Romania has signed a contract for 12 Airbus H225M multirole military helicopters in a deal concluded in Marignane, France, under the European Commission’s Security Action for Europe framework. The aircraft will begin replacing the Romanian Air Force’s IAR-330 Puma fleet for conventional and special operations, Airbus confirmed.
The agreement is the second Romanian contract with Airbus Helicopters under SAFE, following earlier orders for seven H160s and five H145s for public services. It extends a wider modernisation drive for Romania’s rotary-wing fleet while keeping the procurement aligned with the EU-backed financing mechanism.
Airbus linked the H225M programme to industrial cooperation in Romania, including work associated with the IAR Braşov site. The company also identified the current Puma fleet as a locally produced Aerospatiale-derived type, underlining the transition from an older platform to a heavier multirole helicopter.
No financial terms, delivery timetable or full mission configuration were disclosed in the accessible summary of the contract.