Helo for German Special Forces Conducts First Flight

In June of 2013, the German Army ordered from Airbus Helicopters 15 new multirole helicopters for its KSK Special Forces Command. Last week, representatives from the German military watched as the EC645 T2 successfully completed its first flight.
The lightweight helicopter is the military version of the civil EC145 T2 that went into service in July of this year. It features a Helionix digital avionics suite with full night vision and a four-axis autopilot.
The helicopter, which can be strategically airlifted in an Airbus A400M and quickly prepared for missions upon arrival in theater, closes a gap for German Special Forces Command because of its multirole capability. It can be used for a range of military operations including transportation, reconnaissance, search and rescue, fire support, and evacuation of wounded soldiers.
Delivery is slated to start at the end of 2015.
Thailand is the second country to commit to the EC645 T2, having signed a deal for five aircraft to be operated by the Royal Thai Navy.
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