Airbus Confirms Romania’s €757 Million H225M Helicopter Order Under EU SAFE Program

Airbus Helicopters has confirmed Romania's acquisition of 12 H225M Caracal military helicopters under the European Union's SAFE financing program, with the contract forming part of a broader plan to replace the Romanian Air Force's aging IAR-330 Puma fleet.

The manufacturer announced the agreement on October 7, confirming that the procurement is being handled through France's Directorate General of Armaments (DGA).

Romania's Ministry of National Defence had already signed the corresponding acquisition order with the French agency on July 17. The ministry values the order at approximately €757 million, including initial logistical support and personnel training, while the total approved SAFE project budget stands at €852 million.

The helicopters will support conventional military operations and special forces missions, including reconnaissance, surveillance, tactical protection and airborne assault.

According to the Romanian Ministry of National Defence, deliveries under the acquisition program are scheduled to take place in stages through 2030.

Replacing Romania's IAR-330 Puma Fleet

The H225M helicopters will begin replacing the IAR-330 Puma, a locally manufactured version of the French-designed helicopter that has served Romania for decades.

Romania produced the Puma under license from Aérospatiale, establishing a domestic industrial base that remains central to the country's military helicopter fleet.

The new H225Ms are intended to provide the Romanian Air Force with modern multirole capabilities, including operations against ground targets and missions conducted by day or night.

The H225M is already operated by several NATO countries, including France and Hungary. Airbus reports that more than 350 helicopters from the H225 and H225M families are in service worldwide, accumulating over one million flight hours.

IAR Brașov Positioned for Future Helicopter Assembly

The agreement also has an industrial component involving Romanian aerospace manufacturer IAR, based in Brașov.

Airbus Helicopters has maintained a longstanding partnership with IAR, which manufactures and services helicopters in Romania.

In June, the Romanian government disclosed an industrial cooperation agreement involving Airbus Helicopters and IAR that provides for technology and license transfers, as well as training Romanian personnel in France.

The objective is to establish a final assembly line for the H225M in Romania.

Bucharest has also expressed its intention to acquire a subsequent batch of 30 H225M helicopters that would be produced domestically by IAR. That additional procurement remains a government plan rather than a confirmed order.

Airbus Helicopters CEO Matthieu Louvot welcomed Romania's selection of the aircraft, pointing to the company's partnership with IAR and the potential to expand Romania's helicopter manufacturing capabilities.

Second Airbus Helicopter Agreement Under SAFE

The military helicopter contract follows a separate Romanian order for seven Airbus H160 and five H145 helicopters, announced in June 2026.

Those aircraft were ordered by Romania's Ministry of Internal Affairs for public service and emergency response missions, also under the SAFE framework.

The latest confirmation places the military H225M acquisition alongside other Romanian defense programs supported through the European financing mechanism.

AdriaDefense previously reported on Romania's wider SAFE procurement package, which includes military helicopters, radar systems, air defense equipment and armored vehicles.

While the first 12 H225Ms are covered by the existing procurement agreement, the larger industrial objective depends on whether Romania proceeds with the planned follow-on order and establishes domestic final assembly capacity.

Sources: Airbus Helicopters, Romanian Ministry of National Defence, Government of Romania.