Bahrain’s Interior Ministry orders 9 Airbus H145 helicopters

Airbus Helicopters has signed a contract with His Excellency, Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Minister of Interior of Bahrain, for the purchase of nine H145 helicopters. These aircraft will be operated by the Police Aviation Command for public security missions and emergency medical services in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

“We are very proud that the Bahrain Ministry of Interior has chosen to become a new member of the global H145 community,” said Olivier Michalon, EVP for Global Business at Airbus Helicopters. “We are confident that the H145 will soon become a valuable asset for the Bahrain Police. Thanks to its versatility, this multi-role helicopter is a key asset for public safety missions around the world and in the region. More than 60 H145s are already in service in the Middle East, where demand for this type of helicopter continues to grow for a wide range of missions: emergency medical services, energy sector operations, law enforcement and utility missions,” he added.

The new version of the H145, the flagship model in Airbus’ light twin-engine category, incorporates an innovative five-blade rotor that increases the helicopter’s payload by 150 kg. The simplicity of the new bearingless main rotor design also facilitates maintenance operations, further enhancing the H145’s reliability and ease of maintenance, as well as improving travel comfort for passengers and crew.

In all, there are more than 1,700 H145 family helicopters in service, totaling eight million flight hours. Powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the H145 features full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite, which includes a high-performance 4-axis autopilot. This system increases safety and reduces pilot workload. The H145 is also distinguished by its extremely low acoustic footprint, making it the quietest helicopter in its class, and its CO2 emissions, which are the lowest among competitors.

Sources and images

• Airbus Press Release