CHRISTCHURCH, Recent Zealand — Brunei has purchased six H145M helicopters from Airbus Helicopters because the Southeast Asian nation recapitalizes its fleet for close air support, surveillance and other operations.
The order follows a 2011 acquisition under Phase A of Brunei’s Support Helicopter Project for 12 Sikorsky-made S-70i Black Hawk helicopters.
The newest purchase for the Royal Brunei Air Force is an element of Phase B. It’s unclear how much the contract is price.
The Defense Ministry said the contract signing took place April 30 at Bolkiah Garrison, where the ministry’s is predicated. “All six helicopters might be introduced into service steadily ranging from the yr 2026 to switch the Bolkow Bo 105 helicopters, which have been retired from service,” the ministry stated.
Airbus Helicopters announced the sale May 2, but neither party mentioned whether the H145Ms could be armed. Still, the platform can carry 12.7mm machine guns, 20mm cannon pods, 70mm rockets, or air-to-ground missiles. The Bo 105 fleet was armed.
Among the many H145M’s operational capabilities are medical evacuation and special forces missions. The helicopter may also turn into a part of a manned-unmanned teaming fleet, as a console could be fitted within the rear cabin for controlling drones. Brunei already operates Insitu Integrator reconnaissance drones.
No. 1 Wing will fly the brand new H145Ms from Rimba Air Force Base, in response to the Defense Ministry. It’s likely the aircraft might be allocated to No. 12 Squadron, the previous operator of the Bo 105s. Of their 41 years of service, those aircraft clocked about 32,000 flying hours.
Last month, the U.K. Defence Ministry announced it will buy six H145Ms to be used by British forces in Brunei and Cyprus, meaning there might be some commonality between British and Bruneian helicopter operations within the sultanate. Thailand is the one other nation in Southeast Asia to adopt the H145M so far.
Brunei also has a pair of older Bell 206B-3 JetRanger helicopters used for training, though they’re due for alternative.
For the present fiscal yr, Brunei allotted 796.3 million Brunei dollars (U.S. $589.3 million) for defense, representing a 31.6% hop over last yr’s budget.
Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified this system phase under which Brunei ordered Black Hawk helicopters. That was Phase A.
Gordon Arthur is an Asia correspondent for Defense News. After a 20-year stint working in Hong Kong, he now resides in Recent Zealand. He has attended military exercises and defense exhibitions in about 20 countries across the Asia-Pacific region.