Romania prepares negotiations for Airbus H225M helicopters under EU SAFE funding program.

Romania has included the Airbus H225M Caracal and H175 helicopters in programs eligible for financing under the European SAFE mechanism, with an allocation of about €1 billion.

On January 7, 2025, DefenseRomania revealed that Romania has explicitly included the Airbus H225M Caracal and H175 helicopters in programs eligible for financing under the European SAFE mechanism, with an allocation of about €1 billion. The decision supports partial replacement of the aging IAR-330 Puma fleet but leaves quantities, delivery schedules, and local industrial involvement to be determined during negotiations.
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Unlike other SAFE entries that only reference a capability or generic program name, Romania clearly specifies both the H225M and the H175, suggesting that negotiations with Airbus are expected in the coming months. (Picture source: Airbus)

The inclusion of these new military helicopters as part of Romania's programs eligible for financing under the European SAFE mechanism marks a decisive step in the long-running effort to renew the country’s military helicopter fleet. The SAFE list explicitly mentions the Airbus H175 and H225M Caracal, with a dedicated allocation of about €1 billion, while also opening questions that remain unanswered, such as how many units will be bought, when they will be delivered, and whether Romania will secure any local industrial role in their production or support. This confirmation links financing, operational preference, and European industrial rules, but it also concentrates attention on licensing, production timelines, and the role of the Brașov aerospace site.

Within SAFE, Romania has access to more than €16 billion in highly favorable low-interest European funding, with figures also cited at €16.7 billion, and more than two-thirds of this envelope is dedicated to military equipment programs. The helicopter line stands out because, unlike other entries that only reference a capability or generic program name, it clearly specifies both the H225M and the H175. This level of precision suggests that the type of helicopter is largely settled, even though negotiations with Airbus are expected to take place in the following months, with a target of concluding contracts by May. Yet, essential details such as quantities, configurations, training packages, or long-term support structures have not been made public and are expected to be defined during contract negotiations.

The financial allocation of roughly €1 billion for helicopters is significant but remains insufficient by itself to cover Romania’s full helicopter renewal, which has been estimated at a requirement of about 90 aircraft. This gap reinforces the idea that SAFE financing is a starting point rather than a comprehensive solution, especially as Romania faces increasing pressure from the wear and aging of its IAR-330 Puma helicopters. These aircraft, produced locally under license decades ago, are approaching the limits of their operational life, which has made replacement less a matter of modernization choice and more a question of sustaining basic availability and mission readiness across transport, search and rescue, and support roles.

A central issue shaping the program is the divergence between operational requirements and industrial offers. Airbus previously proposed the H215M with a license for full production in Romania, an offer tied to the Airbus facility inaugurated in 2016 at Ghimbav near Brașov in cooperation with IAR Brașov. Romanian industry was portrayed as receptive to this proposal due to the domestic production dimension, but the armed forces rejected the H215M, considering it too old for long-term needs. By contrast, the military preference focused on the H225M, which Airbus has not offered with a Romanian production license, creating a structural tension between capability and industrial policy.

Romania’s preference for the H225M was publicly announced by Radu Miruță, who stated in autumn 2025, while serving as Minister of Economy and now as Minister of Defence, that Airbus was willing to grant a license for the older H215 but not for the newer H225, while the armed forces required the more capable platform. It could be understood: the IAR-330 is a licensed version of the Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma, which evolved into the larger Aérospatiale AS332 Super Puma (now designated as the Airbus Helicopters H215) and its militarized Aérospatiale AS532 Cougar (now Airbus Helicopters H215M), which was further developed into the Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, now marketed by Airbus Helicopters as the H225M. Therefore, Radu Miruță emphasized that the government could not force the military to accept a helicopter it does not want, even if it comes with a domestic production line, because operational necessity takes precedence. This position frames the key unresolved question after the January 7, 2026 confirmation: whether industrial cooperation for the H225M, beyond maintenance and support, can still be negotiated within the SAFE framework.

The broader context of the decision also includes regional operators, industrial capacity, and competitive pressure. Hungary operates a fleet of 16 H225M helicopters, providing a nearby reference for regional use of the type, while other international customers contribute to a growing production backlog. Alternative proposals from Lockheed Martin involving Black Hawk helicopters, produced in Poland by PZL Mielec, were acknowledged as part of the competitive landscape, but SAFE’s emphasis on European industrial cooperation narrowed Romania’s effective choices. Production realities were also highlighted, including reliance on European supply chains, Safran engine manufacturing, blade production in France, and typical lead times of about three years between order and delivery, all of which increase the importance of timely decisions if Romania seeks any substantial industrial role rather than a purely off-the-shelf acquisition.

The H225M Caracal is a twin-engine multi-role military helicopter developed from the Super Puma family, positioned by Airbus as the most recent and capable variant of this lineage. It has a maximum takeoff mass above 11 tonnes and is powered by two Safran Makila 2A1 turboshaft engines, each delivering significantly higher output than the engines used on older Cougar and H215 variants. This power margin translates into increased payload capacity, higher internal troop transport capacity often described as close to 30 fully equipped soldiers, and improved performance in hot, high, and maritime conditions. The airframe incorporates a five-blade main rotor with a Spheriflex modular hub designed to reduce vibration levels and ease maintenance, while its endurance is commonly cited at about 700 nautical miles, with options for extending range through refueling solutions depending on configuration.

The H225M integrates a modern glass cockpit with four large multifunction displays and a four-axis automatic flight control system that supports precision flying in degraded visual environments. The helicopter is designed to conduct a wide range of missions, including tactical transport, combat search and rescue, medical evacuation, and special operations, with compatibility for night vision devices and all-weather operations. Survivability features include structural reinforcement, energy-absorbing landing gear, self-sealing fuel tanks, and provisions for ballistic protection of the cockpit and cabin, as well as integration of defensive aids such as missile approach warning, radar and laser warning receivers, and countermeasure dispensers. The H225M can also be equipped with Airbus’s HForce weapon management architecture, allowing the integration of door guns and guided or unguided munitions, which is a key factor explaining its selection by multiple armed forces seeking a single platform capable of covering both transport and armed support roles.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.