On Monday, 4 December another two Airbus H225M helicopters arrived at the Szolnok airbase of the Hungarian Defence Forces 86th Helicopter Wing. During the development of the armed forces, the Hungarian Defence Forces are going to receive a total of 16 such helicopters. The helicopter with side numbers 80 and 81 were received by Vice-Commander Colonel Zoltán Rolkó on the airbase. In the framework of the National Defence and Armed Forces Development Program, the Ministry of Defence concluded contracts for the delivery of 16 helicopters of this type in December 2018. With the now-delivered rotorcraft, six helicopters have already been commissioned. The Hungarian type certification of the helicopters started in 2021, during which special attention was paid to the characteristics of the configuration, so these medium-lift helicopters have expressly been manufactured to fulfil the needs of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The bulk of the H225M fleet will be assigned troop and cargo airlift as their core mission, while according to plan, the capabilities provided by the existing medium transport helicopters will continue to be available and will even be developed.
With the use of integrated onboard weapon systems, the rest of the helicopters – besides retaining the transport capability – will be deployable against soft-skinned combat vehicles and also in support of the special operations forces. As a result of a decades-long process, the tactical transport helicopters were developed under the designation EC725 Caracal as the specialized rotary-wing aircraft of the French Air Force dedicated to flying Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) missions. Their serial production started in 2000, the maiden flight of the type took place in the same year, and they entered service five years later. The maximum take-off weight of the helicopter is 11,200 kilograms. It has two pilots and can carry a maximum of 28 troops, which is more than helicopters of similar categories (the maximum seating capacity of the Mi-17 helicopters is 24 troops, while the NH90s can carry a maximum of 20 troops) For the first time in their history, the state-of-the-art rotorcraft have received the special H-Force weapon system in accordance with Hungarian military needs.
The Airbus Helicopters H225M, is a long-range tactical transport military helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar for military use. As a true multi-purpose and versatile military asset, the H225M enables military forces to deploy wherever and whenever needed. Operating both from ships and land – even in icing conditions – this helicopter has an all-weather capability supported by night vision goggle compatibility. The helicopter’s outstanding 700 nautical mile range can be extended with air-to-air or hover in-flight refuelling capabilities. As the most advanced member of Airbus’ military Super Puma/Cougar family, the 11-metric-tonne H225M has proven its reliability and durability in combat conditions and crisis areas that include Lebanon, Afghanistan, Chad, the Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic, Somalia, and Mali, while also supporting NATO-led operations in Libya. Additionally, the H225M is counted on as a force multiplier by France, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia, Kuwait, Singapore, Hungary, and Thailand.
The H225M is equipped with avionics and communication systems that reduce crew workload while enhancing mission capability and safety. Powered by two powerful Makila 2A1 turboshaft engines, the H225M’s five-blade main rotor provides an exceptionally low vibration level, and the modular Spheriflex design for its rotor mechanical assemblies allows for lower maintenance. The H225M’s four-axis dual-duplex automatic flight control system (AFCS) provides outstanding precision and stability; its upper modes integrate the engine limitations in all-engines operative (AEO) and one-engine inoperative (OEI) situations. Airbus’ Spheriflex® fiberglass main rotor head is easy to adjust, while the airframe includes a built-in step to access the engines. Overall maintenance information is provided through the integrated health and usage monitoring system (HUMS). H225M was designed from the start for high survivability. Its airframe has reinforced structural mainframes and is equipped with high energy-absorbing landing gear, along with self-sealing and crashworthy fuel tanks.
