The Czech Ministry of the Interior has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the delivery of eleven H145 helicopters with five-blade rotors. This far-reaching agreement marks a key step in the modernization of the national security infrastructure.
The new aircraft will be operated by the Czech Police Air Service and will form the backbone of operations in law enforcement, search and rescue, and emergency medical services. In addition to the delivery of the aircraft, the contract includes a comprehensive logistics and training package to ensure seamless integration into existing operations.
The decision to purchase the H145 is considered a logical next step in the evolution of the Czech police force, which has been using models from the H135 family for some time. Switching to the more powerful successor model ensures a high degree of technical commonality for personnel, significantly reducing training requirements for pilots and maintenance teams. The H145 boasts an increased payload capacity and greater tactical range. Technically, the helicopter is equipped with two Safran Arriel 2E engines and the Helionix digital avionics suite, which, through a high-performance 4-axis autopilot, minimizes crew workload in complex operational situations.
The Czech Republic and Airbus have enjoyed a partnership spanning over 25 years, extending far beyond the mere procurement of military and security equipment. The European aerospace company sources goods and services worth over €200 million annually from the Czech Republic, making it a key player in the international supply chain for civil aviation. With this latest order, the Czech Republic joins the ranks of numerous European security agencies already successfully operating the H145 helicopter, including several German state police forces, the French Gendarmerie, and the Lithuanian Border Guard.
More than 1.800 H145 family helicopters are currently in service worldwide, accumulating over 8,5 million flight hours. The Czech police plan to gradually replace their nine active H135 helicopters with the new five-blade models. The Ministry of the Interior anticipates that state-of-the-art digital maintenance systems will increase fleet availability while simultaneously reducing operating costs per flight hour. Delivery of the first units is scheduled to begin soon to ensure the long-term operational capability of police air support at a technologically leading level.