New Brazil-France Deal Brings Major Helicopter Production to Minas Gerais

Brazil and France have agreed to work together to build the Airbus H145 helicopter at the Helibras factory in Itajubá, Minas Gerais.

The Brazilian Ministry of Development, Industry and Trade announced this partnership, which will bring an investment of 1 billion reais—about 184 million US dollars—over the next 15 years.

Helibras, owned by Airbus, will produce up to 200 H145 helicopters for customers in Brazil and other countries. The H145 is a twin-engine helicopter that can carry up to 10 passengers and two pilots.

It is used for many purposes, including emergency medical services, police work, military missions, and offshore operations. Each helicopter costs about 15 million US dollars.

The Itajubá plant already makes other helicopter models, such as the H125 and H225. Helibras has delivered more than 850 helicopters in Brazil, with almost 700 still in service.

The company employs over 500 people directly and supports more than 3,000 indirect jobs through its suppliers and partners. The factory meets strict quality standards set by Airbus, Brazil’s civil aviation agency, and the Brazilian military.

This project fits with Brazil’s Nova Industria Brasil program, which is investing 300 billion reais between 2024 and 2026 to modernize the country’s industries. The program aims to create skilled jobs, boost exports, and help companies use new technology.

By building the H145 in Brazil, Helibras will keep its factory active as older contracts, like the H225M for the military, come to an end. The agreement includes technology transfer from Airbus, which means Brazilian engineers will learn to work with advanced helicopter systems.

Helibras Boosts Brazil’s Role in Global Helicopter Market

Helibras has a Level 1 engineering center, allowing it to handle complex upgrades and repairs. This makes Brazil one of the few countries able to design, build, and maintain helicopters from start to finish.

France has recently ordered H145 helicopters for its emergency and police services, showing strong demand for this model in Europe. By making the H145 in Brazil, Helibras plans to sell the helicopter not only to the local market.

It also aims to expand sales to other Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. There are already more than 420 Airbus helicopters operating in Latin America, and the market is growing.

This partnership is a business decision focused on using Brazil’s skilled workers and factory to meet global demand for the H145. The deal is expected to create hundreds of high-quality jobs and strengthen the local aerospace industry.

It will also help increase Brazil’s share of the international helicopter market. It shows how two countries can work together to grow their industries and share technology for mutual benefit.