Spain Redefines Air Power with 100 Airbus Helicopters in Landmark Defense Renewal Initiative
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Spain’s Ministry of Defense has placed firm orders for 100 Airbus helicopters under its National Helicopter Plan, marking the largest rotary-wing acquisition in DGAM history. The deal strengthens fleet standardization, industrial sovereignty, and operational readiness across Spain’s armed services.
In a major step toward strengthening its national defense capabilities, Spain’s Ministry of Defense has finalized firm orders for 100 Airbus helicopters under the National Helicopter Plan announced in May. According to a press release issued by Airbus Helicopters on December 18, 2025, the Directorate General for Armament and Material (DGAM) signed four contracts constituting the largest helicopter acquisition in its history. The deal aims to modernize the air fleets of Spain’s three armed services, enhancing operational readiness and security across land, sea, and air domains.
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Spain has placed firm orders for 100 Airbus helicopters under its National Helicopter Plan, spanning the H135, H145M, H175M, and NH90, to modernize rotary-wing capabilities (Picture Source: Airbus)
The contracts cover four helicopter types and distribute them among the Spanish Army, the Spanish Air and Space Force, and the Spanish Navy. In the light segment, Spain is acquiring 13 H135 helicopters, of which 12 will be operated by the Spanish Air and Space Force and one by the Navy. These aircraft will support advanced pilot training, light utility missions, and observation tasks. The H135 is already widely used in training and public security roles, and this additional fleet is expected to help standardize and streamline Spain’s training pipeline for rotary-wing crews while providing flexible assets for day-to-day operations.
The agreement also includes 50 H145M helicopters for the Spanish Army’s Airmobile Forces (FAMET). These aircraft will cover a broad spectrum of missions, from military pilot training and light attack to utility transport and disaster relief. Equipped with the HForce weapon system, the H145M will be able to carry a variety of weapon configurations, including cannon pods, guided and unguided rockets, and potentially anti-tank munitions. In this role, the H145M is intended to complement, rather than replace, the Tiger attack helicopter, assuming part of the light attack and escort workload while retaining a strong focus on versatility and support functions.
In the super-medium class, the Spanish Air and Space Force is ordering 6 H175M helicopters. These will be used primarily for governmental missions, including the transport of authorities, and will replace aging platforms currently operated by Wing 48. By introducing the H175M, Spain aims to renew its fleet for VIP and governmental transport with a more capable and efficient aircraft, offering greater range, payload, and comfort than older helicopter types still in service. This acquisition is part of a broader effort to modernize the Air and Space Force’s helicopter units and gradually transition away from legacy fleets.
The fourth and most strategic element of the package concerns 31 NH90 helicopters, which will be distributed among all three services: 13 for the Army, 12 for the Air and Space Force, and 6 for the Navy. These multi-role helicopters are intended for tactical transport, maneuver and special operations missions, and, for the Navy, to complete the amphibious warfare helicopter fleet. By expanding the NH90 fleet, Spain continues to move toward a more standardized, modern helicopter inventory that can be adapted to land, air, and naval missions, from troop transport and insertion to support for amphibious operations.
For the Ministry of Defense, the signature of these contracts is framed as the fulfillment of a political and military commitment to provide the Spanish armed forces with latest-generation helicopters. Secretary of State for Defense María Amparo Valcarce García stated that this investment is strategic, focused on significantly increasing Spain’s defense and security capabilities and reinforcing national strategic autonomy in a key sector of the European defense industrial base. The National Helicopter Plan is presented as a long-term roadmap to replace heterogeneous and aging fleets with a coherent, modern set of platforms.
From the perspective of Airbus Helicopters, the Spanish decision is described as the concrete implementation of the National Helicopter Plan and a qualitative step in the capabilities of the armed forces. Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, underlined that these programs strengthen Spain’s national defense and security resilience while consolidating and expanding the company’s industrial footprint in the country. According to Airbus, the plan positions Spain as a reference hub within the European aeronautical industry, not only as a customer but also as a production and technology center.
In capability terms, the combined effect of the H135, H145M, H175M, and NH90 fleets is expected to be substantial for Spain. The H135 and H145M will structure the training pathway for helicopter pilots and provide the armed forces with a flexible set of light platforms for utility, support, and light attack missions. The H175M will deliver a modern solution for governmental and VIP transport, with better performance and safety standards than the aircraft it is replacing. The NH90, finally, will underpin tactical mobility, special operations, and amphibious capabilities across the three services, while offering the advantages of a common, modern platform for deployment at home and abroad.
These 100 helicopters represent a major step forward in the implementation of Spain’s National Helicopter Plan. The armed forces will progressively transition to a more modern, homogeneous, and easier-to-support rotorcraft fleet over the coming decade, while Spain’s national industry benefits from new production, customization, training, and digital activities centered on Albacete. According to the Airbus Helicopters press release of December 18, 2025, the combination of these contracts and the associated industrial projects confirms Spain’s intention to link the modernization of its defense capabilities with a long-term industrial and technological strategy.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Spain’s Ministry of Defense has placed firm orders for 100 Airbus helicopters under its National Helicopter Plan, marking the largest rotary-wing acquisition in DGAM history. The deal strengthens fleet standardization, industrial sovereignty, and operational readiness across Spain’s armed services.
