NPAS orders two more Airbus H135s as fleet renewal grows to nine

The UK’s National Police Air Service has ordered two additional Airbus H135 helicopters, expanding its fleet renewal programme to nine aircraft.

The firm order was announced at the Farnborough International Airshow and follows the arrival of the first two replacement helicopters at Airbus Helicopters’ UK facility in April.

Those aircraft are now undergoing extensive customisation for policing operations, including the integration of specialist mission equipment.

The latest two H135s are scheduled to arrive at Airbus’ Oxford site in 2028 before being completed to the required NPAS configuration.

Chief Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, NPAS accountable manager, said the aircraft would provide a modern and resilient capability for police forces across England and Wales.

“These aircraft will provide a modern, resilient and effective capability for policing, supporting our crews as they respond to incidents, assist officers on the ground and protect the public,” she said. “Together with our partners, we are building a fleet that will serve policing and the public for many years to come, ensuring NPAS remains ready to meet the evolving demands of operational policing.”

Oxford team to customise new police helicopters

The order was placed under the framework contract signed with public-sector procurement organisation BlueLight Commercial in 2025.

The agreement named Airbus as NPAS’s exclusive helicopter supplier for up to six years, creating a route for the service to continue replacing older aircraft as operational and funding requirements develop.

Airbus Helicopters’ Oxford facility will customise the aircraft using decades of UK expertise in adapting helicopters for specialist missions.

Richard Atack, managing director of Airbus Helicopters in the UK, said the work would help bring the police helicopter fleet to a “best-in-class standard” equipped with the latest policing and security technology.

The aircraft will also feature Airbus’ Helionix avionics system, which is new to NPAS pilots. Crews are already carrying out training and familiarisation flights ahead of the system’s introduction.

Helionix is designed to reduce pilot workload while improving situational awareness, safety and operational effectiveness.

NPAS currently operates 16 H135s and four larger H145 helicopters from 14 bases, providing air support on behalf of the 43 police forces in England and Wales.

Airbus Helicopters in the UK also provides maintenance and support for the existing fleet, which includes some of the most intensively operated police helicopters in the world.

More than 1,470 H135s are currently in service worldwide with over 325 customers. The global fleet has accumulated more than eight million flight hours.