New helicopter capability delivered to British Army in Brunei
Image courtesy MoD / Crown Copyright
The significant milestone in one of Defence's fastest-moving recent procurement programmes with this delivery taking place in just two years. The two aircraft now in Brunei will be used for jungle training, operated by 667 Squadron Army Air Corps, to fulfil the requirements previously carried out by the retired Puma HC2s.
The Jupiter HC Mk2 will be responsible for a wide range of essential tasks in Brunei's demanding jungle training environment including medical evacuation, troop transport, underslung load tasks, firefighting, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, and general aviation support.
This delivery represents the latest stage of the contract for six helicopters to serve the Army Air Corps in Brunei and the RAF’s 84 Squadron in Cyprus, supporting 250 UK jobs at Airbus in Oxfordshire. A £33.6M support and service contract for the helicopters was also announced with Airbus in December, supporting 30 UK jobs, including eight UK personnel deployed to Brunei to maintain the aircraft.
Mark Langrill, Director Rotary Wing and Uncrewed Air Systems at the National Armaments Director (NAD) Group, said: "Getting these aircraft to Brunei on this timescale has taken genuine commitment from everyone involved – our MOD team, colleagues in the Army and RAF, and the team at Airbus Helicopters UK. We've demonstrated that accelerated acquisition can work, and we've done it in a way that delivers real capability to the front line while supporting UK industry. Seeing these aircraft begin operational training is a proud moment for the whole programme."
The programme has been delivered through close collaboration between the NAD Group, the Army, the RAF and Airbus Helicopters UK and reflects the strength of the UK's Defence industrial base.
Gp Capt J Brooks, Senior Responsible Owner said: “The rapid delivery of this programme demonstrates the ability to deliver a modern and reliable capability that provides value for money to Defence. Despite the inherent challenges associated with rapid procurement in aviation we will safely deliver a capability that meets Defence’s requirements. This can only be achieved by the collaborative efforts of everyone across the MOD and support from Industry.”
The Jupiter HC Mk2 also advances the UK's Defence Rotary Wing Strategy, which aims to rationalise helicopter types across the fleet and increase commonality – reducing complexity, improving interoperability and driving down whole-life costs.
Crews in Brunei will now build on the experiences of those that have operated the helicopters in the UK over the last four months. All six helicopters are expected to be in-theatre by the end of 2026.
