Ecuador modernizes transport helicopter fleet from Russian Mi-171 to French Airbus H225M
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On June 2, 2025, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo formally delivered the first two Airbus H225M helicopters to the Ecuadorian Army during a ceremony held at Fort Huancavilca in Guayaquil. The helicopters, registered as AAE-470 and AAE-471, are part of a $90 million contract signed in 2023 for five secondhand H225Ms. Delivery of these first two units was delayed by approximately one year due to issues with payment disbursement during the governmental transition at the end of 2023, when the initial 50 percent advance payment was not made as scheduled.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Ecuador currently operates a helicopter fleet in which Airbus types represent 80 percent, including the H215 Super Puma, H125 Ecureuil, H125M Fennec, and H145M. (Picture source: Ecuador MoD)
The contract’s completion was facilitated by the current administration, and the remaining three helicopters are expected to arrive between August and October 2025. Initially built as EC225LP Super Puma Mk.II+, these two helicopters accumulated approximately 1,500 to 2,000 flight hours prior to their upgrade to the H225M standard. They received final maintenance, repainting, and military adaptation work at the Istres-Le Tubé Air Base in France, where they were test-flown with French civil registrations F-WMXP and F-WMXQ. After shipment to the port of Manta in Ecuador on March 5, 2025, the helicopters were transported by land to Guayaquil for reassembly. From there, they began flight testing and instruction operations under Ecuadorian supervision. These included daytime and nighttime operations, as well as flights in mountainous regions such as Sangolquí, where one of the helicopters, AAE-471, was stationed with the 15th Army Aviation Brigade Paquisha. The final phase of instruction is being supported by instructors from Helibras and aims to certify Ecuadorian crews in high-altitude and remote-area operational procedures.
The H225Ms are intended to replace and complement the Ecuadorian Army’s existing rotary-wing assets, including a small number of operational AS332B Super Pumas and Mi-171s. The Super Pumas were originally acquired in 1985, but only one remains in service, and the Mi-171 fleet has been significantly affected by maintenance difficulties and limited spare part availability, partly due to the impact of sanctions on the Russian defense industry. Ecuador’s previous helicopter acquisition program involving Indian Dhruv helicopters ended in failure after four of seven units were lost in accidents. The current purchase of the H225Ms aims to stabilize and modernize Ecuador’s rotary-wing capabilities by acquiring Western platforms with longer-term logistical support. The aircraft are also intended to reduce dependence on Russian systems that have become difficult to maintain.
The helicopters have a payload capacity of 4,500 kg, a maximum speed of 280 km/h, and a flight endurance of approximately three hours. They can carry up to 23 troops plus a crew of four, or alternatively be configured for casualty evacuation, firefighting, or cargo transport. They are equipped with rescue hoists, Bambi Bucket systems capable of deploying up to 3,000 liters of water, and night vision systems. The H225M platform is based on the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar and features a five-blade composite main rotor, two Turbomeca Makila 2A1 turboshaft engines, an all-glass cockpit, and a four-axis autopilot. The Ecuadorian aircraft, originally produced in 2010 and 2011, were updated to H225M standard prior to delivery. Their external sling load capacity is rated at 4,750 kg, and cabin configurations can support troop seating, VIP transport, or up to 11 stretchers and four medical attendants in medevac roles.
Deployment of the H225Ms will focus initially on operations in Ecuador’s northern border region, where armed groups engaged in narcotrafficking and illegal mining are active. According to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Defense, the helicopters will be used for rapid troop movement, resupply of forward positions, casualty evacuation, prisoner transport, and air support in high-conflict zones. The helicopters are reportedly already involved in operations following the use of air-to-ground weapons against illegal encampments. According to Captain Rolando Mora, the aircraft’s ability to conduct extractions and insertions in remote mountainous or jungle terrain is particularly relevant to Ecuador’s geography. Their integration will also support reconnaissance, search and rescue, and humanitarian aid operations. The helicopters are expected to support special operations capabilities, including rope insertion and extraction, and are compatible with door-mounted FN MAG 7.62 mm machine guns.
The Ecuadorian Army has stated that the H225Ms will remain in service until at least 2050, forming part of the long-term replacement strategy for older platforms. Their entry into service follows a broader increase in Ecuador’s defense expenditures, which rose by 13.34 percent in 2024 to $1.621 billion. Although specific acquisition details are classified, the Ministry of Defense has confirmed that future procurements will include drones, command and control systems, surveillance equipment, and communications technologies. Ecuador currently operates a helicopter fleet in which Airbus types represent 80 percent, including the H215 Super Puma, H125 Ecureuil, H125M Fennec, and H145M. These platforms support current counterinsurgency efforts in northern provinces, often in coordination with jungle units such as the 19th Jungle Brigade Napo, where Fennec helicopters provide fire support with side-mounted FN Herstal MAG 7.62×51 mm machine guns.
The delivery of the two H225Ms marks a key step in implementing a phased modernization strategy. The helicopters join a reduced and aging fleet that recently saw the retirement of older types such as the SA342L Gazelle and SA315B Lama. According to General Enrique Delgado Salvador, commander of the Army, the H225Ms form part of a strategic vision to re-equip the force with systems capable of responding to increasing threats posed by organized criminal groups. He added that the platform’s multiple-use profile will be beneficial for logistical and emergency response operations, as well as for supporting national security efforts. President Noboa reiterated the administration’s goal of strengthening the rule of law and state capabilities by improving operational readiness and response time through such acquisitions. He described the platform’s delivery as part of a broader plan to enhance the government’s capacity to counter both internal and cross-border security challenges.
