Nearly three years after launching the acquisition process — accompanied by various announcements regarding the selection and purchase of a platform — the United Kingdom has still not defined the future of its troubled programme to acquire new medium helicopters for its Armed Forces. According to specialised media reports, London is preparing to finally announce a plan on how to proceed in addressing this need to replace a wide range of ageing helicopters, a development confirmed by government sources familiar with the project.
Citing some of the statements made on the matter, Defence Procurement Minister Luke Pollard told the House of Commons: “Officials continue to consider the business model for the New Medium Helicopter as part of the government approval process, and a decision will be taken shortly as part of the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.” Pollard has previously stated that this new plan is expected to be defined before the end of the year.
It is worth recalling that the programme is highly significant for the British Armed Forces, not only because of the originally planned investment of £1.2 billion, but also because it involves the platform that will replace the outgoing Puma, Bell 212 and Eurocopter AS365 Dauphin II helicopters. As reported when the programme was first unveiled, London’s intention is to consolidate into a single system all the missions currently carried out by these three models, thereby facilitating logistical work for those Royal Air Force and British Army units operating rotary-wing platforms.
Expanding on these details, it is useful to remember that when the troubled programme was first announced, the United Kingdom intended to procure a fleet of 44 new helicopters. Official documents published in 2024, specifically the ITNs, pointed to a substantial reduction in this number, with a new projected total ranging between 23 and 32 aircraft.
Another issue affecting the potential acquisition has been bureaucratic delays linked to government changes. As former minister Maria Eagle explained: “(…) some of these programmes can take a long time to secure contract approval. In fact, this programme suffered delays in obtaining feasibility study approval under the previous government. I hope we can bring it to completion as quickly as possible,” helping to explain why there are still no final decisions on the project.
Finally, it is important to note that, over the course of the programme, only one contender remains in the running to offer its helicopters: the Italian company Leonardo, which has submitted a proposal based on the AW149 design line, including additional plans to involve local industry in production. Previously, London had also evaluated proposals from Airbus and Lockheed Martin — offering the H175 and the Black Hawk respectively — but both withdrew due to the prospect of a reduced helicopter order and the added requirement to create jobs within the United Kingdom.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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