In a major step toward strengthening its national defense capabilities, Spain’s Ministry of Defense has finalized firm orders for 100 Airbus helicopters under the National Helicopter Plan announced in May. According to a press release issued by Airbus Helicopters on December 18, 2025, the Directorate General for Armament and Material (DGAM) signed four contracts constituting the largest helicopter acquisition in its history. The deal aims to modernize the air fleets of Spain’s three armed services, enhancing operational readiness and security across land, sea, and air domains.
Spain has placed firm orders for 100 Airbus helicopters under its National Helicopter Plan, spanning the H135, H145M, H175M, and NH90, to modernize rotary-wing capabilities (Picture Source: Airbus)
The contracts cover four helicopter types and distribute them among the Spanish Army, the Spanish Air and Space Force, and the Spanish Navy. In the light segment, Spain is acquiring 13 H135 helicopters, of which 12 will be operated by the Spanish Air and Space Force and one by the Navy. These aircraft will support advanced pilot training, light utility missions, and observation tasks. The H135 is already widely used in training and public security roles, and this additional fleet is expected to help standardize and streamline Spain’s training pipeline for rotary-wing crews while providing flexible assets for day-to-day operations.
The agreement also includes 50 H145M helicopters for the Spanish Army’s Airmobile Forces (FAMET). These aircraft will cover a broad spectrum of missions, from military pilot training and light attack to utility transport and disaster relief. Equipped with the HForce weapon system, the H145M will be able to carry a variety of weapon configurations, including cannon pods, guided and unguided rockets, and potentially anti-tank munitions. In this role, the H145M is intended to complement, rather than replace, the Tiger attack helicopter, assuming part of the light attack and escort workload while retaining a strong focus on versatility and support functions.
In the super-medium class, the Spanish Air and Space Force is ordering 6 H175M helicopters. These will be used primarily for governmental missions, including the transport of authorities, and will replace aging platforms currently operated by Wing 48. By introducing the H175M, Spain aims to renew its fleet for VIP and governmental transport with a more capable and efficient aircraft, offering greater range, payload, and comfort than older helicopter types still in service. This acquisition is part of a broader effort to modernize the Air and Space Force’s helicopter units and gradually transition away from legacy fleets.
The fourth and most strategic element of the package concerns 31 NH90 helicopters, which will be distributed among all three services: 13 for the Army, 12 for the Air and Space Force, and 6 for the Navy. These multi-role helicopters are intended for tactical transport, maneuver and special operations missions, and, for the Navy, to complete the amphibious warfare helicopter fleet. By expanding the NH90 fleet, Spain continues to move toward a more standardized, modern helicopter inventory that can be adapted to land, air, and naval missions, from troop transport and insertion to support for amphibious operations.
For the Ministry of Defense, the signature of these contracts is framed as the fulfillment of a political and military commitment to provide the Spanish armed forces with latest-generation helicopters. Secretary of State for Defense María Amparo Valcarce García stated that this investment is strategic, focused on significantly increasing Spain’s defense and security capabilities and reinforcing national strategic autonomy in a key sector of the European defense industrial base. The National Helicopter Plan is presented as a long-term roadmap to replace heterogeneous and aging fleets with a coherent, modern set of platforms.
From the perspective of Airbus Helicopters, the Spanish decision is described as the concrete implementation of the National Helicopter Plan and a qualitative step in the capabilities of the armed forces. Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, underlined that these programs strengthen Spain’s national defense and security resilience while consolidating and expanding the company’s industrial footprint in the country. According to Airbus, the plan positions Spain as a reference hub within the European aeronautical industry, not only as a customer but also as a production and technology center.
In capability terms, the combined effect of the H135, H145M, H175M, and NH90 fleets is expected to be substantial for Spain. The H135 and H145M will structure the training pathway for helicopter pilots and provide the armed forces with a flexible set of light platforms for utility, support, and light attack missions. The H175M will deliver a modern solution for governmental and VIP transport, with better performance and safety standards than the aircraft it is replacing. The NH90, finally, will underpin tactical mobility, special operations, and amphibious capabilities across the three services, while offering the advantages of a common, modern platform for deployment at home and abroad.
These 100 helicopters represent a major step forward in the implementation of Spain’s National Helicopter Plan. The armed forces will progressively transition to a more modern, homogeneous, and easier-to-support rotorcraft fleet over the coming decade, while Spain’s national industry benefits from new production, customization, training, and digital activities centered on Albacete. According to the Airbus Helicopters press release of December 18, 2025, the combination of these contracts and the associated industrial projects confirms Spain’s intention to link the modernization of its defense capabilities with a long-term industrial and technological strategy.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