{loadposition bannertop}
{loadposition sidebarpub}
On June 2, 2025, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and Defense Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo formally delivered the first two Airbus H225M helicopters to the Ecuadorian Army during a ceremony held at Fort Huancavilca in Guayaquil. The helicopters, registered as AAE-470 and AAE-471, are part of a $90 million contract signed in 2023 for five secondhand H225Ms. Delivery of these first two units was delayed by approximately one year due to issues with payment disbursement during the governmental transition at the end of 2023, when the initial 50 percent advance payment was not made as scheduled.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Ecuador currently operates a helicopter fleet in which Airbus types represent 80 percent, including the H215 Super Puma, H125 Ecureuil, H125M Fennec, and H145M. (Picture source: Ecuador MoD)
The contract’s completion was facilitated by the current administration, and the remaining three helicopters are expected to arrive between August and October 2025. Initially built as EC225LP Super Puma Mk.II+, these two helicopters accumulated approximately 1,500 to 2,000 flight hours prior to their upgrade to the H225M standard. They received final maintenance, repainting, and military adaptation work at the Istres-Le Tubé Air Base in France, where they were test-flown with French civil registrations F-WMXP and F-WMXQ. After shipment to the port of Manta in Ecuador on March 5, 2025, the helicopters were transported by land to Guayaquil for reassembly. From there, they began flight testing and instruction operations under Ecuadorian supervision. These included daytime and nighttime operations, as well as flights in mountainous regions such as Sangolquí, where one of the helicopters, AAE-471, was stationed with the 15th Army Aviation Brigade Paquisha. The final phase of instruction is being supported by instructors from Helibras and aims to certify Ecuadorian crews in high-altitude and remote-area operational procedures.
The H225Ms are intended to replace and complement the Ecuadorian Army’s existing rotary-wing assets, including a small number of operational AS332B Super Pumas and Mi-171s. The Super Pumas were originally acquired in 1985, but only one remains in service, and the Mi-171 fleet has been significantly affected by maintenance difficulties and limited spare part availability, partly due to the impact of sanctions on the Russian defense industry. Ecuador’s previous helicopter acquisition program involving Indian Dhruv helicopters ended in failure after four of seven units were lost in accidents. The current purchase of the H225Ms aims to stabilize and modernize Ecuador’s rotary-wing capabilities by acquiring Western platforms with longer-term logistical support. The aircraft are also intended to reduce dependence on Russian systems that have become difficult to maintain.
The helicopters have a payload capacity of 4,500 kg, a maximum speed of 280 km/h, and a flight endurance of approximately three hours. They can carry up to 23 troops plus a crew of four, or alternatively be configured for casualty evacuation, firefighting, or cargo transport. They are equipped with rescue hoists, Bambi Bucket systems capable of deploying up to 3,000 liters of water, and night vision systems. The H225M platform is based on the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar and features a five-blade composite main rotor, two Turbomeca Makila 2A1 turboshaft engines, an all-glass cockpit, and a four-axis autopilot. The Ecuadorian aircraft, originally produced in 2010 and 2011, were updated to H225M standard prior to delivery. Their external sling load capacity is rated at 4,750 kg, and cabin configurations can support troop seating, VIP transport, or up to 11 stretchers and four medical attendants in medevac roles.
Deployment of the H225Ms will focus initially on operations in Ecuador’s northern border region, where armed groups engaged in narcotrafficking and illegal mining are active. According to the Ecuadorian Ministry of Defense, the helicopters will be used for rapid troop movement, resupply of forward positions, casualty evacuation, prisoner transport, and air support in high-conflict zones. The helicopters are reportedly already involved in operations following the use of air-to-ground weapons against illegal encampments. According to Captain Rolando Mora, the aircraft’s ability to conduct extractions and insertions in remote mountainous or jungle terrain is particularly relevant to Ecuador’s geography. Their integration will also support reconnaissance, search and rescue, and humanitarian aid operations. The helicopters are expected to support special operations capabilities, including rope insertion and extraction, and are compatible with door-mounted FN MAG 7.62 mm machine guns.
The Ecuadorian Army has stated that the H225Ms will remain in service until at least 2050, forming part of the long-term replacement strategy for older platforms. Their entry into service follows a broader increase in Ecuador’s defense expenditures, which rose by 13.34 percent in 2024 to $1.621 billion. Although specific acquisition details are classified, the Ministry of Defense has confirmed that future procurements will include drones, command and control systems, surveillance equipment, and communications technologies. Ecuador currently operates a helicopter fleet in which Airbus types represent 80 percent, including the H215 Super Puma, H125 Ecureuil, H125M Fennec, and H145M. These platforms support current counterinsurgency efforts in northern provinces, often in coordination with jungle units such as the 19th Jungle Brigade Napo, where Fennec helicopters provide fire support with side-mounted FN Herstal MAG 7.62×51 mm machine guns.
The delivery of the two H225Ms marks a key step in implementing a phased modernization strategy. The helicopters join a reduced and aging fleet that recently saw the retirement of older types such as the SA342L Gazelle and SA315B Lama. According to General Enrique Delgado Salvador, commander of the Army, the H225Ms form part of a strategic vision to re-equip the force with systems capable of responding to increasing threats posed by organized criminal groups. He added that the platform’s multiple-use profile will be beneficial for logistical and emergency response operations, as well as for supporting national security efforts. President Noboa reiterated the administration’s goal of strengthening the rule of law and state capabilities by improving operational readiness and response time through such acquisitions. He described the platform’s delivery as part of a broader plan to enhance the government’s capacity to counter both internal and cross-border security challenges.
