Airbus announced that Airbus Helicopters signed a contract in Dubai with the Kingdom of Morocco for the latter to acquire ten H225M helicopters for the Royal Air Force.

A statement from the world leader in the aircraft industry, received by Hespress, indicated that these helicopters “will be equipped for combat search and rescue missions, and will be operated by the Royal Air Force, to replace the current Puma helicopters that have spent more than 40 years in service.”

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said that “Morocco’s choice to replace its aging fleet of Puma helicopters with H225M helicopters represents a further step in the partnership we have built over decades with the Kingdom of Morocco.”

Even noted that “the ‘H225M’ model is experiencing strong market momentum, as it is a benchmark for executing complex missions in challenging environments,” adding: “This demand confirms the ‘H225M’s’ position as the world’s first choice for combat search and rescue and special operations missions.”

Airbus revealed that the helicopters to be acquired by the Royal Air Force will be equipped with a “dual boom, searchlight, and Safran Euroflir 410 electro-optical system, and will also be able to carry machine guns and electronic warfare systems for self-protection.” The contract with the manufacturer also includes a “support package that includes connected services.”

It is worth noting that, according to the same source, the world has “more than 360 H225 and H225M helicopters in service, with a total of approximately 980,000 flight hours.”

The company noted that this list “includes military customers: France, the Netherlands, Hungary, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iraq and Kuwait.”

In 2024, Airbus Helicopters announced the creation of a customer service center in Morocco to support a fleet of 60 helicopters in service with the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Gendarmerie. It explained that this center would develop into an integrated maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services center with new dedicated facilities, and would become the regional center for Airbus helicopters in West Africa.