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Airbus and Singapore’s Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) have successfully concluded a pioneering HTeaming flight campaign at a Singapore airbase. This flight demonstration marks the very first time HTeaming has involved an Airbus Flexrotor uncrewed aerial system (UAS) and the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) H225M helicopter.
This followed an agreement signed in June last year, with the two partners exploring how crewed-uncrewed teaming could enhance situational awareness and improve mission outcomes through a flight demonstration campaign.
The trials conducted in January using simulated scenarios, proved that a crewed helicopter can successfully and securely access real-time data from a UAS, significantly extending the aircraft’s visual range and overall mission safety. To demonstrate this capability, the H225M and Flexrotor teamed up in a search and rescue mission, delivering enhanced situational awareness.
As part of the collaboration, Airbus managed the design of the HTeaming system and its integration into the H225M, including specialised data-link architectures. This integration enabled the helicopter crew to receive and process real-time data from the Flexrotor while maintaining direct command and control of the UAS. This synergy facilitated rapid decision-making and mission execution while minimising the crew’s exposure to high-risk environments.
“The complexity of modern operations demands solutions that can adapt in real time. The successful flight demonstration underscores DSTA’s commitment to innovation and strong partnerships with industry to deliver cutting-edge solutions. It marks a positive step forward in teaming capabilities to enhance the RSAF’s mission effectiveness, while ensuring human decision-making remains at the centre of operations. This achievement gives us confidence to move further to redefine the boundaries of what’s possible for more dynamic operations,” said Ang Jer Meng, Director Air Systems, Defence Science and Technology Agency.
“The successful teaming is a game-changer for modern tactical operations. This flight campaign fully illustrates the ability to exploit dual-use technologies to support secure operations. By leveraging the strengths of both platforms, air commanders are enabled with unprecedented situational awareness in complex missions and high-risk environments,” said Olivier Michalon, Executive Vice President of Global Business at Airbus Helicopters.
Airbus HTeaming is a brand new modular crewed-uncrewed teaming solution designed to be compatible across the entire Airbus helicopter range. As a UAS-agnostic system, it integrates a variety of uncrewed platforms, allowing helicopter crews to take full control of different UAS in flight to meet specific mission requirements.
The Flexrotor is a modern Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft with a launch weight of 25 kg (55 lbs), it has been designed for ISTAR missions for more than 12-14 hours in a typical operational configuration, and 10 hours in EMSA configuration. It can integrate different types of payloads including an electro-optical system and advanced sensors to suit customers’ unique mission needs. With the ability to autonomously launch and recover from either land or sea requiring only a 3.7 by 3.7 m (12 by 12 ft.) area, the Flexrotor is ideal for expeditionary missions requiring minimal footprint.
As the latest addition to the Super Puma family, the H225 is recognised for its high performance in challenging conditions as well as its outstanding range and payload capacity. The aircraft’s state-of-the-art avionics and autopilot systems provide increased safety while reducing pilot workload. There are more than 360 H225s and H225Ms in service around the world, totalling one million flight hours. Military customers include Brazil, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, Thailand, and Morocco.
