State Border Guard Service of Ukraine received new helicopters

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine received new helicopters.

A batch of two Airbus H125 Ecureuil receiving was reported by Scramble.

On Monday, February 27, 2023, two Airbus H125 meant for border guards were delivered through the airport of Ljubljana (Slovenia). The helicopters made a short stop at the airfield for refueling, after which they continued their flight to Ukraine.

While possible deliveries to Ukraine are difficult to track since the Russian invasion began, new Airbus H125 destined for Ukraine have often been seen at Airbus’s Marseille plant during test flights.

The helicopters delivered were 49 Blue (tail number 9281) and 53 Blue (tail number 9253). Both were painted in distinctive gray-green colors, however, their SBGS` markings and names were taped off, although the national colors were clearly visible.

The latest Airbus H125 helicopters are being delivered as part of the implementation of an intergovernmental agreement with the French Republic and the Ministry of Interior Affairs’ investment initiative to develop a unified system of aviation security and civil protection.

Previously, a preliminary batch of three Airbus H125 helicopters for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine arrived in Lviv in February 2022. The newly arrived helicopters with the numbers 43, 44, and 58 have already been painted in the colors of the Ukrainian border guard service.

H125 are part of an order for 55 Airbus helicopters: 21 H225, 24 H125, and 10 H145. Of this order, all 24 H125 are intended for SBGS.

It is known that since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine helicopters H125 the State Border Guard Service take an active part in the performance of combat missions

Airbus H125 Ecureuil

The Airbus H125 is a single-engine multipurpose helicopter developed by Airbus.

The H125 are equipped with an optical and electronic surveillance system, including a thermal imaging channel, which allows you to control space in the dark and in bad weather conditions. The thermal imager can detect the vehicle at a distance of up to 20 kilometers. The equipment makes it possible to shoot video in high quality and transmit it in real time.

They are also equipped with an alert system with loudspeakers and specialized aviation spotlights that can be used synchronously with the optical-electronic surveillance system.

The range of the new H125 without refueling exceeds 500 km, and the cruising speed is 220 km/h.

The Airbus H125 is five times more fuel efficient and has better maneuvering performance than the Mi-8 in service with the State Border Guard Service.