The British Army has received two Airbus H145 Jupiter HC Mk2 helicopters in Brunei, part of a £148m ($196m) Ministry of Defence (MoD) initiative to renew the UK’s rotary fleet.
The delivery completes one of the defence sector’s fastest procurement programmes, with the helicopters arriving in Brunei two years after the order.
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Airbus received the order to deliver six H145 helicopters from the MoD in 2024.
The new aircraft are set to replace Airbus Pumas that previously filled similar roles in both Brunei and Cyprus.
In Cyprus, the helicopters will be tasked primarily with emergency response operations.
The newly delivered aircraft in Brunei are assigned to 667 Squadron Army Air Corps to support jungle warfare training.
The Jupiter HC Mk2 will undertake a range of responsibilities including medical evacuation, troop transport, underslung load operations, firefighting, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as general aviation support during jungle training activities.
The programme also includes a £33.6m service and support contract for the helicopters, awarded to Airbus in December.
This agreement supports 30 UK jobs, with eight UK-based personnel assigned specifically to maintain the helicopters in Brunei.
Crews in Brunei will benefit from the operational experience of UK teams who have been flying the helicopters in the UK for the past four months.
The H145 Jupiter HC Mk2 features a five-bladed rotor to increase payload capacity by 150 kg, and incorporates a bearingless main rotor design intended to simplify maintenance and improve reliability.
The aircraft supports the UK’s Defence Rotary Wing Strategy, which seeks to streamline the range of helicopter types in use and standardise the fleet. This reduces operational complexity, enhances interoperability, and lowers overall maintenance costs.
All six helicopters are scheduled for deployment by the end of 2026.
