-twins this year, on the way to an eventual doubling of output.

Airbus Helicopters is continuing to prioritise the ramp-up across its programmes this year, with particular focus on the H145 light-twin which should hit triple-digit deliveries in 2026, its newly arrived chief executive says.

“Our priority this year is to deliver on the very large backlog of Airbus Helicopters today,” says Matthieu Louvot, who took over the CEO role on 1 April.

But the focus on the H145 is key thanks to the sustained popularity of the helicopter in both its civil and M-model military guises.

Last year, Airbus Helicopters booked 149 orders for the type, with the backlog further bolstered in recent weeks thanks to deals with Armenia (six), the Czech Republic (11), Romania (five) and operator Avinics (up to 15).

To meet that demand, there is a “very large ramp up” taking place on the H145, says Louvot, with a target of around 120 deliveries this year. If achieved, that would mean an increase of around 25% over 2025’s figure.

Although the airframer does not break down its annual delivery total, data from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) records 96 shipments of the H145/M in 2025.

“Production will double in a matter of years” from a 70-unit baseline, “but the biggest step is done this year”, he said, speaking to FlightGlobal at the Eurosatory exhibition in Paris in mid-June.

“I think that we will make it but it will require lots of effort and activity in the company at the end of the year in particular.

“It is a lot of helicopters coming together on the flightline and for delivery and it will be extremely intense as it usually is in Airbus Helicopters at the end of the year.”

The manufacturer’s efforts have included standing up a new assembly line in Columbus, Mississippi and reconfiguring its main H145 production facility in Donauworth, Germany.

But the H145 is not ramping up in isolation: Airbus Helicopters is increasing output across much of its range.

Notably, that includes the H160 medium-twin which is “going very well”, says Louvot: “We are reaching our targets there. The efficiency of the automated system and breakdown of the work among our various sites is really being felt now.

“We did a really fast ramp-up and we will reach close to 40 aircraft this year.”

GAMA data suggests Airbus Helicopters shipped a total of 29 H160s in 2025.