Romania signs for 12 Airbus H225M helicopters under EU SAFE financing

Romania has confirmed it will buy 12 H225M heavy-twin helicopters from Airbus Helicopters, under a government-to-government arrangement with France. The European Commission's SAFE financing programme will fund the purchase, which Bucharest values at €800 million ($895 million).

The intention to acquire the Caracal helicopters was first signalled in June, as part of a broader defence and security spending plan. That plan also covered orders for H175M rotorcraft for the armed forces, plus H145 and H160 helicopters for the interior ministry.

Airbus Helicopters chief executive Matthieu Louvot said the company was honoured Romania had selected the H225M to strengthen its defence capabilities, adding that the choice would support Romanian industry through a long-term partnership with IAR.

The two companies concluded an industrial co-operation agreement earlier this year covering technology transfer and training for IAR employees. That arrangement looks ahead to a possible follow-on order for 30 additional H225Ms, which would be put together locally on a newly established final assembly line.

Romania's fleet currently includes 56 IAR-330 Puma helicopters, a licence-built version of the SA330 Puma that dates from the 1970s. The country has also ordered two H215Ms, a smaller variant in the Super Puma family, configured for naval use.

Plans to assemble H215Ms at IAR's Brasov site were unveiled in 2015, conditional on a Romanian government order for the type to replace the ageing Pumas. That order did not materialise.

France, Hungary and the Netherlands are among the other European operators of the H225M.