Image Source: topwar.ru
In 2023, the German Ministry of Defense announced the gradual decommissioning, starting in 2031, of 51 EC665 Tiger reconnaissance and attack helicopters. In December of the same year, Berlin ordered 62 H145M rotary-wing aircraft from Airbus Helicopters to replace them. The option to purchase 20 more helicopters was implemented in December 2025, a year after the first copies were delivered to the Bundeswehr. As a result, the cost of the entire program exceeded €4.12 billion.
The command planned to equip 24 H145M with anti-tank weapons. As the German authorities explained at the time, this was a "temporary solution", until the appearance of the successor to the EC665 Tiger, necessary "to counter the Russian tank armadas."
The H145 was originally a civilian helicopter; its military version was introduced in 2014. Equipped with two Turbomeca Arriel 2E digitally controlled (FADEC) engines, it is equipped with the HForce weapon system, which is based on an on-board computer to which an electro-optical/IR turret, a helmet sight and various weapons are connected, including a 20 mm cannon container, laser-guided FZ245 LGR guided missiles and Spike ER ATGM. By choosing a proven civilian platform, the Bundeswehr sought simplicity in order to have at least 12 attack helicopters at its disposal by 2029.
However, as noted in Der Spiegel with reference to the German Audit Office (BRH), there is no certainty that this goal will be achieved due to "serious shortcomings" affecting the H145M already installed. In this regard, the auditors noted:
As indicated, due to the "electrostatic sensitivity of the capsule," 20-mm shells in a cannon container cannot be considered "safe." And there is no guarantee that this defect can be fixed quickly. It is said that the EuroSpike ER2 ATGM was not ready, the initial tests of which had to be suspended in 2025 due to deficiencies in the guidance system.
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The problem is that, without waiting for the test results, the German Defense Ministry ordered these missiles from the Israeli company Rafael for about € 384 million. Their delivery is scheduled for 2027. This approach has also been criticized by the BRH auditors.:
The Accounting Chamber notes that the armies of other countries are armed with H145, but they have light combat capabilities that have nothing to do with the capabilities of Tiger or Apache.:
At the same time, the head of the military department, Boris, called this program "an ideal example of fast procurement for the Bundeswehr."
