Korean National Police Adds Airbus H225 for Security, Rescue Missions
The Korean National Police Agency (KNPA) has expanded its aviation capabilities with an order for a single Airbus H225 helicopter, marking the agency’s entry into the Airbus Helicopters customer base. The acquisition, announced by Airbus on November 24, 2025, represents a strategic investment in enhanced security and emergency response infrastructure for South Korea.
The multirole H225 will serve as a versatile platform for the KNPA, with primary applications in law enforcement and counter-terrorism operations. Beyond these security-focused missions, the helicopter will support critical public service functions including search and rescue, humanitarian relief efforts, and disaster response operations—capabilities increasingly important in an era of complex security threats and natural disasters.
“We are honored to welcome the Korean National Police Agency to the Airbus family,” said Vincent Dubrule, Head of Asia-Pacific at Airbus Helicopters. “The H225 has earned a global reputation as a reliable, multi-mission workhorse. We are confident it will become a cornerstone asset for the police agency, enabling them to carry out complex missions with precision and safety.”
The H225 represents the latest evolution in Airbus’ established Super Puma/Cougar family, a lineage that has accumulated over six million flight hours across various operational environments. This extensive operational history provides a mature platform with proven reliability—a critical factor for agencies requiring consistent availability for emergency response missions.
Performance specifications highlight the helicopter’s operational versatility. The H225 offers an impressive range of 1,111 kilometers (600 nautical miles) on standard fuel tanks, enabling extended operations without refueling. Its useful load capacity of 4,750 kilograms allows for significant mission flexibility, whether carrying personnel, equipment, or rescue supplies.
Configuration options further demonstrate the platform’s adaptability. The aircraft can transport up to 28 troops in tactical operations or be reconfigured with six stretchers for medical evacuation missions. This modularity enables the KNPA to rapidly adapt the helicopter to evolving operational requirements.
Airbus emphasizes that the H225’s advanced avionics and autopilot systems are specifically designed to enhance safety while reducing pilot workload—particularly valuable during high-stress operations in challenging weather conditions or complex urban environments.
The global footprint of the H225/H225M variant underscores its acceptance across diverse operational requirements. Over 360 units operate worldwide, having accumulated nearly 980,000 total flight hours. Military customers include Brazil, France, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Thailand—demonstrating the platform’s suitability for various geographic and operational contexts.
For the Korean National Police Agency, this acquisition represents more than equipment modernization. It signals enhanced capability to respond to complex security scenarios, provide rapid emergency medical services, and conduct large-scale disaster relief operations. As regional security dynamics evolve and climate-related disasters increase in frequency and intensity, such versatile aviation assets become increasingly essential for comprehensive public safety operations.
The H225’s all-weather certification ensures operational availability regardless of meteorological conditions—a critical capability for an agency that cannot postpone emergency response due to weather constraints. This acquisition positions the KNPA to maintain operational readiness across the full spectrum of potential mission requirements.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764102495222-907