Airbus H145M LUH SOF and Airbus H145M LUH SAR (c/n 20136 and c/n 20360, ´76+14´ and ´77+08´ of the German Armed Forces), rehearsal for flying displays at 2025 edition of Tag der Bundeswehr open doors event, Internationales Hubschrauberausbildungszentrum Bückeburg, June 2025.
This year´s edition of traditional open doors day of the German Armed Forces, Tag der Bundeswehr, was held on 28th June 2025 and included two air base locations Fliegerhorst Schleswig/Jagel (Schleswig/Jagel Air Base) in Schleswig-Holstein and Internationales Hubschrauberausbildungszentrum (International Helicopter Training Centre) of the German Armed Forces in Bückeburg, Lower Saxony.
As usual, both events attracted tens of thousands visitors, with more than 83,000 in Jagel and over 70,000 in Bückeburg, respectively. In addition, the show in the International Helicopter Training Centre was preceded by a spotter day, creating a perfect opportunity for about 200 aviation enthusiasts to follow the rehearsal activities at the airfield and take photos of aircraft arriving there for static display.
And it was exactly the spotter day in Bückeburg when our current Photo of the Week was taken. It features two interesting Airbus rotorcraft from the Bundeswehr fleet, a H145M LUH SOF (Light Utility Helicopter – Special Operation Forces) and a H145M LUH SAR (Light Utility Helicopter – Search And Rescue).
The H145M LUH SOF is a special-purpose helicopter for Kommando Spezialkräfte – KSK (the SOF unit) of the Bundeswehr. The rotorcraft was ordered by Germany in 2013, which became the launch customer of the SOF-tailored variant of the popular H145 helicopter. Between 2015 and 2017, KSK received fifteen aircraft of that type.
Although based on the civilian EC145 rotorcraft, the SOF helicopter was purposedly adapted to the need of KSK operations. It is equipped with two rappelling systems to allow the soldiers to rappel from both sides of the hovering aircraft, ballistic protection, electronic self-protection system and additional equipment allowing for operating over sea.
In addition, the H145M LUH SOF received special-tailored reconnaissance sensors and was painted in a colour that makes it difficult to spot in poor visibility conditions. Thanks to its small rotor diameter, the H145M can be used in urban environment and, moreover, is considered one of the quietest rotorcraft in its class.
The helicopter is also equipped with modular weapon system, allowing to arrange its armament in accordance with needs of particular mission.
All the German H145M LUH SOF rotorcraft are being operated by 4. Fliegende Staffel (the 4th Squadron). The unit was purposedly established within Hubschraubergeschwader 64 (the 64th Helicopter Wing) of the Luftwaffe, as part of the German special forces helicopter programme.
In 2018, eight H145M LUH SAR helicopters were ordered by the German Federal Ministry of Defence. The new rotorcraft were intended to replace the then current fleet of UH-1D search-and-rescue aircraft operated by Heeresfliegertruppe (the German Army Aviation Corps).
Deliveries of the new rescue rotorcraft were executed between 2019 and 2021. In April of 2021, the last German UH-1D was released from SAR duty and soon after that type of helicopter was definitely retired from active service in Germany.
Seven examples of the new H145M LUH SAR helicopters were assigned to 7. Staffel (the 7th Squadron) of Transporthubschrauberregiment 30 (the 30th Transport Helicopter Regiment) ´Tauberfranken´, the dedicated SAR unit of the Army Aviation Corps. The Squadron currently maintains three rescue stations in Germany – Nörvenich (SAR41), Niederstetten (SAR63) and Holzdorf (SAR87) – as part of the Bundeswehr SAR duty, which also includes also two more rescue stations operated by the naval aviation.
The eighth H145 helicopter from the German SAR fleet – the example with tactical number 77+08, presented in our photo – was handed over to Wehrtechnische Dienststelle 61 (Bundeswehr Technical and Airworthiness Centre for Aircraft) in Manching. The aircraft is missing the standard search-and-rescue kit and is used by WTD 61 for testing and evaluation of new equipment.
