Albacete, Spain – 18 December 2025 – The Spanish Ministry of Defence has placed orders for 100 Airbus helicopters through the Directorate General for Armament and Material (DGAM), marking the largest helicopter acquisition in the country’s history. The contracts, framed within the National Helicopter Plan announced in May, are designed to modernise Spain’s defence and security assets across all three branches of the Armed Forces.

The agreements cover four helicopter models, each aligned with specific operational requirements:

• H135: 13 units, with 12 for the Spanish Air and Space Force and one for the Navy, designated for advanced pilot training, light utility, and observation missions.
• H145M: 50 units for the Spanish Army (FAMET), fulfilling roles in military pilot training, light attack operations (complementing the Tiger helicopter with HForce), light utility, and disaster relief.
• H175M: 6 units for the Air and Space Force, serving super-medium utility missions including governmental transport, replacing ageing Wing 48 fleets.
• NH90: 31 units, distributed as 13 for the Army, 12 for the Air and Space Force, and 6 for the Navy, for tactical transport, manoeuvre, special operations, and augmenting the Navy’s amphibious warfare fleet.

“By formalising these contracts, the Ministry of Defence fulfils its commitment to provide our Armed Forces with the latest generation of helicopters essential for their operations,” said María Amparo Valcarce García, Secretary of State for Defence. “This investment is strategic, enhancing Spain’s security and defence capabilities while ensuring national strategic autonomy in a key sector of European defence.”

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, emphasised the broader impact of the contracts: “This award is the tangible realisation of the National Helicopter Plan and represents a qualitative shift in the capabilities of the Armed Forces. It strengthens Spain’s defence resilience and consolidates Airbus Helicopters’ industrial footprint in the country, positioning Spain as a reference hub in the European aeronautical sector.”

The plan is expected to generate over 300 highly-qualified jobs in the next three years and includes the establishment of a new military helicopter customisation centre and an international training centre for H145M pilots and technicians in Albacete. These developments will complement ongoing Tiger mid-life upgrade facilities.

Furthermore, Airbus Helicopters is advancing its Albacete site as a Centre of Expertise for digital capabilities. The Digital Campus, developed in partnership with the University of Albacete and the Science and Technology Park of Castilla Mancha, will focus on digital tools, cybersecurity, support engineering, software development, connectivity, and helicopter maintenance for the Spanish Armed Forces.