Romania chooses Airbus

The procurement includes seven H160 and five H145 aircraft. The fleet will be operated by the Ministry’s General Inspectorate of Aviation, under the coordination of the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU). As we can read from Airbus’s press release, the aircraft will „modernise Romania’s national capabilities in integrated emergency management, civil protection, and public order enforcement.” Four of the seven H160s will be designed for civil protection and disaster relief missions, while the rest will support public order, aerial surveillance, and tactical security operations. The H145 fleet will be fully allocated to the country’s emergency rescue service (SMURD) and mountain rescue operations. It will serve as a primary force for emergency medical interventions, specialised medical evacuations, and complex search-and-rescue missions.

The H160 is a technologically advanced helicopter, designed to keep operations safe while still capable of performing in demanding multirole operations. It’s equipped with the Helionix avionics suite, which offers intuitive flight controls, enhanced situational awareness and reduced workload for the pilot. The aircraft has also reduced its impact on the environment and local community thanks to its Blue Edge main rotor blades and canted Fenestron tail rotor, which cut perceived sound by up to 50% compared to other conventional designs. The aircraft is also equipped with Safran Arrano engines that reduce fuel burn by 18%.

The H145 helicopter is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines and equipped with a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and the Helionix digital avionics suite as well. Similarly to the H160, the H145 is also quite community-friendly as it is one of the quietest aircraft in its class, with the lowest CO2 emissions compared to competitors.

Airbus has been working with the Romanian state for over twenty years now. The company has three businesses located there. One of them, the Airbus Helicopters customer centre, achieves most of its turnover (about 75%) through export contracts. Matthieu Louvot, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, insists that the company is „deeply honoured by the trust that the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs has placed in Airbus to complement their aeronautical fleet through this landmark multi-platform order. The selection of both the H160 and the H145 highlights the unique capability of our product range to deliver an integrated, highly efficient response to complex missions.” He then added that „by deploying these advanced platforms under the SAFE programme, Romania is significantly enhancing its operational readiness, reducing emergency reaction times, and positioning itself as a robust contributor to European integrated rescue and security mechanisms. We are fully committed to supporting their critical life-saving and public safety operations.”