On March 10, on the proposal of the Belgian Minister of Defense Ludivine Dedonder, the Council of Ministers gave the green light to launch the procedure for the acquisition of 15 “light utility” helicopters through the central purchasing office of the NATO, as well as the purchase of 5 additional helicopters for the Federal Police. This is an important step towards the replacement of part of the Defense helicopter fleet, as part of Minister Ludivine Dedonder’s STAR plan.
Belgian Defense launches purchase procedure for 20 new helicopters Considered as the reference in its civil version for law enforcement organizations and military services, the H145 is in service with the US Army, which operates its UH-72A Lakota version (Picture source: Airbus)
The purchase of 15 light helicopters (LUH) amounting to EUR 250Mn will replace the recent NH90s and old Agusta A109s. This is one of the important files of the STAR plan (Security, Service, Technology, Ambition and Resilience) of the Minister of Defense Ludivine Dedonder. Thanks to this purchase, Defense will have in the years to come a high-performance tactical air transport capacity for Special Operations and a medical evacuation capacity by air. With the decision of the Council of Ministers, the procedure can now be launched for the acquisition of the helicopters and the associated support contract. The first devices should be delivered in 2026.