Romania Orders 12 Airbus H225M Helicopters to Begin Puma Replacement

Romania has signed a contract for 12 Airbus H225M multirole military helicopters, marking the beginning of the Romanian Air Force's retirement of its IAR-330 Puma fleet for conventional and special operations missions.

The agreement was announced on 7 October 2026 and concluded through France's Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), funded under the European Commission's Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme. According to AeroTime, SAFE is an EU financing instrument designed to help member states accelerate defence investments and close critical capability gaps, with a focus on supporting the European defence industry.

What the Airbus H225M Will Replace

The Romanian Air Force currently operates the IAR-330 Puma, a version of the Aérospatiale Puma built locally under licence by Industria Aeronautică Română (IAR). As Aviation24.be reports, the 12 H225Ms will begin the replacement of that Puma fleet across conventional and special operations roles.

According to Romania's Defence Ministry, as cited by AeroTime, the new helicopters will be configured to engage ground targets and carry out attack, reconnaissance, surveillance, tactical protection, and specialised day and night airborne assault missions.

Romania's Second SAFE Deal with Airbus

This order is Romania's second under the SAFE programme. The country recently ordered seven H160s and five H145s from Airbus Helicopters for public service missions, as Aviation24.be notes. Romania has also previously ordered two H215M helicopters in a naval configuration.

Neither source disclosed the total value of the H225M contract or a delivery timetable.

The Industrial Partnership with IAR Brașov

The deal carries a significant industrial dimension for Romania. Airbus Helicopters CEO Matthieu Louvot said the selection would strengthen Romania's industrial capabilities through the company's long-term partnership with IAR, describing the H225M as "a key asset of Europe's defence," according to AeroTime.

Romania's Defence Ministry confirmed that IAR Brașov will account for around 15% of the overall joint H225M procurement programme. Airbus and IAR have cooperated on helicopters for decades, and their industrial agreement, originally centred on the H215M, was revised in 2025 to include the H225M.

Airbus has operated in Romania for more than 20 years across its three divisions. Airbus Helicopters runs a customer centre supporting the country's Airbus fleets and export customers, while Airbus Defence and Space provides secure communications and systems engineering services, and the commercial aircraft business manufactures parts in the country.

The H225M's Growing Operator Base

More than 350 H225 and H225M helicopters are in service worldwide, with over one million combined flight hours, AeroTime reports. Before Romania's order, the military variant was operated by 12 customers: Brazil, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Singapore and Thailand.

Romania will become the 13th military operator of the type once deliveries begin. The type's established operator network gives Romania access to a broad base of operational experience and existing support infrastructure.

Readers interested in exploring the H225M and other Airbus Helicopters products in more detail can use our Manufacturer Search tool.

The Bottom Line

Romania's H225M order is a substantial step in modernising its rotary-wing military capability, anchored in a European financing framework and backed by meaningful domestic industrial participation through IAR Brașov. The connection to France's DGA and the SAFE instrument places it firmly within the broader push to deepen EU defence cooperation.

With neither a contract value nor a delivery schedule yet disclosed, the next milestones to watch are the formal programme timeline and the shape of the IAR partnership as the H225M work package is defined.

Continue to follow The Aviation Hub for more analysis and insight.