Spectacular Parachute Jump Exercise with the Defense Forces’ New Helicopter

The Defense Forces’ Kiss József 86th Helicopter Brigade reported “spectacular jumps” on their Facebook page. The paratroopers of the brigade in Szolnok (central Hungary) jumped for the first time from a H225M helicopter: from altitudes of 1,000, 1,500, and 2,500 meters. Honvedelem.hu published spectacular photos of the occasion.

As Hungary Today reported previously, the Hungarian Defense Forces’ helicopter fleet is under continuous expansion. In the framework of the Defense and Military Development Program, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract for a total of sixteen helicopters of this type in December 2018.

Last year, six new H225M helicopters were delivered to the Defense Forces and ten more are expected in the near future.

The H225M are to replace the aging fleet of Russian-made Mi-17 transport helicopters (variant of the Mi-8). The old Soviet-designed aircraft was capable of carrying as many as 24 passengers and three crew members. The new H225M, on the other hand, can carry as many as 28 passengers, depending on the amount of equipment they carry.

The Mi-17, introduced in 1975, can carry 4,000 kg internal cargo; the H225M’s carry capacity is similar. The Russian helicopter’s maximum speed is around 250 km/h with a range of 620km, while the Airbus’s speed is 325 km/h, with a range of over 820km.

Via honvedelem.hu, Featured image: honvedelem.hu