Safran Helicopter Engines has entered into a significant support-by-the-hour contract with Airbus Helicopters for the engines powering the German Bundeswehr's new fleet of Airbus H145M helicopters. This Support-By-the-Hour (SBH) agreement encompasses in-service support and maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) for over 124 Arriel 2E engines, extending from the helicopter's entry into service until 2030. This new contract complements existing SBH agreements already in place for engine support for the German forces' H145M LUH SOF and H145 LUH SAR helicopters.
The management of this contract will be undertaken by Safran Helicopter Engines Germany in Hamburg. The Hamburg facility monitors and supports 300 helicopter operators across Germany, Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, overseeing a total fleet of 2,000 engines.
"Through this contract, we are further consolidating our support offer to German forces. Whether through the SBH contract for the H145 fleet or the Global Support Package (GSP) contract for the NH90 fleet, we support the German forces with the best possible service models, which maximize equipment availability while optimizing costs. Added to this is the construction of new facilities for Safran Helicopter Engines Germany near Hamburg, which will significantly enhance our MRO capacity in this area," said Mathieu Albert, Executive Vice-President of Support and Services at Safran Helicopter Engines.