Airbus Unveils Uncrewed U145 Variant of H145 for Cargo, Surveillance and Military Roles
Airbus unveiled the U145 on June 8, 2026, ahead of the ILA Berlin airshow. The aircraft is designed for autonomous cargo missions with a maximum payload of 2,600 pounds.
The War ZoneAirbus revealed an uncrewed version of its H145 twin-engine light helicopter, designated the U145, on June 8, 2026. The company will display a full-scale mock-up at the ILA Berlin airshow that begins the same week. The U145 has a maximum takeoff weight of around 8,400 pounds and a payload capacity of up to 2,600 pounds.
It features an integrated clamshell nose door, a loading platform, and a dedicated cargo floor while retaining the H145’s rear clamshell doors and cabin side doors. The aircraft has no physical cockpit. Airbus plans a first flight with a safety pilot onboard before the end of 2026 and targets entry into service at the beginning of the 2030s.
The U145 will use two Safran Arriel 2E engines with full-authority digital engine control and a fenestron tail rotor. “With the U145, we are offering our customers an autonomous, uncrewed version of our H145 helicopter — combining the proven airframe, power and useful load of the H145 with the autonomy of a UAS,” said Matthieu Louvot, CEO of Airbus Helicopters.
The company stated the U145 will offer full autonomy through a specialized sensor suite and artificial intelligence.
It is described as a mission-agnostic solution for civil and military applications, primarily high-volume cargo supply. Airbus is partnering with MBDA to adapt the U145 as a drone mothership carrying launched effects. The aircraft is also pitched for armed scouting, surveillance, and crewed-uncrewed teaming roles.
More than 1,800 H145 helicopters are currently in service or on order with military operators on six continents. The U145 follows Airbus’s earlier VSR700 rotary-wing uncrewed system derived from the Cabri G2. An Airbus spokesperson told Breaking Defense that the U145 has not been developed for any specific national or European acquisition.
The company said it will team up with leading autonomous mission partners to expand the UAS ecosystem in Europe. S. Marine Corps, is expected to cruise at 135 knots out to ranges of at least 350 nautical miles with a maximum payload of around 4,000 pounds including slung loads.
