The Moroccan Forces Royales Air have ordered a fleet of H135s for military primary training missions from Airbus Helicopters. The light twin-engine H135, a reference helicopter in the segment, will be used for training pilots to perform a wide array of demanding missions, including utility and search and rescue.

Arnaud Montalvo, head of Africa and Middle East at Airbus Helicopters, said: “We are proud that the Forces Royales Air have selected the H135 for their training missions. It is a reliable, cost-efficient multi-role helicopter that is ideally suited to transitioning to more-complex aircraft.

“We are sure that the H135s will be a great asset to their fleet and we look forward to bringing them the best support in cooperation with our strategic partner Heliconia with its entry into service in the country.”

The contract also covers an extensive support package including the delivery of Flight Training Devices and the training of instructor pilots and maintenance pilots. The training programme will enable the Forces Royale Air to take full advantage of the H135’s multi-mission capabilities such as NVG and winching.

With over 130 units operated by military agencies worldwide for training missions, the IFR certified H135 is a proven benchmark for military training helicopters globally, having already achieved more than 400,000 military training flight hours. This new order expands the global fleet to 12 military customers, including the armed forces of the UK, Australia, Germany and Japan.

Equipped with Airbus Helicopters’ ‘state of the art’ Helionix avionics suite, the H135 offers optimal safety conditions for basic and advanced mission training, while providing a platform for easy and safe pilot transition onto more advanced helicopters.