Overview
- The U145, which Airbus unveiled Tuesday at the ILA Berlin air show, is an uncrewed variant built from the widely used H145 helicopter to cut development risk and use existing logistics and parts.
- Airbus describes the U145 as a flying mothership that can carry, launch and coordinate smaller unmanned aerial vehicles from its fuselage to support missions such as disaster relief, firefighting and reconnaissance.
- The design removes the pilot cockpit and adds a nose entry door, larger cargo volume and reinforced floor; Airbus and reporting outlets cite a maximum takeoff weight around 3.8 tonnes and a payload near 1.2 tonnes.
- Airbus plans a staged test program with a safety pilot aboard the maiden/test flight before the end of 2026 and targets initial operational use over the coming decade.
- The company introduced an 'Airbus Uncrewed Aerials Systems' naming scheme and said it is working with the US Army on a military-adapted U145, a move that underscores the platform's dual-use intent and may shape future requirements and export controls.