MoD Signs Customer Acceptance Test Certificate for First Batch of H145M Helicopters

19 Oktober 2026

Signing of the Customer Acceptance Test (CAT) certificate for the Royal Brunei Air Force’s H145M Batch 1 aircraft (photo: Brunei MoD)

Donauwörth, Federal Republic of Germany – The Ministry of Defence signed the Customer Acceptance Test (CAT) certificate for the first batch of Airbus H145M helicopters at Delivery Docks, Airbus Helicopters Deutschland (AHD), Donauwörth. The signing marks a significant milestone in the acquisition, with delivery of the batch to Brunei Darussalam scheduled for November 2026.

Upon arrival at AHD, the Ministry of Defence delegation, led by the Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II, Yang Berhormat Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, was welcomed by Stefan Thomé, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of AHD, together with Vincent Dubrule, Senior Vice President and Head of Region Asia Pacific, Airbus Helicopters, and Constance Pinsdorf, Vice President and Head of the H145M Programme.

Two Royal Brunei Air Force’s H145M aircraft at Airbus Helicopters Deutschland, Donauwörth, Germany (photo: Brunei MoD)

The ceremony commenced with welcoming remarks by Stefan Thomé, who reaffirmed AHD’s commitment to supporting the successful delivery of the H145M helicopters. The CAT certificate was subsequently signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence by Yang Mulia 944 Major (Udara) Mohammad Hazwan bin Husny, Royal Brunei Air Force, as Deputy Head of the Integrated Project Team (IPT), while Constance Pinsdorf signed on behalf of AHD. The signing was witnessed by the Coordinating Minister for National Security, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II, and Stefan Thomé, the Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of AHD.

Also present were the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Yang Mulia Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan; the Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force, Yang Mulia Brigadier General (Udara) Haji Haszahaidi bin Haji Ahmad Daud; and officials from the Ministry of Defence and members of the IPT. Also present at the ceremony was Her Excellency Pengiran Hajah Krtini binti Pengiran Haji Mohd. Tahir, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to the Federal Republic of Germany.

The ceremony continued with the signing of the Golden Book of Airbus and an exchange of commemorative gifts, followed by the recitation of Doa Selamat by Yang Mulia 1392 Captain Pengiran Muhammad Nur Hafizan bin Pengiran Haji Hasan.

The Ministry of Defence delegation visited the Airbus Helicopters Training Academy, where eight Royal Brunei Air Force personnel were undergoing the B1 Type Rating (Airframe) Batch 2 course in preparation for the H145M programme (photo: Brunei MoD)

After the signing ceremony, the Ministry of Defence delegation visited Airbus Helicopters’ Training Academy in Augsburg and Donauwörth, where four pilots from the Royal Brunei Air Force are currently undergoing training in Augsburg led by Yang Mulia 922 Major (Udara) Muhammad Adib bin Haji Hashim @ Haji Bakar, and eight aircraft technicians undergoing training in Donauwörth led by 15078 Warrant Officer 2 (Udara) Samsul bin Sablih. During the visit, the delegation was also welcomed and greeted by Mr Matthieu Louvot, the Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Helicopters.

Under the Support Helicopter Project, the contract for the acquisition of the Airbus H145M helicopters was signed on 30 April 2024 between the Ministry of Defence, on behalf of the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and AHD for the delivery of six Airbus H145M helicopters to replace the Royal Brunei Air Force’s decommissioned Bolkow BO-105 helicopters.

The H145M helicopter is capable of performing multiple missions, including troop lift, reconnaissance, surveillance, close air support, special operations, and search and rescue operations.

(Brunei MoD)